# Would you use just rubber matting, no bedding?



## Daisy1905 (24 September 2010)

The yard owner wants to convince me that it would be fine but I am really not sure. Are they not too hard?


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## Libbylou (24 September 2010)

Personally No, unless they were coming in to eat/groom and straight back out again, but not to sleep on especially coming into winter.

Is your YO struggling to get bedding or trying to cut costs


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## blond1 (24 September 2010)

My yard has just rubber matting.  Horses are fine on it and really easy to muck out.  Stable floors are on slight slope running down to outside drain so can run the hose pipe under the matting or chuck bucket of disinfectant down to keep them smelling fresh and it works well.


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## horseaddict (24 September 2010)

I have a mattress to sleep on, but i still like a duvet!


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## Daisy1905 (24 September 2010)

She wants to keep the muck heap down...

They are in about 10-12 hours and my horse is very messy.


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## nemo_ (24 September 2010)

My RS did it. The stables were very easy to muck out, literally just sweep out but they needed to be washed out very regularly. It worked fine, just meant the rugs were a bit stinkier too


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## TicTac (24 September 2010)

We use rubber matting at work and sprinkle shavings on top. All the horses lie down etc. and yes the mucking out is easy however, your rug cleaning bill will go up as the rugs do get very skanky. You would be best to use turnout rugs in the stable as thease help repel some of the moisture!


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## Ebenezer_Scrooge (24 September 2010)

Well they are horses and don't nest, after all they lie down on hard earth in the field. I have EVA mats so they are quite springy. I have a good drain in mine. I sprinkle some shavings down to absorb the wee and that is it. He lies down happily.


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## rara007 (24 September 2010)

Ours are just on rubber matting or with a light bedding -No problems other than smelly rugs!


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## zoelouisem (24 September 2010)

Personally i wouldnt put a horse on just rubber matting. We have some down for a ffew at work as however thick the bed is they get down to concrete and scuff themselves, we still give them full size beds though, i can imagine it wouldnt be very comfy!!! If you owner does manage to pursuade you (although dont be pressured its your horse) i would make sure you get a resuction in your livery as they will be saving quite alot on bedding!!


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## lynds81 (24 September 2010)

I wouldn't do it overnight or for long periods. Quite a lot of horses won't pee straight onto rubber matting and will become quite uncomfortable without bedding.


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## Cop-Pop (24 September 2010)

I do sometimes - my TBx mare is vile in the stable so everything gets swept out and then I chuck a bucket of water down and wash it out.  The only problem was her rug was horrible so I used a TO rug and hosed it then scrubbed it once a week.


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## frozzy (24 September 2010)

I tried it a few years ago as a trial with just one pony (a grey). He lay down and was quite comfortable, however his rugs stunk, and he turned yellow down one side (his favourite to lie on) so the experiment was not repeated as it took an entire season for his coat to return to his normal colour!


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## Lissa (24 September 2010)

I've nearly always had my pony on just rubber matting with banks of shavings. So he still has something to pee on and lay on if he kicks it down but it saves a lot on bedding as don't us anywhere near as much bedding as if he had a full or even half bed. 

In 4years have never had any problems with doing it like that and had previous horses stables like that as well. The riding school where I kept him and worked at had nearly all the beds like the same and never had any problems, a couple of the ones where I am now (same YO) are the same as well.

I wouldn't use just rubber matting and no bedding at all though as think they do need a bit of bedding.


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## mymare (24 September 2010)

No never, I worked at a yard where only rubber matting was used and the horses that weren't rugged were soaked in their own pee and stank, as mentioned above rugs also stink and were very wet (so hope they can be dried off by the afternoon when you bring in again).  Yes they are easy to muck out and have less waste but I prefer to think about the horse personally..

Also a lot of them wouldn't pee on it as it splashes their legs too much.


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## Achinghips (24 September 2010)

Not overnight, no .... and my girl won't pee in the stable.

I use wood pellets and push the bed back during the day when we're in there pampering.


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## Daisy1905 (24 September 2010)

I was also thinking that with the winter coming up, a bed would be warmer?


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## thatsmygirl (24 September 2010)

I would never do that, all mine have nice deep beds on top the rubber matting. It's just there so they don't scrap themselves. I wouldn't dream off bringing my horses in to a stable and basically say " lie on all your piss and ****" for the night. Nothing to soak the pee up, no nice bed, ( mine love coming and having a roll and will not pee on the floor without bedding as it splashes up his legs) stinking rugs and poo down the horses, sorry that's disgusting. Nice clean bed any day.


