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Posted by pondarosa fox on Oct. 8, 2001
Has anyone had experience of using rubber matting on stable
floors?
I can see advantages but what about the liquid!, esp. when
placed on the existing concrete floor.
Posted by Graham on Oct. 8, 2001
Rubber stable mats are excellent for safety and comfort.
However in my view they should NOT be considered as a
substitute for proper bedding, but more an adjunct to it. As
for liquid, I had mine laid on a concrete floor, and sealed
down. It has worked brilliantly! No smell, no lifting and the
floor can be washed when required. I used Tylyne. They were
excellent
Posted by Millie on Oct. 8, 2001
I had rubber fitted this year so he hasn't been on it
long! I originally started on straw with the rubber but it
didn't work, he just got all wet and smelly! Now I'm on
shavings and it's much better, he's not quite so smelly! (just
need to wash the rugs more often!) Ideally you should have a
good, draining stable, but I don't! It works fine! You just
need a good layer of shavings where he/she pees. It's sooooo much easier!
Posted by romanlodge on Oct. 8, 2001
Graham
Can I ask what you stuck the mats down with? I'm
thinking about it too but definitely don't fancy the idea of
lifting all the mats to disinfect and the smell thought just
makes me cringe.
Posted by michelles on Oct. 9, 2001
If the mats fit well you don't need to lift them to clean
underneath, they need to be a very snug fit. I had them
and they were brilliant until I moved yards and the mats don't
fit the new stable quite as well as the last one, but also I
have a big dip in the floor so they drain to the back corner,
which is obviously no good at all!!! Once I have the
drainage sorted out I will have another go at getting them to
fit better. One word of warning: don't go for the porous
ones, they seem to clog up and they don't then drain properly
and the rugs get soaking, horse stinks etc!!!!
Posted by tillytoo on Oct. 9, 2001
we've had rubber mats for 7+yrs!
I thoroughly recommend
them IF...
you have a slope on the floor to seep holes
they are fitted tightly - I have solid Avon type ones, fitted
tightly in COOL weather - they expand a bit in the warm)
you use an absorbent bedding-we use shavings, 2 bales is enough.
We did lift to clean the first summer but they were dry and
clean beneath, except at the very back by the seep holes, we haven't lifted since and there's no smell.
We had a big dirty cob for the first 2 yrs so I sprinkled some
shavings down and swept out in the morning. Yes, his rugs were
filthy, but they always were anyway!
One thing though', I've got an oldie and a huge striding
youngster with road nails and they do mark the surface. In the
future, I will have to swap the back mats with the front, but
the mats are very tough!
Posted by LizCobby on Oct. 9, 2001
We have rubber matting; as our floors are concrete, no
proper drainage, we choose non-porous mats. Green Equimats
interlock, but not sealed down, so can move if/when required.
We use a thin half bed of shavings, to the rear of the box and
good banking back half. Very easy to do, a couple of inches of
shavings absorbs the wet, refresh by fluffing up banks
and shaking more shavings on floor each day. So no rushing
around to carry and shake up bales of bedding during the week.
Stables are warmer and dryer as no exposure to damp cold
concrete.
Less wasted bedding, less hay trampled into bed as it stays
clean and edible. Soaked hay drips onto clear area , with hay
and water to front of stable, so does not make bedding wet. -
esp with two who play about with their water buckets.
Two BIG lads have road nails and no damage to the mats, as the
surface is tough, but mats very soft.
Only lift and hose out during summer spring clean, and light
enough for one person to carry in one hand.
They do get more stable stains, but they manage to do that in
a full bed.
Posted by Roo on Oct. 9, 2001
How expensive would matting be for two 10'x12' stables as I
have only seen the Robinson's catalogue stuff and it works out
about £800 for both stables (I think - if I worked it out
correctly) and this seems to be really quite expensive.
Posted by sonny on Oct. 9, 2001
I used 'stablemat' rubber matting. Cost for 2 stables (12x12
and 12x16) was about £ 350 2 years ago. We fitted them and
they are really heavy and difficult to move around. Always use
with shavings, and they've been wonderful, but horse was a bit
suspicious when first introduced to his stable, pony didn't
mind at all. I recommend them highly!
Posted by LizCobby on Oct. 9, 2001
http://www.equimat.co.uk/
go direct, don't forget to add vat and carriage to the price
list.
Unless you have very old arthritic OAP's or very fragile
horse, the standard thickness is fine. Very soft to stand or
sit on.
Posted by Pebbles on Oct. 9, 2001 I have heard it's cheaper to get cattle mats. apparently
they're exactly the same, but because they don't have 'horse' or
'equine' in their title they are a fraction of the cost.
Definitely something I'll be doing when I have a few
pennies!
Karyn
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