Question: I’ve seen rubber mats made for gyms and they look very similar to what I can put in my horse’s stall. Can I put gym mats in my horse stall instead of horse specific stall mats?

-Mel Rhyder, TX

Answer: No, you can’t. Although gym mats may look similar to horse stall mats, they are actually very different.

Horse stall mats and Gym mats may look very similar but they are actually very different.

The main difference between the two is that Horse stall mats are designed to stand up to the movement, weight, wear and tear of a 1200+ pound animal. While gym mats are designed to withstand weights dropping, heavy machines etc; they do not hold up to a horse on top.

If you put gym mats in your horse’s stall, you will find they have the following issues:

1) Gym mats will shift (they aren’t designed for movement such as a horse getting up and down through the night; pawing; or turning around in a 12x12 space).

2) Gym mats will break down and degrade. With the added friction of hooves, metal shoes, and movement (see above), you will find the gym mats will crack, crumble, and start to break apart (into your horse’s hay- gross!).

3) Gym mats will start to smell! Gym mats aren’t designed to handle water or urine, and they will eventually start to retain the ammonia smell and the bad bacteria you can’t full remove (yuck!).

All in all, it is clear that gym mats aren’t a good substitute for horse stall mats. But you can definitely use horse stall mats in your gym!

While gym mats may seem like a great alternative, you’re much better to get a product that can do the job- like Equimats, the #1 stall mat in North America. Deigned to be the bed for the horse, these stall mats are lightweight, durable, non-abrasive, anti-slipping, and more!

Want to find out more about Equimat Stall Mats?