Revulcanized Vs Bonded Crumb Horse Stall Mats

When making the investment in rubber flooring for your horse stable, be sure that you are purchasing the best product for the job. At first thought, you may assume that a horse mat is a horse mat and it doesn't matter what one you get, but on closer examination, there are a number of important factors to consider when choosing the best mat for your stalls. Some of these include: revulcanized vs. straight edge vs. interlocking mats?

There are a number of reasons why revulcanized rubber is superior to bonded crumb rubber when it comes to stall flooring. Here are 6 reasons why you should choose revulcanized rubber flooring for most horse flooring applications:

1. Polyurethane bonded mats can absorb animal fluids while revulcanized mats do not absorb moisture
2. Animal fluids can cause the polyurethane binder to deteriorate creating wear spots as the crumb flakes away, revulcanized matting does not have this problem
3. Animal fluids trapped in the bonded crumb mats can cause bacteria and foul odors
4. Revulcanized rubber flooring is more durable and more resilient than polyurethane bonded rubber flooring
5. Revulcanized mats will not curl, cold flow or change shape like polyurethane bonded mats can when under the temperatures and pressures of normal use
6. Revulcanized mats are made by chemically bonding the rubber under extreme pressure and heat to create the most durable and dense mat possible, while polyurethane bonded mats are glued and pressed under moderate pressure.

On the plus side for polyurethane bonded crumb mats, they typically do not have as much of the rubber odor as the revulcanized rubber mats do.

It is important to remember that companies that are selling bonded crumb mats will not advertise them as such. Remember to ask if the mats are revulcanized when getting a price. Some companies will respond to this by saying, "Yes, these are recycled rubber mats", however this is not the same thing. Visually you can tell the difference between the two by the surface. When you look closely at a bonded crumb mat, you can see that it looks like bits of crumb rubber glued together. Revulcanized rubber mats have a smooth, non-porous surface.

When comparing pricing, be sure to consider the product life, the shipping cost (this can be high for these heavy products), and the health of your horse and workers.

When making the investment in stall flooring, be sure to choose a product that will give you years of life with no headaches. We stand behind our quality matting products with a solid warranty. Join the many happy customers that have made Treadall their choice for heavy duty rubber mats.

Treadall offer sells both revulcanized rubber mats and polyurethane bonded rubber mats among other specialty flooring products across North America. Our full range of products include: horse stall mats, rubber horse arena footing, foaling stall mats, breeding mats, button top and perforated wash stall mats, arena dust control solutions and more.

What Is a Farrier?

Horseshoeing

Horseshoeing is one of the oldest trades in the world, and one of the ancient blacksmith's primary jobs. The blacksmith used his anvil and forge to create many items made of steel. He heated the steel in the forge, primarily coal or organic fueled, then forged and shaped it on the anvil to create the sword, wagon wheel, or horseshoe. Today, the modern blacksmith performs primarily artistic pieces like gates, chandeliers, statues and the like. The Farrier now performs the trade of horseshoeing.

What is a farrier?

The farrier is a professional who makes a living putting horseshoes on horses. Today he is educated in a school that teaches him all of the anatomy surrounding the hoof, from horse conformation to subtle diseases affecting the hoof. In school and apprenticeship, he learns how to put horse shoes on, and how to treat most ailments of the horses hoof. Just a few decades ago, there were no horse shoeing schools, and the horse-shoer (farrier) came from a farm, or was an apprentice for a journeyman farrier so he could learn the trade. Many equine veterinarian firms have a practicing farrier on staff or referral because many farriers have a detailed knowledge of the horses hoof since that is their focus.

What are Farrier Supplies or Farrier Tools?

The tools of his trade: called farrier supplies, includes the following: an anvil, hammer, forge, tongs, hoof knife, rasp, hoof nippers and hoof stand, a nail clincher and clinch block, and a variety of other related farrier tools. The farrier uses his hoof stand to hold the horses leg and hoof upright, then he removes the old horseshoes, and using his hoof nipper and hoof knife he trims the hoof, then makes it smooth with his rasp. He then attaches the horse shoes to the hoof with special horseshoe nails. He must be careful when trimming the hoof, because it is similar to trimming your fingernails-there is a comfortable level of trimming, and then you can trim too deep and cause injury.

Professional farriers know how to correct the horses balance in walking with just the trimming of the hoof. Many times hoof coatings and hoof hardeners or other hoof care products are used to treat ailments of the frog, white line disease, quarter crack, or laminitis...all horse hoof ailments. To find out more visit the link in our resource area below.

Bad Behavioral Problems With Horses, Identifying The Causes, Solving The Problem

Throughout my many years of watching horses, I have seen my share of bad horse behavior. Always the very first question I ask myself is, "What would cause that horse to behave in that way?" I take a look at the behavior of the people that are handling that particular animal.  Next, I would take notice to the physical condition of the horse, whether he or she is under or overweight, what kind of equipment is being used on the horse and exactly what it is that is being asked of this particular animal.

All horses cannot be all things. Thoroughbreds, even though they are bred to do so, may not want to be a race horse. Not all horses can be pleasure horses or jumping horses or horses for young children. Just as we all have different desires, so do horses. They cannot sit and tell you what it is that they prefer to do but they can relate this to you by their actions. If you consistently ask a horse to jump over fences and they refuse or keep knocking down the fence, well it just may not be what they want to do. So, a horse that constantly either refuses or ducks out, or falls into fences is considered to be exhibiting bad behavior.  But, there may be other things involved. 

