The stall mat debate

[JJ_85]

My friend and I are from South Africa and have been trying to source an affordable supplier of stall mats for months now. We even looked at importing from overseas. The prices we have received are quite insane and it would cost us nothing under R4000 to mat a 4m x 4m stall (roughly 13ft x 13ft)… and we both have 2 horses each!!

So i’m wondering if any one has put mats used for Gym’s in their stalls? I found some gym mats locally that are quite a bit cheaper (see photo) but i know cheaper isn’t always better and we want the best for our horses. These mats are interlocking tiles. Each tile is 61cm x 61cm (roughly 24inch x 24inch) and 20mm thick (roughly 0.7inch).

Could anyone shed some light on using gym mats in stalls instead of the proper (expensive) stall mats?

[Texarkana]

I have not used those exact mats, but I did make the mistake of buying gym-style mats off the roll that could be cut to the size I needed. They were too light weight and moved around constantly. Then they started to crack and corrode. After a year of use, I threw them away.

I don’t know if the interlocking feature will prevent the problems I experienced, but I suspect their light weight and small size will have them constantly popping apart. In the United States, they make interlocking, light weight, foam stall mats, but they are larger in size so they don’t have as many seams to come apart.

Big and heavy is truly the way to go with stall mats.

[trubandloki]

What do other horse owners in your area use?

[js]

I’m guessing they would be to thin, would tear and would not stay connected.

[mmeqcenter]

EVA foam at least 1/2" work as stall mats, there are horse-versions available. Your photo doesn’t show any information on the thickness so hard to tell if those exact ones will work.
I will say, I tried the 2’x2’ (0.6m x 0.6m) EVA interlocking foam mats in my stalls, and they constantly lifted/moved around. Others have not had that issue though, I assume it’s to do with how perfectly level the stall floor is underneath. And I mean PERFECTLY level, because ours were pretty dang level and we had a lot of movement.

[clanter]

the original source I believe for the idea of using rubber mats in stall was the recycling/repurpose of conveyor belts used in the mining industry… might want to check about locally at a quarry or such place for some used belt material

[UrbanHennery]

I’ve got old conveyor belts down in my hay stall. They’re fairly poorly installed as they were a) free and b) their only purpose is to be a barrier between the damp ground and my hay (this is the PNW afterall). If I’d installed them properly I think they would work just fine in the horse stalls.

[ParadoxFarm]

We have used conveyor belt rubber in our aisle, but I will say they are SLIPPERY WHEN WET and I wouldn’t use them in stalls. Not sure if there are different types, but that smooth rubber is slick.

[UrbanHennery]

Ah, then it depends on the belts. These are slightly rough on what I assume was the back side.

[clanter]

@UrbanHennery

Ah, then it depends on the belts. These are slightly rough on what I assume was the back side.

that is what I thought also… I only mentioned the belts because OP was at a loss for a matt supplier

also I assumed OP was in South Africa since they quoted prices of items in “R” where R4000 = about $330 (USD)…per stall… which is about $55 per matt assuming matt size at something around 4’by6’ matts like we used… we paid about $36 each in 1992

[Texarkana]

My horses are currently living in conveyor belt matted stalls, reminding me just how much I hate the blasted things! So glad the world of mats has evolved.

[Dutchmare433]

@clanter

that is what I thought also… I only mentioned the belts because OP was at a loss for a matt supplier

also I assumed OP was in South Africa since they quoted prices of items in “R” where R4000 = about $330 (USD)…per stall… which is about $55 per matt assuming matt size at something around 4’by6’ matts like we used… we paid about $36 each in 1992

I’m sure you could find them cheaper, but basic, non-interlocking 4x6 mats from Tractor Supply are about $45 (USD), so it would cost about $300 here to mat that size stall. So not all that far off, unfortunately for the OP.

[JJ_85]

@trubandloki

What do other horse owners in your area use?

They all have the proper horse mats

[CFFarm]

Bite the bucket and buy real “stall skins” type mats. They pay for themselves in the long run in saved bedding and time.

[walkinthewalk]

I use 3/4" thick restaurant mats. They are a grid type. I use industrial zip ties to keep them together.

My first grid mats were from Tractor Supply and only 1/2" thick. They lasted nine years with the horses coming in every night.

I fully expect these new grid mats to last to the end:)

[FraggleRock]

What kind of stall flooring do you have and how often are your horses inside? Do you really need mats?

[NancyM]

If mats are too expensive for your budget, then you have to consider other options. Wide wooden planks were more economical for me in my location, perhaps they would be possible in your area? Correctly laid on a grid of supports which are back filled with gravel for full support of the floor are quite nice, and very functional. Half the cost of fully matting the floors, for me. If not, clay or packed dirt or gravel stall floors “natural flooring”, (if your horses are not the type that paws and digs for fun and attention) have been functional for many horses and horse owners through history. Both wood and clay or “natural” stall floors are soft, warm, and inviting for horses to lay down on, not slippery, and can’t damage your horse if dislodged (like mats can), all of which are advantageous. The major negative to such a “natural” floor is that it needs annual upkeep, needs to be “relaid” and tamped down- they are more labour intensive than mats. If you want to save money, you pay for that with sweat. Every type of floor has it’s positive and negative aspects. You just have to choose which are important to you, in the situation you and your horses are in. It is not necessary to have what other barns and other horse owners have, in every respect, all the time.

[keatssu]

We put in the heavy rubber mats designed for stalls almost 9 years ago and they are still completely intact. We have had no problems at all. They are laid over a base of crushed limestone (there are different names for this type of base in different parts of the country). Our stalls are heavily used with our horses on 1/2 day turnout.

The initial expense is worth it, as with so many other things - trying to cut corners can cost more in the long run. We use pelleted bedding which is comparable to sawdust. I believe that it allows us to use less bedding. It may take time to realize the cost saving of using less bedding, but it should be a consideration, in my opinion. If I recall correctly, the cost for each stall was in the $400 range including the crushed limestone base. We installed them ourselves. I won’t lie - it was strenuous work.

[JJ_85]

@FraggleRock

What kind of stall flooring do you have and how often are your horses inside? Do you really need mats?

We have concrete flooring. They are stalled from 3pm - 7am. My reason for mats is because we have recently had a huge shortage of shavings. With everyone trying to get their hands on shavings the price has gone up. So we pay a fortune for a bag of shavings and can only buy when it’s available. My old boy spends a lot of his time snoozing these days and i HATE the fact that his shavings are sometimes not sufficient for him.

[JJ_85]

@FraggleRock

What kind of stall flooring do you have and how often are your horses inside? Do you really need mats?

We have concrete flooring. My reason for mats is because we have recently had a huge shortage of shavings. With everyone trying to get their hands on shavings the price has gone up. My old boy spends a lot of his time snoozing these days and i HATE the fact that his shavings are sometimes not sufficient for him.