Rubber Flooring has become an increasingly popular choice among stable owners due to all the benefits associated with it. Although its cost can be high, once fitted, running cost can be lowered and ultimately save you money. Tenderfoot Rubber Flooring is durable, easy to clean and install.
Vulcanised Rubber Mats, Bad Option
Most rubber mats are manufactured using a vulcanisation process, which is harmful to the environment. They do not offer the comfort, traction and durability promised by manufacturers. Since its manufacturing process includes the use of sulphur, these mats have a nauseous odour.
Cheaper varieties of horse rubber mats are less durable. Considering your stable surface is exposed to a horse weighing around 500 kg that is often shod, investing in these types of mats is a not a good idea.
Too Hard Surface Can Be Fatal
Vulcanised rubber flooring has a very hard surface. Hard surface rubber flooring tends to be more slippery than any other, which can prove dangerous for you and your horse. Consider, every time there is a spill it will need to be cleaned immediately to avoid any accidents.
Caution should be taken when looking into very soft mats as often the softness is at the cost of durability.
Thinking Of Grooved Mats? Think Again
Grooved mat manufacturers provide guarantee of good ventilation. But the fact is when these mats are laid they become a prime area for bacteria to accumulate and multiply. Urine that leaks under these mats gets deposited within the grooves and releases bad stable odours. When turned over these mats can be quite a disaster to clean up.
Patterned, dimpled and ridged mats are also a bit of a sales tactic as they don’t really offer any benefit and are often more expensive.
Size Does Matter
When considering stable flooring, make sure you consider the size. If the rubber mat is too small a horse can move it, however if it is to large or heavy it become impossible to handle leading to poor installation, which in turn creates all sorts of stabling problems.
Choice Of Cleaning Products
Quality rubber mats should not require regular maintenance. In fact they should reduce your work load. However if you wish to clean out and wash down your stable flooring, ensure the cleaning products you use do not include acidic solvents, turpentine or acetone as all of these can potentially damage your flooring. Most antibacterial detergents should be safe on quality rubber flooring.
So What Is Good Rubber Flooring?
It’s one that reduces cleaning and bedding costs, does not shrink or curl, is durable and won’t wear out in the long run, is not heavy, easy to install, slip resistant and not too hard nor too soft. And once installed, a good rubber flooring stays in place and does not shift an inch.
Polymerised mats, such as Tenderfoot rubber matting are environmentally friendly and a great option if you’re looking for stronger, more resilient mats. Installing polymer bonded Tenderfoot mat is a wise decision as these mats are appropriately soft, have a non-slip surface, is easy to clean and maintain, provide utmost strength, resilience against animal secretions and cushioning for maximum comfort compared to other matting choices.