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## Honey08 (24 September 2010)

While it is perfectly safe for them, I still prefer beds, and whilst they aren't nesting animals, my mare lives in a foaling box with half bed, half bare - guess which end she chooses to sleep on - the bed side, and to wee, and for droppings.  We had a livery who only put down a tiny thin bed, and, as mentioned, the horse stunk, its rugs were dripping, and it laid down in the field a lot more than the others.

We have mats, and I don't mind them having smaller, easier to muck out beds, as I know they won't injure themselves on concrete, but I personally wouldn't choose nothing..


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## jack9 (24 September 2010)

i have huge banks.... and a thin layer of shavings.  works well 

woudlnt have no bedding though.  nothing wrong with that but just not for me


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## ofcourseyoucan (24 September 2010)

i love my mats in all stables, but they all have a full, banked bed as well. matts on their own equal wet stinky rugs, wet stinky horses and worst of all foot rot. no i would never leave a horse on mats alone overnight..... would rather leave them in the field with hay.


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## Firewell (24 September 2010)

I use rubber matts but I have big shavings banks and a light covering on the floor. 

I would not have just matts. The horses end up swilling around in their own piss and **** all night and as mentioned they get covered and the stable and horse stinks!! The rugs just look like a horse pooed straight on them and they stank of urine. My old y/o just used to use matts to save time and honestly the smell in the stables made me retch.

Mats are great and do save bedding but you should still use bedding, just a bit less than normal. All the matting companies I know reccomemd to use bedding 

it's up to you but I bet u will end up putting some bedding in there! Even if it's just a bale in the corner


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## NeedNewHorse (24 September 2010)

No. I have mats and have been on both straw and shavings - Always had a bed though! Personally I don't think its very nice to have just rubber mats, it's not exactly comfortable. Grass and ground will soak up wee much more than a rubber floor, so its not like how they would sleep outside at all.
Each to their own but definitely not for me.

Why not suggest to your YO, laying newspaper in the places where the horses wet patches are. This is pretty good at soaking up wee (obviously over a bed) and can help reduce the amount of waste as well and savings in wet bedding, as then you can just pick out the poo.

X


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## Holly Hocks (24 September 2010)

Well I'm going to be different by saying that I have used rubber mats for my horse with a full bed of straw on top in the past.  It was disgusting.  The pee went through the straw and managed to get through the tiniest gap under the mats.  They were absolutely disgusting to clean underneath and heavy as well.  I use a full deep litter bed on concrete with a strip of rubber at the front of the box where they look over the door.  Much cleaner, less smelly and more hygienic!  Anyone else not use them or am I in the minority?!?!?!


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## Laur (24 September 2010)

Before I bought my horse he was on a racing yard which used matting and a sprinkle of shavings.  Since I have had him hes had a bed of shavings on top of my matting although its not too thick.  Thinking about it though, they are quite happy to lie down in the field on the hard ground so they cant mind it too much!


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## zoelouisem (24 September 2010)

I would like to just point out although horses to lie down on grass in the field the dont do it on a place where theyve just wee'd or poohed!! they would move elsewhere!!!! And whenever ive had horses out overnight when theyve come in they always make the most of a nice deep bed and have a good lay down when they came in. So they must prefer it!!!!


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## cptrayes (24 September 2010)

Try an experiment. Bed one side of his stable and not the other. I think that you will find that he will always choose to lie (and to pee) on the bed and not directly on the mats. The result will speak for itself. 

I would never bed on mats alone or mats with a smattering of bed. There is a very well known advert for mats and I cannot understand why the supplier uses it. It shows a small pony curled up in one corner of his matted stable looking ever so sweet. Look a tiny bit closer. He is trying desperately to lie on the only bit of bed the stable has in it. 

They may lie down on mats, but it's because they have to, not because they want to. If you think they are lying on hard ground - go and check where they lie. They usually find a dip that their belly fits into, and if there isn't one, they dig one, which is why you find bare patches in fields where their bedrooms are. 

You'll have guessed, I'm not a fan of mats without beds!


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## cptrayes (24 September 2010)

Duplicated!


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## amandap (24 September 2010)

Funnily enough I've just been reading this study about air quality in stables and bedding. Sadly it doesn't mention rubber mats with no bedding but thought it is interesting.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19617518

I'll find an overview in a min.
Overview from The Horse mag. http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=14865


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## Seth (24 September 2010)

They sleep on a hard field during the Summer so I daresay they can cope with just rubber matting.


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## Mrs B (24 September 2010)

Seth said:



			They sleep on a hard field during the Summer so I daresay they can cope with just rubber matting.
		
