Are Horse Stall Mats Worth It?

Horse stall mats are a great option for your home gym floor if your main concern is cost. If your main concern is performance, looks, or ease of installation there are better ways to go. I’ve personally used both horse stall mats and rubber gym flooring.

Are stall mats necessary?

Horses need mats for a healthy and comfortable experience in their stalls. Without a mat, wooden or concrete floors can be hard on the horse’s joints. Mats also provide even and firm footing for the horse.

How long do horse stall mats last?

Choosing a product that comes with a robust warranty is a great sign that it is designed to last. For example, Greatmats has a durable 3/4-inch horse stall matting sold in 4×6 measurements that is rated for 20-plus years of use in equestrian installations.

Will horse stall mats stop smelling?

They crush tires up into really small pieces and then ‘glue’ them together with chemicals like urethane. This is where the smell comes in. The smell itself comes from the mats releasing VOCs, volatile organic compounds. Over time as the mats are exposed to air the release slows, which in turn dissipates the smell.

What is best to put under stall mats?

What do you put under a horse stall mat? The proper surface for under horse stall mats is concrete, asphalt, wood or a well compacted surface consisting of fines 1/8 inch in size or smaller.

What is the best floor for horse stalls?

Horse Stable Flooring Materials and Drainage

• Topsoil.
• Clay.
• Sand.
• Road Base Mix.
• Wood.
• Grid Mats.

Should a horse stall have rubber mats?

Rubber stall mats are a must-have feature in any horse barn. This type of horse stall flooring keeps horses from digging down into their stall base, makes stall cleaning so much easier, and provides a soft, forgiving surface that can help to keep your horses comfortable while they’re in their stalls.

Can you keep a horse in a stall all day?

Horses can live in stalls 24 hours a day but probably shouldn’t. It’s best to get your horse at least 12 hours of outdoor grazing each day. If that is not possible, be sure that your horse is ridden or exercised every day.

Can you park a car on horse stall mats?

Keep in mind that horse stall mats are designed for, well, horses that weigh over 1,000 pounds so parking your car on them will not be an issue. A couple of things to keep in mind regarding your gym flooring.

Do you have to clean a horse stall everyday?

Ideally, horse stalls should be cleaned every day and kept as clean as possible. Since horses often lie down in their stalls at night, this behavior means that if you are not keeping the stalls clean, horses could be lying in their own urine or manure – and there’s nothing healthy about that!

Do stall mats absorb urine?

Labor savings: Compared to dirt floors, where you have to regularly rake up and dry out soaked spots, matted stalls are easier to clean. However, the horse still makes the same amount of urine and manure and soaks the same amount of bedding.

How long does it take for stall mats to off gas?

Some rubber may have off-gassing that is above recommended health thresholds for ~28 days.

How many stall mats do I need for a 12×12 stall?

6 mats
Many retailers sell 4×6 foot rubber mats for horse stalls, which horse owners then cut to fit their standard 12×12 foot stall. You will need approximately 6 mats to cover a standard 12×12 foot stall.

Are horse stall mats slippery when wet?

It tends to be harder and can become slippery when wet. The other problem with stable floors made from dirt or clay is that the surface will become uneven over time. This can cause tripping hazards for you and your horses, especially if you have horses that pace or paw at the ground.

Can you put horse stall mats on dirt?

Sand, dirt, or clay are not recommended as installation surfaces. The ideal surface is a 3 inch compacted layer of 3/4″ crushed gravel. If crushed gravel is not available, decomposed granite or limestone is recommended.

Do horses get bored in stalls?

According to Dr. Hoke, it’s actually relatively common for horses to get bored in general, and spending hours in a stall doesn’t help that tendency. Toys for horses can help alleviate the problem, but, as social animals that thrive on interaction, horses left to their own devices can get restless and agitated.

Should horse stalls be dirt or concrete?

Concrete floors are much easier to clean. Mucking out a stall with concrete floors is easier than dirt or clay stall floors, and you don’t create holes. You can also remove the bedding material and rinse the concrete with water.

What soaks up horse urine?

Zeolites are a natural stall refresher that soaks up the ammonia AND is safe for you, your horse, your chickens, and your barn cat.

How often should Owners muck out their horses stalls?

Stalls should be mucked at least once a day, although twice a day is ideal if your horses are kept in for any part of the day. This usually takes about 15 minutes per horse in the morning, and about five or 10 minutes in the evening.

How many bags of shavings do I need for a 12×12 stall?

A 12×12 stall will require approximately six bags of bedding for conversion.

How often should a horse stall be mucked?

Mucking out a stall daily prevents these issues and ensures the horse’s comfort. The best time to muck out a stall is when it is empty. Every morning after turnout, grooms head in for daily stall cleaning. They begin by picking out manure and soiled straw with a metal pitchfork and placing it in a pile.