To mat or not to rubber mat?

[Holly Hocks]

My two TBs are disgusting - one mare and one gelding. Gelding tries to kill the mare through the bars as he hates her guts and the mare does the wall of death digging the bedding up so that she can then throw herself on the floor to roll.
So by the morning, I am left with the mare who has spread all the bedding up the banks, and i just have huge pooey banks with no bedding in the middle which I then have to start sifting through, and the other stable with Mr Arthritic in who can't be bothered to lift his feet up properly has trodden and mashed all the poo into the bedding.

They are still out 24/7 but I am trying to plan ahead for winter. Last winter they both had hugely thick beds and I just took the poo out during the week and then spent the weekend breaking my back digging the wet out.

I am trying to save time this winter as well as saving my back which is knackered. How much time does it save putting rubber matting down and a thinner bed which I can then sweep out in the morning and does it save much money on bedding?
Thanks

 

[monikirk]

I've got mats with semi deep litter of wood pellets in main bed and shavings for banks in the winter. Works well keeps muck heap small as not much waste. Dig out very wet bits and stir in more pellets as needed.

 

[missyme10]

I have the 34mm thick easimats so bedding is not needed for comfort, just for toilet purposes. I have six mats, just one is covered with wood pellets. Its so easy to muck out, and one bag of pellets a week is all I need so cheap also.

 

[bumblelion]

I have the 34mm thick easimats so bedding is not needed for comfort, just for toilet purposes. I have six mats, just one is covered with wood pellets. Its so easy to muck out, and one bag of pellets a week is all I need so cheap also.

I'v just bought a set of these for my arthritic boy, they arrived on tues, got to lay them yet but really impressed by them up to now! My other boy's got equimats, the 22mm ones and the easimats look just as good, was going to get the 28mm equimats for him but pleased I got these, thicker and half the price!

To be honest OP, I personally don't save time or money, but that's because mine have big beds. I can't bear to have a sprinkling of bedding as one's arthritic and worry about him geting cast and the other is the worlds biggest roller, box walks and would end up in a right mess and I couldn't stand it! I'v tried giving them half beds but they got messier, therefore I took more out and had to top up more often! So, the mats give me the peace of mind for comfort etc but to me don't benefit me bedding wise!!

 

[Lotty]

I've got mats and tried a shavings bed of about 3", it was awful and took me ages plus I had to put a bale of shavings down every other day

Now I semi litter, the bed is about 10", I take out just poos and the odd wee and it just takes about 25mins (stable is 14ft x 18ft). Then on the 4th day I hunt for the wees and put a bale of shavings in, I've found this way is quicker and cheaper.