My mare’s feet don’t do well in the WET winters we have here in the Pacific Northwest. I’m going to lay down more gravel in her paddock but that tends to shred her frogs when they get soft from the constant rain.
I’m thinking of putting rubber stall mats over the gravel in areas where she likes to stand. One spot beside the fence and another by the gate where she gets fed.
Has as anyone done this to save their feet? Is there risk of slipping?
Yes, people do this. I expect there is a risk of slipping, but that depends on whether the horse leaps around a lot.
When I first moved into my stall/runout, before I got the drainage fixed, my horse had an island of stall mats at the back left over from previous stallholder, and my horse basically stood on them all winter out of the muck.
I have outdoor stall mats in front of the run in shed to keep it from getting muddy there–works well.
Also good to feed horses on mats on sand, so they don’t get sand colic.
Yes at gates but top with a layer of straw or hay to
adhere to mat and offer safe traction when ice arrives ~ works here.
Outdoor mats become ice rinks within minutes of sleet / ice making coming through the gates even more dangerous ”¢ would rather have sloppy looking but SAFE gates openings til spring … rather than muddy or slick areas.
I have 3/4" thick restaurant grid mats at one of the barn entrances. And also at one of the water stations and bath area. They are sitting on top of what my area calls “1/4-down” which is limestone crush.
I like the the grid mats better than stall mats as the holes allow for drainage and the mats do have a bit of grip to them.
They are 3’ x 5’ maybe? and interlock.
That said, I am in southern Middle Tennessee where there is little snow but we do get eye-popping ice storms. There is no way in Hades I would put mats down coming thru the gates. More than once I have had to lock the horses out of the big pasture due to ice, and throw a lot of sand down coming thru the gates:)
I use mats in the areas where the horses stand to eat from hay nets. When it is icy, I put down old hay for traction. It freezes to the mat and prevents slipping.
We don’t have ice storms and only rare snowfall. More rain rain rain in the winter. But tossing a bit of footing on the mats is a good idea. Also making sure the base is level so the mats don’t collect pools of water which defeats the purpose.
I’m also in the PNW. I use mats by gates, outside stall doors, by water tubs and under the outside hay net stations. I have 3/8" crushed clean rock on top of most of the mats except the ones under the hay nets, those I flipped over so the rough/grooved side is up. I haven’t had any traction problems and I sweep them off every day.
Great thank you all for the replies! Seems like a good idea for this winter
Last year we put mats in the 3-sided 12’x24’ loafing shed, makes cleaning out so easy! Also have them around the outside of the covered round bale feeder over 3/4 minus crushed limestone so heavy traffic area is dry. Best thing ever. Hoof health is much better this year!
I have them under the run-in, and around a water trough that a horse likes to play in and so make lots of mud. I have used them at gates during a muddy winter.
Regarding the ring mats, I am always afraid a shoe could get caught in it…
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