Who doesn’t want to provide the maximum comfort and safety to their horses? If you’re someone who is concerned about your horse’s stall flooring, you’ve come to the right place!
You’ll find out the best horse stall mats including portable horse stall mat options. Along with that, be ready to soak in all the important information that will help you pinpoint the perfect product for your needs. So, read till the end to make your horse’s life easier!
Quick Picks
Before we move onto the detailed review of the top 5 products, here are our favorites:
Overall, the best rubber stall mat out there is definitely the Rubber Mat Flooring for Equine Stall. The tile structure allows perfect coverage of the entire floor. It also gives two surface options; smooth and diamond textured.
If you’re on a budget without the will to compromise, you’ll love IncStores 3/4 Inch Thick Portable Stall Mats. It starts at a very minimal price range that varies from size to size. The quality is comparable to some of the most expensive horse stall mats in the market.
Top 5 Horse Stall Mat Options
These 5 products are undoubtedly the best horse stall flooring you can get your hands on!
1. Rubber-Cal Shark Tooth Heavy Duty Mat
This rubber stall mat comes in a rectangular shape with three size options. You can opt between 3ft, 4ft, or 6ft sizes depending on the size of your horse stall. The mat has high EPDM content, so it resists UV rays.
These mats are among the best horse stall mats because of the immense comfort they offer. They are thick, anti-fatigue, weather-resistant, sturdy, anti-slip, and safe. Its high traction surface is ideal for both, indoor and outdoor usage.
Since the product is made of recycled tire rubber, it will have an unpleasant odor. But, that can be easily dealt with using a pH neutralizer.
2. Rubber Mat Flooring for Equine Stall
DWC offers these rubber mats in a pack of 10 or 20 tiles. You can either get the diamond textured design or go for the smooth-surfaced ones. Either way, the tiles interlock with one another to stay in place sturdily.
These are the best horse stall mat tiles. Despite being sturdy and ¾ inch thick, these mat tiles can be cut with a utility knife or razor so that your entire floor is covered from edge to edge.
Each mat weighs around 100lbs so this isn’t the most portable option out there. However, this also means that the mat won’t easily curl up or move around, so safety is guaranteed.
3. IncStores 3/4 Inch Thick Portable Stall Mats
You can buy the 2ft x 2ft tiles in a pack of 6, 18, or 25. But, you can also get a single tile in case you need to replace a damaged piece. The tiles interlock for a sturdy fit. They are made of EVA foam. Each tile is a standard thickness of ¾ inches which provides a pretty thick floor surface.
InStores Stall Mats are portable because of their extremely lightweight. They are soft enough for the horse’s comfort but at the same time, sturdy enough to last you a long time. Since the EVA is dense, it is waterproof. You can wipe it clean with a standard house cleaner agent.
Make sure these mats stay away from sharp objects. Anything rough can damage and ruin the flooring easily.
4. Rubber-Cal Maxx Tuff Heavy Duty Protective Mat
Rubber-Cal makes some of the best rubber stall mats so this product is definitely among the best horse stall mat tiles. The three size options include 3ft, 4ft, and 6ft lengths. It is ½ -inch thick. The rest of the dimensions can be altered by cutting it with a sharp knife.
This mat is highly durable. It is weather-resistant, thick, durable, and soft which makes it ideal for indoor and outdoor use. The honeycomb texture adds to the mat’s non-slip property to make it extra safe. But, even in case of a fall, the thick mat protects you and your horse from any serious injuries. On top of that, the strong traction keeps it stuck wherever you place it so even the most mischievous horse cannot move it.
The downside of this product is the strong rubber odor. But, it will go away a few days after putting the mat in the fresh air. Other than that, it weighs heavy so moving the mat from one place to another will be a laborious task.
5. Greatmats Portable Horse Equine Stall Mats
Greatmats offers these 2ft x 2ft mats. The EVA foam tiles are very lightweight, hence, portable, and easy to store. This product comes in a pack of 15 tiles that provides a coverage of 58 square feet. Each mat comes with a border strip so that you can have a neat edging in your horse stall.
The product is non-absorbent and waterproof so it is safe to use outdoors too. This also makes it extremely easy to clean. However, avoid using bleach. Don’t be fooled by the weight and softness of these mats. It is a very durable product.
Some users were dissatisfied with how the foam reacted to warm weather. So, you might want to look into that if you live in a warm and humid area.
Why Are Horse Stall Mats Needed?
Horse stall mats are not a luxury, they are a necessity. Yes, when you think about it, your horse will do just fine on dirt ground but wait till you actually experience it.
Imagine this:
Your clean horse on the dirt ground. The urine that gets soaked in this dirt. An excited horse that digs the ground. This leads to moldy bedding. On top of that, the dirt takes forever to dry so the stall reeks of urine. Mucking, which takes a lot of time and effort, has to be done regularly.