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I daresay they can just as I daresay you could cope with lying on the bathroom floor every night after you'd missed the loo. Doesn't mean you'd rather not!

They can choose NOT to lie where they pee and poo in the field and on what patch. Just think of the stench of urine in a box when you muck out and shift the bedding - I can't imaging that's pleasant for a horse, especially when you consider its nose is far more sensitive than ours!

Actually, I don't like rubber mats at all - as another poster pointed out, they stink underneath, however carefully people muck out.


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## Izzwizz (24 September 2010)

Would never bed on just mats. Not just because of all the other reasons above but also because it cant do a horses breathing any good with the amonia smell.


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## Mike007 (24 September 2010)

No ,never. I have recently been riding a 17 hh ID whose owner gives him 3 ft of thin shavings from the back wall of the stables.With rubber matting underneath.Its pathetic to see how he has to pee at the back on the shavings and then tries to curl up on 3 ft of bed against the wall to lie down. Horses in the wild can choose where they lie down and can walk about.It is totaly different.Personaly I think rubber mat and no decent bed on top is cruel.If I inflict an unnatural lifestyle on a horse ,I expect to at least give him a bit of comfort.


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## lucylovesbsja (24 September 2010)

Mike007 said:



			No ,never. I have recently been riding a 17 hh ID whose owner gives him 3 ft of thin shavings from the back wall of the stables.With rubber matting underneath.Its pathetic to see how he has to pee at the back on the shavings and then tries to curl up on 3 ft of bed against the wall to lie down. Horses in the wild can choose where they lie down and can walk about.It is totaly different.Personaly I think rubber mat and no decent bed on top is cruel.If I inflict an unnatural lifestyle on a horse ,I expect to at least give him a bit of comfort.
		
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I Totally agreee!


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## criso (24 September 2010)

Rebelzmum
I don't like them with straw either, with a very wet horse I too found everything drained through the straw and sat under the mats and festered. I think mats work best with absorbent type bedding like shavings.

Cptrayes 
Mine won't pee without a bed - mats or no mats. 
The other day I had him tied outside and he obviously needed a pee.  I was part way through mucking out but I put him back in to have a pee.
Because I had cleared alot of the straw out he managed to balance himself  on really quite high banks so he could pee on the decent layer of straw.


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## criso (24 September 2010)

To the OP
Maybe your yard owner would consider something like wood pellets, they create much less volume of waste and biodegrade more quickly than straw or shavings.


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## Izzwizz (24 September 2010)

If you want to use straw on rubber mat then put a thin layer of shavings under the straw around where your horse pees.  This worked for us with a mare we had and its not difficult to muck out either.


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## ozpoz (24 September 2010)

I'm a minority too - my back is too knackered to lift matting so it's old fashioned straw beds,  with just matting at the front. They are out 24/7 ( unless it's horizontal rain) and come in every day for a lie down and a roll. They smell sweet and so do the stables. They rarely lie down in the field.


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## Daisy1905 (24 September 2010)

criso said:



			To the OP
Maybe your yard owner would consider something like wood pellets, they create much less volume of waste and biodegrade more quickly than straw or shavings.
		
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She is on chopped up flax at the moment whichis supposed to rot even better, only half of the stable though. Works fine for me at the moment but she basically said that she would like me to use nothing sooner or later. I dont think 1 bale per week is a lot.

She is the messiest horse I have ever seen


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## JoJo_ (24 September 2010)

I use rubber matting but I wouldnt have no bed. You need some shavings to soak up the urine. Even if its just a small area. The less bedding the more your rugs will soak it up and it will reek!


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## jjbarney (24 September 2010)

Rubber mats are great, but unless you want to be refused entry into Tesco
etc., because you smell like a health hazard, I would certainly use bedding. Rugs and horses even on limited bedding get really really skanky. However, that is omp


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## MissMincePie&Brandy (25 September 2010)

I don't think my horse would wee on just a rubber matt. He's funny about getting splashback I think, and only ever wee's on a deep bed or on grass and I think quite a lot of horses are similar?


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## Daisy1905 (25 September 2010)

Agree, even now that I use 1 bale per week the stable smells.


