Portable Mats for Horse Trailers and Stalls

Traveling rodeo horses have unique lives. Not only do these horses have specific demands in terms of physical comfort, but caring for them is made more complicated by the fact that the horses travel thousands of miles each year.

When it comes to providing a traveling rodeo horse with the safety and comfort they need both in the trailer and in their stall, Greatmats portable stall mats provide a practical solution. Combining safety and cushioning properties with unbeatable portability, these rodeo stall mats are perfect for any traveling competitor.

Let's take a look at the unique lives and needs of a traveling rodeo horse, and how these portable stall mats make a difference for rodeo horses.

Physical Demands of the Rodeo Horse

Competitive rodeo horses are, to put it simply, elite athletes. These horses are kept at peak fitness and, when they step foot into an arena, they're ready to go. Rodeo horses work hard on a daily basis, then hop into the trailer to head off to their next destination.

Keeping a rodeo horse fit means long hours in the saddle and a high degree of athletic activity. However, these athletes need special care in order to help prevent injuries and pain:

• After events, horses may be tired and sore, so they'll need appropriate care to help their bodies recover.
• When horses are put into their stalls for the night, a comfortable surface is a must so that they are willing to lie down and get the quality sleep they need.

When a rodeo horse is tired or sore, his competitive future and a potential win prize are on the line. That's why it's so important to make sure that your rodeo stall mats are right for the horse's needs.

The Rodeo Horse Lifestyle

Rodeo horses spend much of their lives on the road, traveling to and from competitions. This means extensive time spent in a trailer, as well as lots of time spent in temporary stalls at competitions. It's a demanding lifestyle for any horse, but proper care can help to keep rodeo horses healthy and happy.

Trailering is tough on any horse's body, and the longer the trailer ride, the more demanding it can be. Riding in a trailer is an athletic workout for a horse since he needs to balance himself as the trailer moves, accelerates, and comes to a stop. A moving trailer creates concussive forces, and anything that you can do to make the trip more comfortable for your horse can increase his comfort.

• Trailer mats can help absorb some of the concussive force created as a trailer travels over rough roads.
• Mats provide your horse with a comfortable surface that helps to maximize traction, reducing the chance of a slip or fall.
• Trailer mats also help to prevent some of the heat that builds up in the trailer floor from reflecting up to your horse. They make the trailer a more comfortable environment.

But trailering is just one part of the picture for rodeo horses. Temporary stalls often provide environments that are less than ideal for a hardworking athlete. Sometimes temporary stalls are set up on top of asphalt surfaces, and even when stalls are part of a permanent stable structure, there's no telling what the flooring quality will be.

• A rodeo horse mat can increase the comfort of a temporary stall, providing cushion to your horse and softening the effect of asphalt or other hard base.
• Quality stall mats provide insulation against cold ground, so even if things get chilly at night, your horse will be buffered from the uncomfortable temperatures.
• Horse mats are designed to provide traction, which reduces the chance of your horse slipping and falling while in the stall. It also makes it easier for your horse to rise to his feet again after having laid down to sleep.

There are many other ways that you can help to keep your rodeo horse in top shape, including massage, liniments, and all sorts of rehabilitation and recovery products. But simply making sure that your horse has a forgiving, safe surface to stand on can help to keep him comfortable during travel.

Mats Every Traveling Rodeo Horse Needs

When you take your rodeo horses on the road, you'll need a supply of horse mats. Here are the minimum mats that we recommend you have on hand to keep your traveling rodeo horse safe and comfortable.

Temporary Stall Mats

Stall mats are a must for a competitive rodeo horse. Stall mats in your home stable make stall cleaning easier while providing a safe, comfortable surface for your horse to stand on.

When you travel to an event, most stalls won't be equipped with mats, meaning you have to bring your own. Though this can be a hassle, it's worth the effort. Rodeo stall mats help to cushion a temporary stall, making for a more comfortable surface that can help your horse recover after a strenuous competition day.

Stall mats at competitions offer a number of other benefits:

• Biosecurity is always a concern at competitions. While you can disinfect a stall's walls, there's not a lot you can do about the floor. Stall mats create a buffer, reducing the chance of your horse picking up a disease.
• Event stalls are heavily used, and the subfloor may be full of holes. Horse mats help to make this subfloor safer for your horse.
• Horse mats prevent your horse from digging down into a sand or dirt subfloor, so your bedding stays clean and your horse remains sleek, shiny, and competition-ready.
• Since horse mats help to provide cushion, they reduce the amount of bedding that you have to use. This is a major convenience, since buying bedding on the road can be expensive, and bedding is difficult to store.
• You're busy enough during competitions and don't need to spend more time cleaning stalls than necessary. Horse mats create a smooth surface that your horse can't paw into, making stall cleaning both easier and faster.

Trailer Mats

It's also essential to mat your trailer. Your traveling rodeo horse will spend a lot of time in the trailer, and mats can improve both his safety and his comfort. Trailer mats help to prevent heat buildup in your trailer floor from traveling to your horse's hooves. They create a forgiving surface but also help to maximize traction.

Trailer mats offer a few other benefits, too:

• They help to absorb sound, so the trailer ride is less frightening and quieter for your horses.
• They protect your trailer floor from scrapes and scratches, which is particularly valuable if your floor is aluminum.
• When used with shavings, they can help to keep urine up off of your floor, so your floor lasts longer.

When traveling to an event, you only have so much space, so most horse owners opt to pull their trailer mats out and install them in the event stalls.

Sound like a lot of work? It is, and hauling heavy horse mats out of your trailer and into your temporary stabling, only to have to do it all a few days later, is exhausting and inconvenient. That's why Greatmats offers a wide line of portable stall mats to make your life much easier.

Portable stall mats are lighter than traditional rubber horse mats, but they offer the same great qualities that traditional stall mats do, such as excellent durability, cushion, and temperature buffering. Many horse owners and competitors prefer portable stall mats because:

• They are conveniently sized, so a single person can transport them
• Portable stall mats can double as trailer mats, meaning you only have to buy one set of mats per horse
• The mats are lightweight, so pulling them out of your trailer and into a temporary stall is easy
• These mats are durable, comfortable, and built to perform through event after event

Portable mats encompass the needs of a traveling rodeo horse and his crew. They are versatile enough to be used for both stalls and trailer matting. They're also lightweight enough so that even if your event stall is located in the middle of a long stable, carrying the mats into the stall is no problem.

Qualities to Look for in a Portable Stall Mat

Stall mats aren't all made the same, so look for the following qualities in a portable stall mat:

• Convenient sizing so that you can move the mat by yourself, if necessary
• Excellent durability
• Lightweight construction for easy transport
• Textured surface to maximize traction
• Interlocking design for easy installation and removal

Our Portable Stall Mats offer all of these features and more. They're highly popular among horse owners and competitors and are ideal for traveling rodeo horses. These mats are not only highly durable and easy to install, but they're also double-sided, further contributing to a long life. At 3/4 inch thick, these mats offer plenty of protection. They're waterproof, easy to clean, and are built to withstand the weight of a horse.

Portable stall mats are a must-have for any serious competitor. Not only will they save you time and effort, but they'll ensure that your horse is safe and comfortable, no matter what event you're headed to. These mats offer endless benefits, from helping to prevent disease transfer to keeping your horse comfortable during long trailer rides. When you expect the most of your equine athlete, providing him with safety and comfort is just one way to say thank you for everything he gives you in return.