On the other hand, you have the option to add a rubber mat to your horse stalls. It’s a waterproof, non-slip surface that has no risks at all. The cleaning process hardly takes half an hour. It is convenient to disinfect and very easy on the pocket too.
Well, we all can guess what the better option is at the end of the day.
Ideal Rubber Mats for Horse Stalls
To avail the maximum benefits of the best horse stall flooring, you have to choose the right product.
Firstly, opt for a decent thickness. A mat too thin will be uncomfortable and probably start breaking quickly. Ideally, mats for horse stall floors should be ¾ inches to 2 inches thick. Thicker mats offer more comfort, last longer, keep the horse warm, and also offer better traction. Since thick mats are heavier too, there is no chance that the horse will move them around.
Other than the thickness, make sure the size is optimum too. Go for a size big enough to cover the maximum area so that you don’t have to add a lot of smaller pieces. The gaps in between pieces may lead to urine or water leakage into the dirt which can cause a stinky stall.
Try to go for mats made of vulcanized rubber. This material is antifungal, antibacterial, non-toxic, and most importantly, doesn’t smell bad.
Mat Installation and Cleaning
In order to get the most out of the product you spent your dollars on, the correct installation process is extremely important.
To start off, you need to prepare the surface where the mats have to be laid. It needs a level, smooth surface. For concrete or wooden floors, you can use pressure-treated wood to even out any bumps. In the case of a dirt base, you have to start by digging 3-4 inches. Fill this up with gravel, limestone, granite, or a mix of all three.
Next, fill the gaps with cement, followed by water. Go an inch above the previous level of the surface with these materials as they will settle when the cement dries. If you want extra bedding, add a layer of shaving, straw, or sawdust.
The next most important step is to cut the mats to the perfect size. But, before that, start placing the mats from the center and gradually move outwards. You’ll only have to trim the boundary pieces for the perfect horse stall mat edging. Take precise measurements, double-check them, and only then move forward. The good thing is that you can easily cut rubber horse stall mats with a utility knife but one wrong cut can waste your whole mat.
You can quickly clean these thick rubber mats with a hose. After washing them with plenty of water, spray a disinfectant on the mats, let them rest under sunlight for a bit, and they’re ready to be placed back in their spot. If the mats smell bad, use an odor neutralizer with a neutral pH and you’re good to go!
FAQs
Here are the answers to some of the most asked questions regarding horse stall mats.
Horse stall mats come in a lot of different sizes. But, the most common sizes are 4ft x 6ft, and 12ft x 12ft. Smaller, more portable sizes include 3ft x 3ft, and 2ft x 2ft mats.
Size isn’t that big of an issue when it comes to mats for horse stalls because they can be trimmed and cut as per the size of the space easily.
Horse stall mats contain toxic elements such as recycled rubber and hazardous flame retardants. These mats can also trigger latex allergy. Certain mats have a strong smell due to toxic contaminants. But, not all toxic mats will have this odor.
Most of the risks are associated with cheap products only. Good quality mats made of vulcanized rubber are safe, environment-friendly, and antibacterial.
Horse stall mats have a stinky odor due to the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Rubber mats are made of recycled rubber from crushed tires. These tiny pieces are then formed into a solid mat with a glue-like chemical called urethane. This is what causes the release of VOCs and the stinky smell. The foul smell eventually fades away when the mat comes in contact with fresh air.
To install a mat perfectly inside a horse stall, you should put straw, sawdust, or shavings under the mat. This keeps the mat in place without it curling up or moving around. These materials also serve as cushioning to add extra comfort. Gravel, limestone, and granite fines of 1/8 inch or smaller fines also work well.
Moreover, the recommended floor under these mats is concrete, wood, or asphalt. The surface should preferably be smooth and even.
Rubber mats are durable with a long life. Since they are waterproof, the wear and tear are very minimal. The non-slip texture and high absorption impact serve as additional features to minimize damage to the product.
These mats last for at least 6 months with rough usage. If used with care, the product will stay good as new for years.
Rubber mats are designed specifically for outdoor horse stalls. They are waterproof and non-slip. So, it is completely safe to use these mats outdoors. In fact, these mats get very stinky in close environments but work very well in ventilated spaces.
It isn’t recommended to put horse stall mats over a carpet or any other uneven, soft surface. The mat won’t be stable which can lead to serious injuries. However, if you do so, the carpet underneath won’t really get damaged unless you put a lot of weight on the mat.
Conclusion
As proven by all that has been discussed, rubber mat flooring is the best option for horse stalls. Its safety and comfort is unmatched. Price wise, it is easy on the pocket and lasts for years. What’s even better is that rubber floor mats require minimal maintenance!
So, without wasting any more time, order your favorite from our list of top 5 best horse stall mats!
