While all mats are black and lie flat on the ground, similarities between mats end there. Think about it! The only part of a barn with which a horse is in constant contact is the floor—it takes some heavy abuse. If, in your effort to be budget-conscious you select poorly constructed mats, they could wear out or fail in a few years and your “bargain” mats would be costly indeed. The best “value” is the right mat—with the best design, made of the correct materials, and a thorough warranty to back it up.

QUESTION I know there is not a one-piece mat for my entire stall, but what’s the difference between 4’ x 6’ stall mats and larger 6’ x 12’ mats? Aren’t I better off with fewer seams, and are pre-trimmed mats a good idea?

Large stall mats, such as a 6’ x 12’ mat, are made in an extrusion process which commonly uses a fiber-reinforced rubber or, in the case of recycled rubber, a urethane binder to “glue” the rubber particles together. The one is prone to curling because the nylon fibers tend to “shrink” over time, and the other tends to wear out rather quickly as the urethane more easily tears and rips from the abrasion of the hooves in the presence of water and/or urine.

Most stall mats are made from recycled rubber and the best are fully
re-vulcanized, although urethane-bound 4’ x 6’ mats are not uncommon.
The re-vulcanization process can produce excellent mats at a much lower cost than virgin rubber. It’s important to find the right manufacturer.

Large mats tend to be extremely heavy and impossible to maneuver into a stall. Trimming them is a nightmare. Pre-trimmed mats, unless they are of an interlocking design, are a fanciful creation. Non-interlocking mats must fit tightly, wall-to wall, regardless of the mats’ size. This type of precision cannot be achieved by a non-interlocking stall mat trimmed on the factory floor. The 4’ x 6’ x 3/4" stall mat generally weighs 100 lbs. or less, is easily managed by one or two people, and can be trimmed very easily to fit any size stall. This is the type of mat you should be looking for.

QUESTION Where does urine go? Won’t it get under a mat and create a smelly mess?

A proper rubber floor should be non-porous and non-absorbent, and individual mats should be trimmed to fit as tightly as possible. This will ensure that urine will remain on the surface of such a floor long enough for the bedding to absorb it. During installation you should avoid any gaps between mats. Gaps up to 1/4" are OK, however, because a small  gap like this will quickly pack with bedding chaff which will act as a very effective caulking.

When you have a matted floor you will be removing 99.9% of the urine every time you clean. The small, remaining amount of urine will either evaporate or percolate through your stone dust base. If you have a concrete base, you have the option of washing everything down from time to time if you feel it is necessary.

Grid-type, plastic floors should never be used as stall flooring. As much as 90% of the urine will go through the grid and create a cesspool under your horse. The soil will be unable to drain away that quantity of urine, day-after-day. Odor and cleanliness will be a big problem as the soil becomes excessively wet and rank.

QUESTION Are mats slippery when wet?

Good traction under wet conditions is a function of a mat’s resilience (hard is slippery), its texture (smooth is slippery), and its surface pattern (a slightly-raised pebble design fights hydroplaning). Watch out! Soft mats wear out much too soon, indented or highly-raised surface patterns impede the movement of a pitchfork across the surface, and overly rough patterns impede the effects of sweeping.

QUESTION Will I save bedding? How about time? What about overall stall maintenance?

How much bedding you save will depend on how frequently a horse urinates, the quantity of urine, how active a horse is in the stall, how frequently you clean, and the absorbency of the bedding you use. It’s a complicated formula that results in routine savings between 10% and 50%. Cleaning time can also be cut in half, once again depending on the factors just cited. Floor maintenance is virtually eliminated since the mats take the beating, not the sub floor.

QUESTION How should I clean mats? Can I use lime?

We suggest a non-oil based, liquid disinfectant such as Lysol® or Pine-Sol®. We do not recommend lime because lime can get pasty and slick when wet. Lime also can burn a horse’s skin. One way or the other, though, lime won’t hurt your mat. If you are unlucky enough to have had a horse with a contagious disease on your mats, please ask your veterinarian about how to disinfect them, and then call us to see if
his suggested chemicals will harm them. In most cases they won’t.

QUESTION What other benefits do mats provide?

The added benefits gained from using mats are many. Better dust control; ammonia reduction; resilient stress relief to bones and muscle; level, safe floors; less wear on hooves and shoes; stocking-up is virtually eliminated as a result of hard and/or uneven floors; and hair loss or scuffing is minimized or eliminated. Using stall mats clearly improves your life and the lives of your horses!