:: neighborly advice

Equine Care

Stalled horses require much greater care, attention and labor. The availability of optimal ventilation with fresh clean air circulation is essential to healthy horses. Adequate ventilation reduces the presence of air contaminants such as dust, molds and irritating gases from decomposing manure. Materials used for stall floors can greatly influence air quality, ease of stall maintenance and manure removal. Rubber stall mats may seem expensive, but can provide an easy-to-clean, soft stall for horses. When installing rubber mats the floor should be level and well packed. Ideally, mats should be one piece or a minimal number of pieces and at least 5/8" thick. Mats should fit tightly to each other and to the stall walls. The mats must be durable enough to withstand pawing. Bedding should be used in conjunction with mats to absorb urine. Mats can be placed over nearly any type of flooring, provided it is level.