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## TinselRider (25 September 2010)

I wouldn't use no bed, B has a small corner bed as he is the most vile horse you will ever meet in the stable !  Lord has a thin bed of flax (1-2" max) and this orks quite well


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## Echo Bravo (25 September 2010)

My 4 have rubber mats, tried the 1st year with only them as had trouble getting shavings. The horses weren't happy the stables stank also their rugs as well as being very wet and I couldn't afford rugs for every day of the week, yes the stables were easy to clean, 5mins each stable, but took hours to dry out after slouching down. 2nd year, shaving on top, horses able to lie down and happier, cost a fortune each month and I hated mucking out, took me hours. This year 3 on straw and utter bliss for me anyway, lovely thick beds and even my gelding that boxwalks seems happy and my mare that is on shavings, because she started coughing badly years ago, doesn't look happy, so may when her bed starts to get less, try her back on straw. shaving look cold to me and the rubber matting well that been an experience (costly)


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## Echo Bravo (25 September 2010)

forgot to say they are a pig to take up and clean and a pig to put down.


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## wizbit (25 September 2010)

would never bed my horses on rubber matting alone. gross. yes they sleep on the ground in the "wild", but they are not enclosed in a 12x12 space being forced to lay in their own excrement! (unless you are blessed with one of those angelic creatures that poops all in one spot  )


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## SO1 (25 September 2010)

horses living out do not get stinky - they do not chose to lie in their own poo or wee, in a stable they may do it as they have no other choice. i appreciate that they do not need bedding to lie down but why not make it more comfortable for them by giving them some bedding - peeing must be less pleasant as lots of horses don't like to get their legs splashed. bedding also absorbs some moisture from poo as well so they have a drier area for sleeping.

my pony lives out and sometimes i see him lying down having a snooze and i have never seen him lying in poo or in mud.


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## Luci07 (25 September 2010)

Has the YO discussed a rather large reduction in livery?!!

Another one who likes bedding on top of the mats. I like the idea that there is support and give for my horse and he now only has half a bed down in his stable - but he lies down and wees on the bedding - I get through 1 - 2 bales of bedding per week but everything is taken out each day. The box next day has only matting as there is no horse in there per se, but a field gelding is brought in for the morning to keep another horse company - the smell of the wee is revolting plus which as also said, rugs do get soaked in urine which has a great habit of transferring to you. Its even worse with a mare in season!


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## JadeWisc (25 September 2010)

You do not need a lot of shavings but imo you do need some.  Not for comfort at all but for the urine issue.  A horse would be perfectly comfortable and warm on clean dry mats so that is not an concern for me whatsoever.  Laying in wet urine all night would not be so great though nor would having it splatter all over when they go.

Tell your yard owner not to be stingy and put a light coating down to absorb the pee.


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## Daisy1905 (25 September 2010)

Luci07 said:



			Has the YO discussed a rather large reduction in livery?!!
		
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Its DIY and I am paying for my bedding.


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## zoelouisem (25 September 2010)

Daisy1905 said:



			Its DIY and I am paying for my bedding.
		
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Even so if the yard owners not paying for the diposel of your bedding its costing them less so your rent should go down. I must admit i would tell my yard owner where to stick it if she asked me not to have bedding to keep there muck heap down. Having to dipose of muck is part and parcel of having a yard!


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## Daisy1905 (25 September 2010)

zoelouisem said:



			Even so if the yard owners not paying for the diposel of your bedding its costing them less so your rent should go down. I must admit i would tell my yard owner where to stick it if she asked me not to have bedding to keep there muck heap down. Having to dipose of muck is part and parcel of having a yard!
		
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The yard is also her 'garden' as she lives there. Her three horses are on just mats so she says my one should be too...


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## DanaHart (25 September 2010)

I use matting with a small straw bed because it works well for me.

Rubber Matting is designed to be used with 'minimal' bedding, I would never not use any bedding at all, you'd end up with stinky rugs and stinky horses.... eeuuwwww!


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## zoelouisem (25 September 2010)

Daisy1905 said:



			The yard is also her 'garden' as she lives there. Her three horses are on just mats so she says my one should be too...
		
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No thats her choice your shouldnt have just to be just because hers are. Just say no your not prepared to if you dont want to its her personal preference not yours too, i dont blame you if you dont it wouldnt be nice!!


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## MagicMelon (25 September 2010)

I dont keep mine in all the time, they only ever come in overnight if they have an event early the next day - so I just use rubber matting with a square of shavings or straw for them to pee on.  All of mine have been found lying on the matting happily.


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## Daisy1905 (2 November 2010)

Hello all

Just wanted to let you know that I am moving and my horse now has a cosy straw bed


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## Starzaan (2 November 2010)

Never never never never NEVER


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## nativetyponies (2 November 2010)

yes...is your field not "hard"?

its no different...


