When you're building a small barn that will contain horse stalls for your animals, there are no details that you should ignore. While you should put considerable thought into the design of the building and of the stalls, you should also think about what elements you can include in each of the stalls to offer a multitude of benefits. Rubber mats are one such item, and you can order them to suit the size of the stalls so that they cover it from wall to wall. There are several reasons that this simple addition is beneficial for your horses and even for you.
Cushioning For Your Horses' Joints
Horses represent a significant financial investment, which means that you want to do all that you can to benefit their health. Over time, horses can develop joint problems, and the risk of this issue is greater when horses stand on hard floors — including the cement floors that are found in many horse stalls. When you cover the floors of the stalls with rubber mats, they provide some valuable cushioning for your horses' joints, and this simple addition may save you on veterinary bills and even extend the life of your animals.
Less Risk Of A Horse Falling
Concrete stall floors can be a little slippery, especially if they happen to get wet. While stalls are generally small enough that your horses won't be moving around much, there's a risk of a horse slipping and falling if it gets excited and begins to make quick movements. As a horse owner, you already know the potential devastating nature of a horse falling, and solutions to limit this risk are vitally important. Rubber mats offer more grip underfoot, which can lessen the risk of a fall.
Easy To Remove
Anyone who has owned horses or worked at a horse farm knows that cleaning stalls can be a time-consuming and arduous task. Whether you'll be cleaning your stalls or will hire someone to do this work, you likely want the job to be as easy as possible. When you have rubber mats, you can clean the stalls in a fraction of the time that you'd otherwise need. For example, after removing the horse, you and a helper can roll up the mat or fold it over, and then drag it outside. Once outside, you can turn it upside down to remove hay, droppings, dirt, and other matter, and then hose it off. This is far quicker than cleaning a concrete stall floor.
Contact a company like Rarin' To Go Corrals if you have other questions about prepping your stalls.
