Are stall mats good for horses?

By Lisa Hobbie Created: December, 2019 - Modified: September, 2023

Horses are beautiful creatures that make amazing pets and show animals. Countless hours and funds are spent on working with horses and ensuring that they have the proper diet, activity, and environment to thrive. Where nature provides an excellent environment for horses by way of field and pasture, horses often also spend a significant amount of time in a stall, barn, or trailer. Stable flooring is often porous dirt, gravel, or sand, and trailer floors are often wood. Some stalls or barns also have a nonporous floor such as concrete. Where theses surfaces likely make sense for the situation, they are not always what is best for the health and well-being of the horse.

Dirt Stall Floors

Dirt floors are nearly impossible to keep level and clean. Without a level floor for a horse to stand on, it is difficult for it to stand evenly. In the winter time, frozen spots are inevitable, and in the warmer months, wet spots almost always exist. Stall mats are easy to clean, allowing the horse’s caretaker to get everything up off the floor - in summer and winter. They keep ruts and holes to a minimum. They provide a clean and level protective layer on which the horse can stand and lay, and they provide insulation for the horse, as well.

Concrete Floors for Horses

A common stable flooring is concrete, which is considered to be durable and easy to clean while also being hard to damage. It is sometimes slippery, however, which could pose a threat to the horse’s safety. The hard surface can also be very hard on the horse’s legs and joints, as can the cold and damp environment the concrete presents. Stall mats can provide a more comfortable and slip resistant footing for the horse, and they also provide insulation should the horse want to lay down - as well as anti-fatigue properties.

Wood Equine Floors

Many horse trailers, and some horse stalls, have wooden floors. Where they do provide a warm, non-slip when dry, low maintenance footing, they can succumb to rot from urine, water spills, and bugs. Wood floors tend to hold odor, can be slippery when wet, and can be damaged by pawing horses. If covered in stall mats, however, these issues can be greatly mitigated - if not eliminated completely.

Horse Stall Mats - For Cleanliness, Health, and Wellbeing

Although the flooring types mentioned are common and acceptable, stall mats provide a much better environment for your horse. Making a horse comfortable, clean, and healthy in their stall or trailer can make a world of difference for their overall wellbeing.

Greatmats is your one stop trusted source for all of your equine flooring and horse stall mat needs. Choosing the right mats will keep your horse safe and comfortable and your stall clean and easy to maintain. Spend time caring for your horse and not your stall.

With so many options from which you can choose, Greatmats’ horse stall mats can instantly transform a horse stall or trailer to a more aesthetically pleasing and safer space. Here are a few of the most popular options:

Equine Flooring Kits

Horse Stall Mats 12x12 Ft Kit
These 12x12 interlocking recycled rubber mats provide amazing protection for the horse and the floor and walls of a barn, trailer, or stable. Vulcanized rubber stall mats are 100 percent non-absorbent, providing a clean, comfortable and safe environment for the horse that is antibacterial and antifungal. Greatmats stall mat kids come with a 12-year limited warranty and excellent traction. These mats work with all horse shoes, and are resistant to dents and divots caused by pawing, kicking, and swaying. The diamond surface provides the traction required for foaling stalls, wash bays, showers, and cross-tie areas. They will not to roll, buckle or curl. These mats are available in many different sized kits, and they will provide the top notch care and protection.

Rubber Flooring Rolls for Barn Aisles

Rubber Flooring Rolls for Horse Stalls
Rubber flooring rolls are an excellent option when considering mats for a barn aisle. They are extremely easy to install without the use of adhesive, and they are very durable, while economical. If your aisle is concrete, this would enhance the safety of the surface, as well as the comfort. It has a toughness that will take the use and abuse of an active or aggressive horse, and it will not buckle or fold under pressure. It would also provide an insulative value, and at 4 feet wide and custom lengths, our 8 mm rubber mats gives you a great value per square foot.

Portable Horse Stall Mats

Stall Mats - Portable Use for Horses
Traditional horse stall mats are made from heavy-duty, recycled rubber. However, horse stall mats that can be easily transported and taken with you to a temporary stall should be lightweight and easy to carry. A great option for this scenario is our portable horse stall mat, which is a 3/4 inch EVA foam mat that has a fast and easy interlocking design. You do not need to use glue, as the mats go together like a puzzle would. This makes it a great option for horse shows, fairs, and exhibits. These mats are waterproof and very durable, with a non-slip pebble top surface texture on both sides and can greatly absorb impact and protect your horse from injury. They offer 4 square feet of coverage with a weight of 3.6 pounds, each.

The options listed are some of the popular choices, but they only scratch the surface of what Greatmats has to offer.