Equine Accessories
Rubber matting for your stables and washdown area improves the comfort of your horses and makes clean up faster and easier.
Ancorloc ground anchors are a great way to secure your Outpost Buildings stable to a windy site.
What is stall flooring for horses?
When building a new stall, stable or shelter for horses, what they have to stand on is a significant decision. Your horses will need to stand still on whatever material you choose for long periods of time - and the wrong choice can make the experience hard on their legs.
For happier, healthier horses, and easier maintenance of the flooring itself, the flooring you choose matters.
At Outpost Buildings, we provide rubber matting to suit a wide range of different flooring options for your horses, covering a wide range of preferences both for your animals and for you.
What is the best stall flooring?
The best stall, shelter or stable flooring for your horses will depend entirely on your individual and unique needs.
Some people are happy to deal with the extra maintenance required to keep the soil ‘au natural’, whereas other people would prefer the durability and easy upkeep of concrete or asphalt.
And that’s without mentioning the preferences of the horses themselves!
Soil, Sand or Clay
You can leave the existing soil in place as an inexpensive and healthy option for your horses, but this does come with additional maintenance requirements. There’s typically regular upkeep necessary to keep the floor level, and the soil may have to be replaced from time to time.
Clay-based soils are particularly maintenance heavy. If the flooring gets damp, such as in wet weather, the floor can become slippery or sticky, and your horses can dig holes depending on where they stand, paw or walk around. While it’s possible to install more permanent clay flooring, it’s best to lay a thick layer of crushed gravel for maximum durability and minimum maintenance.
Rubber matting can be used on top of this flooring for easier clean-up and comfier horses.
Concrete
Concrete flooring is possibly the most common flooring in stables, and for good reason. It’s durable, easy to clean, and hard to damage. However, not all concrete flooring is the same. Smooth-finished concrete provides an attractive look and is easier to clean, but it’s also slippery and dangerous for your animals. Textured concrete is better for stalls and stables.
Concrete is also very hard - that’s part of the appeal, after all - but this does make it rough on your horses’ legs. It can also be cold and damp, so some horses may not want to lie down in their stalls as a result. This is why concrete stable flooring is best combined with rubber matting to get the best of both worlds - durable flooring and comfortable horses.
Asphalt
Asphalt is the cousin to concrete in stall flooring, with similar strength and hardness. However, it’s a little easier on the horse’s legs, and it can be installed so that it drains relatively well.
That said, asphalt may become slick over time, and must be laid thick enough so that it doesn’t crack. There’s also the issue of the porous surface, which can be difficult to disinfect. The fact that it's one of the more affordable options is also a big point in its favour for those on a budget. Just like concrete, rubber matting is a great addition to asphalt flooring.
Crushed Limestone
Also known as limestone dust, crushed limestone can be a comfortable and safe stall flooring option. It has great drainage and is a non-slip surface - ideal for keeping your horses safe and clean, assuming that it has been installed properly over a bed of sand.
However, limestone can become compacted, almost to the level of concrete, making it necessary to add deep bedding or rubber matting to provide comfortable footing for your horses.
Gravel or Crusher Dust
The key to a good gravel or crusher dust stall flooring is ensuring that it’s well-packed and level when it’s installed. Like crushed limestone, it’s a non-slip surface and provides great drainage.
However, it’s also not as easy to clean as other options, and will become compacted over time, requiring rubber matting or deep bedding to provide comfortable flooring for the horses.
Rubber Mats
Rubber matting is a fantastic addition to any stall, stable or shelter. They’re easy to clean compared to gravel or natural ground, as they can simply be hosed down or swept. They also don’t have the hardness factor of concrete, asphalt or compact gravel and limestone, providing great cushioning for your horses’ legs. They help to insulate during cold weather, and can be cut to any size or length that you need as well.
Best of all, they can be used in combination with some other types of flooring, allowing you to get the best of both worlds - removable mats for comfortable horses and easy cleaning, and the durability of compacted stone, asphalt or concrete.
Whatever flooring you choose for your Outpost Building shelter, we recommend checking out your options in rubber matting as an excellent equine accessory. They’re a great addition to nearly any stable, being easy to add, remove or clean, and providing the cushioning and insulation that your horses need to remain comfortable - no matter how long they’re in the stable.
Get in touch with our team to find out more about our horse shelter flooring options.