Maybe the horse is being schooled over fences too often or ridden too hard on a daily basis and is being pushed into this bad behavior. Most of the time in my experience, bad behavioral problems in horses are usually caused by human error. Horses that have become what would be considered crazy, by some people, were not born that way. It is because of the desires of human demands or negligence of understanding their desires that are causing them to behave in unusual ways.

Let's say that you are using a saddle that does not fit your horse properly. Every time you ride, your horse's withers are getting more and more sore each time. The muscles start to become atrophied causing less cushion and, in turn, more soreness. Now when you go to put the saddle on your horse, he or she starts moving around a lot, or tries to step on you, or when you go to tighten the girth, your horse seriously tries to bite you. This bad behavior is in direct response of having withers that are so sore that they cannot stand the thought of one more day of pain. 

Or perhaps tightening up the girth too much and causing your horses' girth area to become very sensitive and sore and every time you try to tighten the girth they want to rear up. This is their way of saying, please do not inflict this pain on me another day. They cannot turn around and say, excuse me, please don't tighten that girth up because it really hurts. Instead they rear up. This is there way of trying to communicate with you, and in their world, this body language would be understood.

All I am trying to say is that if a horse starts behaving badly, you need to take a very close look at every aspect of your actions with them. Or, ask yourself what, if anything, has changed recently. Has there been a change of stalls, pastures or different horses turned out with your horse. Does your horse really understand what it is that you are asking of them, or is it possible that they may be confused? If you have a horse that starts flipping over backwards, examine your saddle pad and your saddle. Perhaps the bit you are using is too severe, or maybe your horses back is really sore. Maybe this particular animal needs a different rider. Ask questions about everything.

Sometimes the answer is not very easy to find but I believe that there is always a solution. However, the solution may not always fit into your realm of things and you will have to take that into consideration. Learning to speak horse language is not something that will come to you in a year or two. The longer you have horses in your life, the more hours you spend with them, the more you will understand their language and will be able to communicate with them on their level.

If you have a horse that is turned out with certain horses and he or she is beating up all the other horses, even though this is bad behavior, you may have to either turn this horse out with a different herd of horses or keep this horse away from other horses until you can find a suitable buddy. Sometimes when we have a horse come into our life, certain behaviors have already been developed and there is only so much we can do.

This is not to say that some horses are not born in the correct mental state, but I do not think that the percentage is very high. How a horse is handled from birth makes a major difference in the individual that they become. In the course of breaking yearlings on Thoroughbred farms for five years, many times the yearlings that were the worst to break, after they understood what was expected from them, with time and patience, became the most desired to ride. 

Put yourself in their shoes, look at the problem from a different perspective using the knowledge that you have acquired about horses and perhaps you will be enlightened. Patience and understanding are your best tools in handling a difficult horse. Remember that horses are creatures of habit. Instilling proper behavior into their lives, constantly, over and over may help them to adopt the better behavior.  Most horses will come around providing they are given a fair chance and the love that they truly need.

Horse Passports Simplified

Did you know that every horse should legally have a passport? Do you know why a horse needs a passport? Here we answer the most common passport queries and provide you with our essential passport checklist.

Why do I need a passport?

In 2005 a law was introduced meaning that it is a legal requirement for every horse to hold a passport. The owner is responsible for making sure that their horse holds a certified passport. If your horse is found not to have a passport you could face a fine of up to £5000.

In July 2009, additional legislation came into effect which means that any horse or foal now being registered must also be microchipped and this number recorded in their passport.

By law all vets must check your horse's passport before they treat your horse. A vet will never not treat your horse but if you do not have your passport on you, they are limited in what treatments they can use.

How much does a passport cost and where can I get one?

A passport typically costs between £22 and £25. If you know your horse's breeding you can apply for one from the respective breed society. 

If your horse's breeding is unknown, the Horse Passport Agency can issue you with an identity passport at a cost of £23.

What if I buy a horse or my details change?

Once you have found your dream horse for sale, paid your money and brought your horse home, you only have 30 days to register as the new owner or you could risk prosecution. This also applies if you move or change any other personal details. Trading Standards are responsible for enforcing horse passports and not the police. If you're stopped and the details in your passport are found to be incorrect, Trading Standards can issue you with a hefty fine.

Do I need my passport with me all the time?

It's a legal requirement to have your horse's passport with you at all times, unless you are hacking out. Should you be stopped and you do not have your passport, you'll only be given three hours to produce it at a police station. This means that legally you must have your horse's passport with you when attending shows, travelling to lessons and even if you're just driving down the road to meet up with a friend for a hack.

Your essential passport checklist: 

• Never buy a horse without a passport. The horse may have been stolen or could be much older or younger than advertised.
• Check the identification details in the passport carefully to make sure that the horse in the passport matches the horse you're buying.
• Ensure that the person selling the horse for sale is listed as the owner in the passport. If they are not, verify that they have permission to sell the horse by contacting the current registered owner first.
• Check with the National Equine Database before buying the horse as they can tell from a passport number if a horse has been registered as stolen.
• If you're buying a youngster born after the 1st July 2009, check that they've been microchipped.
• If the passport states that a horse has been microchipped, get a vet to scan the chip to check that the horse's microchip number matches the one listed in the passport