4.28.2020

for the love of mats

Who knew mats could make a girl so happy? Not just any mats, but interlocking mats! 

Brad found the most amazing flooring for our stalls. Mats that fit like a glove. I was so surprised to find they are made in a neighboring town. Who knew? 



Last weekend it was out with the old and in with the new. Already. Didn't we just build our barn?? Actually we started building December of 2016, and the interior was done mid-2018. It has been a long time since viewing past progress, a good reminder of where we started.

We repurposed our old what I call cow mats, on the hay side of the barn. When the cow mats were in the stalls they shifted, edges and flooring became uneven. I tripped and rammed into the cow mats more times than I can count while picking stalls. Ugh!

Brad worked hard prepping and re-compacting all non concrete barn areas, including half of the hay storage side. Stall floors were raised a couple inches.

Our son helped with the stalls

We have had new mats installed for a week, and what a difference they make!! Chores are faster and easier. It seems like shavings are doing a better job of soaking, and urine doesn't spread as far. We may even be using less shavings? Our stalls are sooo much easier to clean!! Oh happy day!


Of course time will tell, but so far the interlocking mats are a very helpful improvement. Which makes this girl happy.


4 comments:

Sherry Sikstrom said...

those look wonderful! I have never had mats in my stalls, I bet they make a huge difference. The barn looks terrific

Grey Horse Matters said...

The internet just swallowed my last comment so I'll try again. You may get the same two.

Love the interlocking mats and wish we had them. We must have what you call cow mats. They're a pain to move around and heavy. Sometimes the shaving get under them too and they move apart. Sometime in the future I'd like to get the interlocking ones they seem more efficient.

Linda said...

Wow!! Those are awesome!!

Shirley said...

Those are cadillac mats! I have strips of conveyor belting to put down in my shelters as I don't have stalls, and they are horrible - curling up, shifting, and Drifter likes to rearrange them.
Has it really been 4 years already?