Jamie Barge’s show jumper, Luebbo, at
her new barn in Malibu, California.
Joshua Nilsen Photography
No flooring lasts forever, but investments up front usually
correlate to longer life.
As an independent contractor, Graham Russ sees stall
flooring from a different perspective. Over several years of
installations in new stables and replacing it in existing barns,
he sees more owners making a substantial upfront investment
with the realistic expectation of a return in the form of
horse health and maintenance savings.
“A lot of my installs are replacing the 4’ by 6’ rubber mat
puzzle pieces,” says Russ, who is based in Ft. Worth, Texas.
“They usually have cracks between each mat. They
provide little cushion themselves and they are usually put
down over concrete or gravel. That lack of cushion really
causes problems for horses.” But it’s pocketbook pressure
that initially turns many to the ComfortStall installations that
he’s doing more of the last few years.
“People go from seven bags of shavings per stall to one
bag,” Russ explains. “This product pays for itself in nine or
10 months. It sells itself.” And that’s the case even though
its upfront cost is considerably more than seemingly similar
brands. ComfortStall’s cushion comes mainly from a layer
of proprietary orthopedic foam while other types use geotextiles
and a crumb rubber-filled, channeled mattress for
cushion. The flooring systems can look the same to the
casual observer but not to Russ, who has installed and observed
the performance of various methods and materials.
Even without the shavings and labor savings, flooring costs
should be considered as amortized over time. ComfortStall,
for example, has a six-year warranty and an average life
span of 15-20 years. “I work at barns where horses have
pawed through the mats all the time,” he says. “I’ve never
seen a horse paw through ComfortStall.”
“When you are going to spend the money, you might as
well do it right the first time with ComfortStall and not worry
about it again,” Russ states. “If you don’t want to spend the
money, go with the 3/4” stall mats and a lot of shavings.”
A little bit of research and thought on the front end of
a barn building or remodeling project can save a lot of
money and headache over the life of the barn, and it all
starts at ground level with flooring!
EE
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An Installer’s Vantage Point
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