You’ll fall for Equimat Ultimat UV interlocking EVA rubber flooring tiles! Make any indoor or outdoor comfortable and clean with these amazing, lightweight 3′ x 4′ tiles.
These extra thick horse stall mats provide all the BENEFITS you enjoy in our popular Ultimat with the new feature of Ultra Violet light resistance! UV absorber and sunlight resistant pigment offers excellent weather resistance and protect the shade of product from fading. Ultimat Supersoft UV is 28mm thick and Ultimat Standard UV are 20mm thick. Supersoft recommended for larger horses, animals with joint issues or older where extra comfort and support is desired. Ideal for:
I purchased 12 of the UV protection,extra cushion Equimat mats for one horse that I own that had terrible hock sores after laying on gravel or regular rubber mats in his paddock. My horses are outside 24/7 in sheltered, rubber matted, rock/crusher/sand paddocks. The shelter had regular rubber mats, but he didn’t seem to want to lay on them very much and they are abrasive.
He would lay on the sand/rock mix and had horrible wounds on his hocks. The wounds wouldn’t heal. I tried hock boots which just slipped down, and wrapping his hocks to no avail. Nothing worked. I no longer have to worry since I purchased the extra cushy Equimats. He sleeps on them, I use no shavings, and he has no more hock sores. He had hock sores for over 8 months, and they never healed. It did take a month or so for the sores to go after I purchased the equimats, but he has never had them again. The mats are great – I’ve now had them for many years without any issues. I’ve also just ordered my next set for my other horse who has laminitis issues. He will get his UV extra cushy mats as well. I highly recommend these mats. The other bonus? You can actually move these around yourself without back strain, and fit them together like a puzzle or cut them to fit. I’m really happy with them, and I feel they are worth the price after seeing the difference in my horse.
1. Inspection of Towing vehicle, Trailer and all Tires. Know your tires! Have a specialist tire shop look all tires and spares over for wearing and cracking. Balance is as important in your trailer as your vehicles. Make sure you have two spare trailer tires that are /in good condition and real replacements, not temporary short haul spares. Tires tend to be bought at the same time so often have issues from age or wear at the same time – we know from experience! Inspect beyond your tires for deterioration. After a thorough wash inside and out with the appropriate cleaner, go through the trailer and ensure there are no broken parts or areas of corrosion. Aluminum wears quickly be if not kept clean. It is inexpensive to sort wear when it starts but a major cost if you need to repair major corrosion.
2. Insurance and road assist. If you are showing outside your province, state or country make sure your emergency plan is for RV or Trailer assistance and valid in areas you are travelling. Check your insurance through membership in equine societies like Equine Canada or USEF is valid for your entire travel route. Many plans like AAA or CAA require special policy extensions to apply to trailers (even RV cover may exclude horse trailers). Ensure you have cover for horse emergency care. Many policies do not cover costs for moving horses from site of trailer break down or emergency stabling! Imagine breaking down on a major highway and discovering no one will help you if you are faced with a breakdown that disables further travel and you have horses on board.
3. Grease moving parts. All trailers have several grease knobs on various moving parts. It’s a good idea to grease your trailer according to the manufacturer’s specifications. For example, it’s recommended to grease the doors, windows, etc. once a month. Since the trailer has aluminum, I have good-quality grease that is approved for use on that surface.
4. Only use Equimat Trailer mats. If you have the outdated conveyor belt or recycled tire black mats our strong advice is replace them with Equimat Ultimats. The other mats have zero therapeutic support, are abrasive, heavy and a nightmare to lift for inspecting your trailer floor bed. Mats should be lifted at least once a month as accumulated urine and manure damage the flooring, regardless of whether your trailer floor is wood, aluminum, or steel. Wash your trailer thoroughly and let air dry completely after each journey. Once out, let the floor dry completely and sprinkle lime or baking to neutralize the ammonia and bacteria build up.
Equimat Ultimats have an underside tredplate that allows air to circulate and are lightweight. Ultimat Standard weighs just 16 lbs. and Ultimat Supersoft (recommended) just 22 lb. so easy to lift and place back down plus reduce overall trailer weight which is a major hauling concern. Our interlocking mats have locks all round so stay in place and will not shift or roll up as old style matting dangerously tends to do. See https://equimats.com/products/horse-trailer-mats/
4. Lug nuts. Check your trailer manual as it should specify how often you need to check the tightness on your wheel lug nuts and exactly how much torque they should be tightened to.
