You might be asking yourself if horse stall mats are truly worth the investment. I mean, horses are perfectly fine standing on the ground outside all day so do they really need extra protection while they are cozy in their stalls?
Purposes Of Horse Stall Mats in The Stall
There are several important reasons why getting sturdy, quality, rubber stall mats will be more than worth it in the long run. Take a look at some of the benefits they can offer you and your horse:
1. Keeping the floor level – having a solid, level surface to work with offers a huge benefit to your horse’s comfort as well as your own convenience while working around the stall. Having dips and ruts can pose the threat of tripping or even injury, but having mats laid down will help to avoid this altogether.
2. Prevent the horse from digging – we all know the horse who loves to impatiently or restlessly dig around in his stall. Many even like to pace circles around, bearing ruts into their stalls. While mats help protect against natural ruts and dips in barn flooring, they also prevent your horse from creating little obstacles of his own.
3. Creates easy cleanup – there is nothing easier to sift through than a fresh bed of shavings sitting atop a sturdy, flat, rubber mat. Rubber mats are also much easier to clean than the barn flooring itself (if necessary) because they can be taken out of the stall and scrubbed down at any time.
4. Stays cleaner, longer – stall mats are not just easier to clean, but they stay cleaner longer because they will keep your fresh bedding separate and elevated so that they do not soak up whatever filth may be prone to creep into your barn flooring.
5. Make your horse comfortable – after investing so much time and energy into caring for and building a relationship with these magnificent creatures, every horse owner wants to walk away knowing their horse will be comfortable for the night. Furnishing your horse’s stall with a thick rubber mat will give him the cushion he needs and provide rest and support for his joints after a long day or vigorous ride.
6. Safer and slip-resistant – you will find that rubber mats are safer for you and your horse to walk on than many flooring alternatives. Since there will surely be days that you are trampling in rain or mud (or cleaning up urine puddles) it is important that you and your horse can both have the confidence of secure footing.
Other Uses Around The Barn
Stall mats can have very practical uses outside of the individual stalls as well! Although there are plenty of people who use them in many capacities outside of their intended use, there are plenty of uses for them within and around the barn.
1. Barn Flooring – not too far fetched from the intended use of stall flooring, rubber mats can also be used to create safer and more comfortable flooring near your barn entrance, exit, or in the aisles. The reasoning for using them here is very similar to their use in the stalls; mainly that they are slip-resistant, safer, more comfortable to walk on, and easier to clean up!
2. Horse Bath – if you have a bathing station outside of your barn, you may find that laying down a generously sized mat will be a huge help. This again provides comfort for your horse while he is standing, but it also keeps him clean and separate from the mud puddle he might otherwise be standing in.
3. High traffic areas – it is common to find ruts and ditches near the entrances of gates, or near water tubs since they are such highly trafficked areas. Laying down a mat somewhere you know your horses will often be trampling through can help keep the ground level and ensure their safety on wet and rainy days.
4. Outdoor shelters – if there is an area you know your horse will spend a lot of time standing and resting, it would be a good idea to lay down a mat to ensure he gets as much rest as possible. Laying down mats in outdoor resting areas also makes it much easier to shovel snow and clear the way for your horse in the wintertime.
5. Horse Trailer Flooring – considering all places your horse might be standing for long periods of time, his trailer is another great place to lay down a mat. Since some horses can be skittish getting in and out of trailers, having a rubber mat laid down just provides that much more safety as a deterrent to him slipping and getting injured.
The Practicality of Rubber Mats
While they certainly are an investment, the use of mats around your barn ultimately comes back to the health and safety of you and your horse. Since they create a comfortable, slip-resistant, easy to clean foundation, they are an important asset to any stable.
If you are wondering how to choose the mats that are right for you, or if you’ve purchased mats but you find yourself facing an undesirable smell of rubber, you can check out these articles for more useful help!