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## Spudlet (2 November 2010)

nativeponies said:



			yes...is your field not "hard"?

its no different...
		
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Yes, but in a field they have room to pee then move away to a different area if they want to lie down. In a stable there is not that space, so a small amount of bedding is needed to absorb urine.


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## nativetyponies (2 November 2010)

decent rubber matting drains....


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## noodle_ (2 November 2010)

mine has a thin layer of bed and huge banks.... shes always lying down 

wouldnt have no bedding though, no.


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## spotty_pony (2 November 2010)

Personally, I wouldn't. It would be a bit uncomfortable in my opinion, like us lying on the floor without a mattress. Not to mention, they would get filthy with nothing to sak the wet up! 

My boys have rubber mats with a mixture of wood pellets and shavings which makes a comfortable, really absorbent bed and this seems to work well.


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## mainpower (2 November 2010)

nativeponies said:



			decent rubber matting drains....

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But if you don't have decent drainage in your actual stable where does it drain to?


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## eggs (2 November 2010)

zoelouisem said:



			I would like to just point out although horses to lie down on grass in the field the dont do it on a place where theyve just wee'd or poohed!! they would move elsewhere!!!! !
		
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Unfortunately mine are not so fastidious and frequently come in from the fields with great big poo stains where they have been lying in it.


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## nativetyponies (2 November 2010)

eggs said:



			Unfortunately mine are not so fastidious and frequently come in from the fields with great big poo stains where they have been lying in it.
		
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mine too...


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## luckilotti (3 November 2010)

not had chance to read the replies but i am a YO - i have had 2 liveries over the years tru this - its horrible and causes such a stinky mess!  (and yes, our stables have the correct drainage) but the drains then smell, outside the stable smells - so when you walk across the yard - your soles smell, your horses coat/rugs stink.  
we had to ask our liveries to put bedding down.
maybe just tell your YO that it will smell far too much and also that other liveries will then start complaining.


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## Zebedee (3 November 2010)

I use matts at the front with a straw bed (same area as two mats) at the back. While the older horses will lie on the straw because it's what they're used to, the younger ones aren't bothered at all & lie in the middle on the mats rather than at the back on the straw.
They don't smell of pee because they do that on the bed & it drains away, Rugs however do get very dirty, & I've gone down the route of using turnout rugs.


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## Zebedee (3 November 2010)

eggs said:



			Unfortunately mine are not so fastidious and frequently come in from the fields with great big poo stains where they have been lying in it.
		
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My grey cob is in a 12 x 14 stable & has a huge poo stain on the side of his head most mornings. I swear he treats poo as a nice soft warm pillow !!


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## Flash_28 (3 November 2010)

Daisy1905 said:



			Hello all

Just wanted to let you know that I am moving and my horse now has a cosy straw bed 

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Glad that you have moved and found a suitable yard for your mare now.

My poor horses are currently on just rubber matting and sprinkling of shavings while we argue over what bedding I am alouded to use with my YO! I'm so stressed out and unhappy. My mare is very unhappy and can't wait to get the pressure washer out and beds down for them!


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## Hippona (3 November 2010)

We have rubber matting for the minging mare.....I just put down a flap or two of straw and clear the whole lot out on a morning.

I know the theory is they are fine with just matting, but she is getting on a bit and gets stiff on occasion, so a thin bed is better for her. Give her a huge bed....she'll just eat it.


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## ElliePinza (3 November 2010)

I personally would want at least a tin layer of bedding at the back so your horse has something to pee on without getting spashed 

I have rubber matting and have about  1 inch/2 inch layer of Megazorb Wood pulp across the rear half of the stable. Very economical


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## MerrySherryRider (3 November 2010)

So glad you've moved and your horse has a lovely straw bed. Incidentally, research has  showed that given the choice, horses prefer straw beds over everything else.
I use matting, but always with either straw or shavings. If I put them in a stable for 10 to 12 hours, I feel its my responsiblity to ensure the stable is fresh, dry and comfortable.
Sick animals may smell of wee/faeces because they are unable to keep themselves clean, a healthy animal,will not - given the right environment they will look after their coat and feet. Forcing a horse to stand/lie in urine is cruel and detremental to their sense of well being.


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## Echo Bravo (3 November 2010)

I have rubber matting, it give a layer of warmth over the concrete flooring. I've tried shavings and didn't get on with it at all also very expenpsive for 4 horses, so have gone back to straw bedding at my 4 love it, rugs are cleaner and they are more relaxed. I did try just the matting but couldn't take the smell either from the rugs or the horses and my rug cleaning bill  rocketed.


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