5. Brakes and Bearings A professional job and done as frequently as recommended by your manufacturer. Minimum is at the beginning of each season and after long journeys.
6. Lights. Make sure all lights are working properly and no bulbs are burned out. This includes internal trailer lights Carry extra replacement bulbs and parts. Make sure to have at least one LED solar charge, portable light for use in emergencies or just great convenience for night checks at horse shows or those early morning braiding and grooming sessions. A small light that you can attach with a strap around your head is also useful when you need to use both hands and holding a flashlight would be cumbersome.
7. Roadside emergency kit. In addition to spare tires and parts for towing vehicle and trailer, carry two large fluorescent triangles, flares, 2 solar powered/rechargeable LED lights for lighting up to change tires, membership card and numbers for roadside assist. You may not be in mobile phone reception so have a CB or radio communication device to get help.
8. Map and contacts your journey and list trailer and truck emergency garages along your route. Ensure both your trailer and vehicle manuals, proof of insurance and full horse emergency information is in a laminated and organized binder with current information (vets along routes, horse “hotel” contact info, passports for humans and animals if crossing borders, horseshow contact information as may be nearby competitors who can assist if you are stranded.
9. Carry both human and horse first aid kits in the trailer. Inspect at start of season you have a fully stocked kit and all contents are within expiry time make sure they are all back and restocked including any first aid items.
10. Towing Vehicle Maintenance and Fuel Levels. Like the trailer, review all safety and maintenance information for your vehicle. Of critical importance is ensuring all fluid levels are filled to the top with correct (oil, window cleaning, etc.). As my father used to say “Keep the top half of the fuel tank full; you may encounter unexpected delays causing you to run out of gas or diesel or experience some other breakdown (eg. Idling for hours in an unexpected traffic jam).
For extra insurance, make sure you have a full emergency gas or diesel can with the correct fuel for the vehicle you are driving. Many new diesel engine vehicles require DEF or diesel engine fluid as a special fuel additive so check you are full. Check you have sufficient DEF for length of journey (see your vehicle manual) and carry as from experience have found it is not available at all service stations. This is critical as on many new truck when the DEF is below required levels, the vehicle computerized system interfere with operation of vehicle (may stop or slow) until the required DEF levels are reset.
Route Planning
Avoid the stress of being unsure of the next exit by searching for the best route for your journey in advance. Make sure it is and having a printed copy With even the best planning before you start your trip, the next service station on your route may not be open or perhaps inaccessible for your rig.
11. Travel with an alternate driver. In a perfect world try have a horse savvy travel companion that can share the driving and provide assistance in an emergency.
12. Carry extra food and water for both people and animals. Have non-electric requiring entertainment to keep bored children amused during a breakdown.
13. Take regular breaks. Horses need to rest at regular intervals as do drivers. Never drive to the point of being tired and immediately stop at first safe pull over location if you sense you are losing focus. Ideally, plan your journey to include regular stops at trailer friendly locations you have identified BEFORE you leave. Take a power nap; do not rely on stimulants such as caffeine. Many truck stops have rooms for resting and showers to refresh the driver. Offer horses water at stops and refill hay nets. Best trailers have drop down window grates for easily providing water.
14. Hydration For summer shows or seasonal winter tours in hot locations, make sure both human and horse electrolytes are in stock. Real electrolytes from a vet and from a pharmacy are preferred to sugar drinks that give temporary energy bursts that are followed by a drop in your blood sugar that may cause fatigue and dangerous loss of concentration. Make sure you carry water from home in containers and a bowl that will fit through the trailer window to offer what at rest or stopovers, See next blog for special advice on hydration.
