Why Should You Rethink Your Horse's Stall Flooring?

Stall Mats for Horses

Horse Stall Mats: Why Should You Rethink Your Horse's Stall Flooring?

When was the last time you thought about the flooring in your horse's stable? Perhaps you were wandering the halls of the most recent horse expo, surfing through social media, or clicking on an enticing ad depicting spotless horses in lovely stables. 

Here are some reasons why you might evaluate the flooring in your horse's stall: ROI (return on investment) When was the last time you bought something for your horse, and it truly paid you back? If you choose the correct type of stable flooring, your horse's stall flooring may provide a return on investment that pays you back year after year.

Traditional horse stall mats are unquestionably less expensive than a cushioned and sealed stable flooring system. A deeper examination, though, gives a distinct perspective on the overall picture.

Rubber horse stall mats available in a variety of widths, thicknesses, and densities. Some are virtually as hard as a rock  just 3% softer than concrete – while others are extremely cushion, at least at first.

Hard rubber equine mats last longer than soft and squishy varieties, but difficulty arises when your horse continually scuffs through the layer of shavings you've laid down on top of the hard rubber matting to lie down and roll. As a result, you may develop hock sores, pastern rubs, or even hip or shoulder sores. Ouch!

Soft rubber mats, some with interlocking sections to prevent moving, show early promise but fall short in terms of long-term comfort. Two of the most prevalent concerns are divots in the soft rubber from hard-as-steel horse shoes and compacting from horses standing in the same location.

Here's the catch: Rubber mats, whether hard or soft, fall short of delivering optimal comfort and durability, and because they require substantial amounts of shavings for cushioning and protection, the annual expense of maintenance adds up.

Geotextile and Crumb Rubber: An Odd Pairing

It doesn't end well, but let's start at the top, where the materials are meant to keep urine from permeating through the geotextile top cover and into the crumb rubber below. The finest geotextile top covers are covered with a rubber compound that makes them sound good on the surface. The hoof steps and sheer weight of a horse, on the other hand, can cause the coating to abrade, deteriorate, and wear off over time.

The impermeability of the rubber-coated textile topcover is eventually compromised, allowing urine to soak through to the crumb rubber beneath. Smell it: Ammonia odors from bacterial development are telling signs of this failure.

Examine the crumb rubber a little more closely. The crumb rubber, like the materials used in stable rubber matting, can be tougher or softer, but producers try to improve its inherent qualities and keep the rubber crumbs from moving. Rubber is loaded into a mattress with parallel baffles, similar to the design of old-fashioned air mattresses. Even with a topcover sheet over the mattress, it's difficult to walk on.

Not only does this fail to provide the even and stable surface horses require in their stalls; far worse, when the topcover fails and urine penetrates into the crumb rubber, all the nooks and crannies of the crumb rubber create an excellent breeding ground for ammonia-producing bacteria.

Why You Should Think Again About Horse Stall Mats

The Flooring System offers both cushion and support, as well as an excellent return on investment. Consider that this stall flooring has a higher ROI than any other stable equipment... ever. This is how it works:

It is malleable enough to provide the therapeutic advantages of the padding it covers while still being robust enough to endure everything but concrete. Its single-piece rubber sheet is composed of five layers: two layers of robust, densely woven polyester/nylon mesh sandwiched between three layers of thick, vulcanized rubber, providing unrivaled structural stability, durability, and an impermeable, waterproof surface.

This provides the spring-in-your-step' anti-fatigue advantage that entirely eliminates the weariness factor that many horses feel while stepping on concrete or regular rubber mats that are normally just 3 percent softer than a concrete floor. Precision Foam, with a working temperature range of -70 to 175°F, insulates against cold and heat, absorbs vibration and shock, provides energy return, and is entirely waterproof. For structural stability, its chemically cross-linked PE foam is layered, resulting in a stable, flat surface. The Precision Foam TM cushioning support is useful to all horses, but it is especially beneficial to horses suffering from aching feet and laminitis.

Anchor strips form an impermeable barrier by sealing the system around the stall perimeter. This prevents urine and other moisture from penetrating the subfloor and causing bacteria accumulation and ammonia out-gassing, which is frequent with individual rubber mats.

But Hold on a Minute – There's More!

The Highrange Flooring System transforms the purchase of stall flooring into a profitable investment. It's referred to as “steady ROI.” Because stall bedding is solely used to absorb urine in stables, the expense of purchasing shavings, cleaning stalls, and disposing of dirty stall bedding is considerably reduced. 

Consider the increase in air quality in the stable if less bedding is used, in addition to the economic benefits. Of course, different types of bedding add varied levels of dust to the stable environment, but dramatically lowering the amount of any bedding will improve the quality of air your horse breathes.

Never underestimate the value of relaxation and a good night's sleep in helping your horse recover from exertion and remain healthy.

Whether you clean a few stalls yourself or run a professional stable, your time is valuable. With Highrange , a stall that takes 15 to 20 minutes to clean may be transformed into a 5-minute miracle. This statistic is real — consumers swear by it. That's nearly an hour each day saved in a 4-stall private barn. In a commercial stable with 30 stalls, the time savings exceed the equivalent labor of one worker.

When it comes to horse stall mats, Highrange provides a plethora of reasons why you should evaluate the flooring in your horse's stall.

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