What Are The Disadvantages of Using Stall Mats?

In any ordinary horse stall with hay bedding, virtually all horses can liberally urinate and defecate on the ground. A number of horses will probably limit this to one area of the stall and the rare horse (given practical and occasional use of a field) is not going to soil their stall. But, many of us have noticed that horses are much less likely to urinate and defecate on a hard horse stall flooring. In the event that bedding is taken away, making a hard surface (whether it's concrete or with rubber matting), if the horses have free access to a paddock or fields, they gradually (over some weeks) choose to go outside rather than soil their stall.

Several horse lovers attest that their horses totally stop soiling their horse stall, while others report a reduction, and presumptively some would possibly not change their behavior. Regrettably, there is poor information on the extent of the horses behavioral change, so one can say that it only as a potential gain, dependent upon the individual horse and it's ability to access outside facilities.

Although many horse enthusiasts gain from using stall mats, there are some who do not prefer using it. Here's a few down sides of employing stall mats:

Additional Cost. The first drawback is that they are an additional expenditure. This particular cost will be fully, if not partly, offset as time passes by a decline in of the need for bedding, but there is still a huge cost up-front. Good quality horse stall mats (in terms of material and make) and thicker stall mats will for sure cost more than the lower quality or thinner ones.

Health Risks. The second downside is that urine may seep underneath the stall mats, where it is difficult to clean without taking out the mats. The trapped urine can discharge ammonia and unpleasant smells into the air, which is bad for horses as well as upsetting for people. Whether or not this is a serious issue is debatable. If a particular stall has interlocking rubber mats the quantity of seepage is limited. Also, if there's a fine drainage underneath (for example a compressed stone floor), the issue can be generally resolved as well. Whatever the case, good air flow in the stalls will go a long way to minimizing this problem. Additionally, one could use mats which can be easily moved, enabling periodic cleaning. If you are not sure, it may be best to try out mats in just one stall before investing in mats for all the horse stalls.

Technical Features. Another disadvantages are associated with the technical features previously mentioned. Low-quality stall mats are definitely more susceptible to damage or to corners lifting. Several mats are portable (good if one often travels with one's horse), while others are made to stay in place. Some are designed to be permeable or have textured surfaces, both characteristics can be an advantage or a downside, based on how you intend to use them.

Due to those various technical properties, one must consider both how the mat is to be used and choose the type appropriately; otherwise one may be disappointed with the outcome.

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