This true account published in Warmbloods Today tells of how Equimat horse stall mats were a key factor in the laminitis treatment that ultimately saved this horse’s life. In 2011 Grand Prix champion Dreamcatcher Elite was diagnosed with a laminitic lameness so severe that insurance authorized euthanasia. Known to her caregivers as “Aria”, those who loved her didn’t give up on her, although the odds were against her recovery. Owners of Dreamcatcher Meadows Breeding and Training Centre state that Equimat’s special formulated horse stall mats were critical to her return to good health, with their farm’s namesake ultimately returning to competition at the sport’s highest level. “An Aria of Hope” is the heartwarming account of how Equimats played a key role in ensuring the 15 year love affair of this amazing mare and the many who loved her continued on against all odds.
Aria not only lived, but thrived – her dressage showing success continued on. Her success contributed to this mountain valley farm winning the coveted annual title “Adequan USDF Sporthorse Breeder of the Year” three years in a row!!!! She produced six foals by the farm’s residential embryo transfer program, which then developed into a legacy of over thirty horse owners enjoying her progeny – all of which carry her international superstar genetics.
One of my newest, favorite pieces of equipment for traveling to shows with are EquiMat Stable Matting. And even if our trailer is packed to the max, EquiMats are my Never-Leave-Home-Without-Them item of the year.
In any given year, our horses may spend as many as 10 weeks on the road for various reining and cow horse events throughout Canada and the US. Therefore, maintaining their health and soundness during travel, has become priority #1 for Clay and I. Since we are subject to different types of stabling in each place we go, EquiMats allow us keep a standard comfort level for our show mounts – especially when we are stabled on cement.
Each mat is lightweight, making it easier than you think to cart them around for show travel. They offer protection from concrete by supporting horses with cushioned comfort and thermal insulation, plus they reduce the occurrence of capped hocks and other injuries. Equimat’s interlocking non-porous rubber sections are also equipped with a textured surface, to provide a non-slip area for your horse to rest. And if the horse so chooses, this can translate into more time for the animal to lie down which means more vital deep sleep periods.
An entire show stall with mats pieced together.
These characteristically green mats are additionally non-toxic, non-absorbent and not affected by urine or concentrated disinfectants. At the end of a show, sometimes pulling the interlocking edges apart and giving each mat a rinse can be a bit of chore. However, the difference these mats have made to increase the soundness of our horses from the start to finish of a particular event has been incredible. They virtually eliminate body soreness and leg pain caused by extensive standing on cement. And to me, that’s worth any amount of elbow grease!
To see the original review please visit WESTERN HORSE REVIEW
Q: Are there any therapeutic stall mats for barn flooring?Thanks Kirsten and Kennedy for sharing your heart-warming Equimat experience. Can’t begin to say how delighted we are to read this customer’s Facebook review testimonial that Equimat therapeutic stall mats were pivotal in her beloved chronically lame 17 year old horse making a complete recovery! We experienced the same miraculous benefits using this kind of horse stall mats while living in England for a decade – (see “An Aria of Hope” in Warmbloods Today). Returning to Pemberton B.C. to build our new home and farm, Dreamcatcher Meadows Sporthorses (http://www.dreamcatchermeadows.com), we were devastated to learn there were no therapeutic, anti-fatigue horse mats available in in Canada or the U.S. Today Equimats are still the only horse stall mats that deliver all essential features. We could not imagine compromising the care of our horses. More than a decade and half million Equimats sold later, customers, and their horses continue to enjoy our customized design. Let Kirsten tell you how Equimat’s 24/7 non-invasive cushioned support has given her beloved mare a new lease on life…
“Our 17 year old KWPN mare was on and off lame. After bringing in the vet, the mare was diagnosed via ultrasound with an oblique sesamoidean ligament strain. Treatment was months off work and then a “see what we’ve got” approach month after month. I decided that it was time to try the Equimats to see if these would help her. After 1 month of rest, the ultrasound showed a 50% reduction in the strain. After 2 months, the mare was 100% sound and ultrasound showed no signs of strain. She is on a slow path in rehab but I’m convinced the Equimats helped immensely with her recovery. The vet also agreed and was surprised at how quickly she recovered from her injury. The mats are so easy to install and also to move. Can’t wait to put them in the show stalls! Would 100% recommend this product to anyone who wants to give their horse the best.”
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Equimat offers a premium line of therapeutic rubber stall mats designed to provide a cushioning, protective, and hygienic surface that are as comfortable for your horse as nature itself. Proven durability.
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