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Chelsea
Bronze Member
England
58 Posts |
 Posted - 26 Feb 2005 : 12:00:31 PM
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Hi, I just wondered whether many of you use rubber stable matting and if so, what are your thoughts. We have 8 on straw but makes for a lot of mucking out for OH who has just retired, especially as they are in for such a lot of the time during this time of the year. I do like to see them tucked up nicely in straw and rubber seems so cold and uncomfortable looking.
Thanks
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barbara.gregory
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4531 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2005 : 12:10:16 PM
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I use straw on rubber mats and it is great, mucking out is easier and you don't have to worry about there being a "hole" in the straw where hocks and elbows can be on the concrete. My colt loves to roll and often has holes in his bed in some areas and 3 feet deep in others where he has kicked the straw over. I was told not to use straw with the mats but I haven't had any problems.
Barbara |
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ZsMom
Bronze Member
USA
118 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2005 : 12:41:48 PM
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thick rubber stall mats are GREAT....I have them over a clay floor, and the stalls are so very easy to clean...especially in winter, and provides additional insulation. I use shavings on top of the mats, and it also makes footing softer & better. Very easy to disinfect. I use a LOT of shavings in each stall, and stall mats are not for those who do not want to use a good amount of bedding. I think they could be quite slippery without the proper amount of bedding. And no holes in the stalls!
great inventions
Carolyn
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Lynda
Platinum Member
England
1957 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2005 : 12:55:16 PM
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| They are wonderful, far less time in mucking out and very easy to maintain. |
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Debbie
Gold Member
United Kingdom
1138 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2005 : 1:03:36 PM
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| We have used thick rubber matting in each stable for the last 5 years and it is fantastic. However, we do put deep beds down of straw but as Barbara said, when the horses roll or scrape holes in their beds, they are not having direct contact with the concrete. Makes them warmer as well. During the day however, I often put the beds up of the older (calmer horses) and just sweep out in the evenings and bed down again. Don't do this with the yearling however as she leaps around her stable and would likely slip. |
Debbie
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georgiauk
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2605 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2005 : 2:33:40 PM
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I've had rubber down for almost 10 years, tried the economic method of just enough bedding to encourage them to pee and lie down but found my horses after having a good roll ended up really stained and dirty so now they have full straw beds down.
It's nice not to worry aboaut holesin the bed and it's deffinately warmer for them.
Which way up do you guys put yours??? 2 of mine are ribbed side up and the other is pimples side up. I do find the ribbed side is far easier for sweeping out. |
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Valentine Arabians
Gold Member
United Kingdom
586 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2005 : 3:01:42 PM
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Hi,
We have had rubber matting down for 7 years now and wouldn't be without it. We only use a light dusting of sawdust over the top and it is an absolute doddle to muck out.
Liz |
Liz & Walter Downes
www.ValentineArabians.com
Lincolnshire |
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LYNDILOU
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
13976 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2005 : 3:51:45 PM
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| I do the same as you Liz, but I feel mean when it is cold so they all have reasonable thick beds now which sort of defeats the object of less work and waste! however I would always have rubber floors now it does make a difference to the horses comfort. |
   
www.dreamfield-arabians.com |
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kath
Gold Member
United Kingdom
943 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2005 : 5:07:45 PM
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We have Equimat rubber matting and also use shavings on top, thickness depending on how smelly each horse is in its bed! It soaks up pee and stops rugs getting too foul. I wouldn't be without it now, especially if horses are on box rest or something - so much better on their joints. And there are such a wide variety of types to choose from now: ours is taken out once or twice a year and hosed down, and the (concrete) floors disinfected to stop the boxes smelling. We also use a powder stable disinfectant called Equidry on the wet patches on the mats to keep them fresh from day to day.
Kath |
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Renee
Gold Member
539 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2005 : 10:59:23 PM
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I have Fieldguard and ordinary rubber mats, and now use straw for my mares and shavings for my gelding on top. I did do the light dusting of shavings, but as a result my old gelding now pees all over his belly, rugs and front legs in an attempt to not splash himself. Oh yes, I do a lot of rug cleaning! I get livid when I see ads saying you can cut bedding costs with mats - yes you can, but most vets will recommend a proper bed, particularly for geldings/stallions. I can't complain about the Fieldguard mats, they have been going strong for over 10 years and are much softer than the normal mats. They're also really easy to clean on your own. I can't lift the 6X4 mats, but the Fieldguards are about 3x1 with locking plates so it's not unrealistic to strip a stable or two out and clean them single handed. We put down disinfectant weekly and strip the boxes out completely once or twice a year.
I just find it reassuring to think that the horses can't possible scrape themselves on concrete, or get really cold. To me, that makes it worth the cost.
Renee |
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honey
Platinum Member
N. Ireland
2634 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2005 : 11:49:50 PM
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| we use rubber mats for most of the horse. there is a couple that is too dirty on it, but generally we found the horses to be much cleaner on it. we use about a bale of shaving every 5-6 weeks. we put there dung where they pee, it soaks up the pee, and there shavings stay clean, and lot less shavings used(big stables), our coloured mare pees on top of her dung any way, and when she had the foal, she toilet trained her!!. The foal was not allowed to pee on the shavings, but had to dung and pee at one side on the stable(which we leave bare). . |
    
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JMRT
Gold Member
England
562 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2005 : 07:46:25 AM
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My boys are visiting newmarket at the mo & they are on rubber mats with straw. They lay, roll & pee & poo on the straw. The yard spends less time mucking out & just sweep the wee from under the mats when needed.
My boys seem to like it!
Julie |
Julie
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Ash
Bronze Member
England
93 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2005 : 10:35:42 AM
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| I got Equimats about 3 months ago- LOVE them!! I only use a small amount of shavings at the back third of stable. Ash now mainly poo's/wee's in only area and is so easy to muck out. I go through 1 bag of shavings in about 10 days!! He does lay down on them and seems perfectly happy! |
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Vera
Membership Moderator
United Kingdom
8652 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2005 : 7:58:23 PM
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I use Quattro rubber matting with full bed of Ecobed on top. Best thing since sliced bread!!! Dennis is a complete poo monster in the stable so I've tried just about every bedding on the market including straw, shavings, Aubiose, Megazorb, Easibed and now Ecobed which is by far the best. I use about three bales a fortnight in a 17x13 stable at a depth of about 5" over two thirds of the stable and full banks as he likes to have a good roll in the stable and having no banks worries me.
http://www.ecobed.co.uk/
http://www.quattro.org.uk/index.htm
Vera and Dennis |
    
Hampshire |
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sacred cow
Bronze Member
United Kingdom
130 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2005 : 8:10:41 PM
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| We use mats and deep shavings - fantastic! makes life so much easier. Also prefer the lack of smell from shavings that we used to have with straw, but each to their own - pros and cons with everything. |
Lucy |
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sub
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
1919 Posts |
Posted - 28 Feb 2005 : 08:31:17 AM
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I´ve used rubber mats since 1993.
I had stablemate mats first. These were very thick and very very heavy. It took 2 people to lift them out for the annual wash down.
When I moved yards I changed to Fieldguard mats. They have various different types, sizes and thickness to suit everyone - and they are light enough for one person to move.
I have always used aquamax on 1/4 of the bed - just to catch the wee, but my gelding was very dirty on them as he laid in his poo! He did it when I gave him a full bed over the mats too (typical grey)
I have foaled down on mats with shavings and paper beds on top (mare could not have straw) with no problems.
After 5 years of daily use the original mats started to show signs of wear in the doorway, but the fieldguard ones are still going strong in a friends stable.
Susan |
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primrosepye
Silver Member
433 Posts |
Posted - 28 Feb 2005 : 10:57:09 AM
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I'm with you Vera - Quattro mats and Ecobed.
It took a while to get used to the bed not being bright yellow, but it is so easy to use, the pee is saoked up in a really small area so you rarely get stains and it can even be deep bedded... for some reason it doesnt hold the strong amonia smell that straw keeps so skipping out the poo on top and topping up the bedding can work really well if you have an animal that needs a bit more grip. What's more it doesn't stick to wounds as much as all the other products and is easier to brush out of manes and tails.
Hey!! do you think i should charge these companies for promotion???
Prim |
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dattyb
New Member
18 Posts |
Posted - 28 Feb 2005 : 2:23:32 PM
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| I have just got quattro mats in all 3 of my stables (fab company to deal with, delivered within 3 days) put down half bed of shavings with banks. Only been using it 2 days so its a bit early to work out savings on bedding, but what I have noticed is how warm it makes the stable feel, we were in an indoor barn set-up before but now we are in outdoor wooden stables and even though the temp has really dropped over the last few nights the stables are lovely and cosy. |
dattyb |
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kirsty
Gold Member
United Kingdom
713 Posts |
Posted - 28 Feb 2005 : 4:27:28 PM
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Hi there
i use the new rubber matting system thats on the market. It is called softstall and is a 2 layer system iit is a crumb filled matress with a one piece top cover in is so soft the horses love it I also put some shavings on top
Kirsty |
   eric g jones  |
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Chelsea
Bronze Member
England
58 Posts |
Posted - 12 Mar 2005 : 1:57:21 PM
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Thanks for all your input - I shall experiment to see what works well for us.
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kathleen
Platinum Member
England
1835 Posts |
Posted - 12 Mar 2005 : 3:26:59 PM
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| my mare used to cap her hocks all the time i tryed deep letter the lot she has now been on rubber matting for 4 years and its great now it it takes me no time to muck out i have a bank of shavings at the back i will not have a horse on any thing else it has saved her hocks and my back |
http://www.jollyfryer.com/ Great British Fish & Chips
susan.oliver70@ntlworld.com
    
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