What are they made of?
They are made of polypropylene, which is a non woven fabric that you can not see through and have no holes, but liquid will flow straight through. This means that once it’s on the ground your horse won’t come into contact with the dirt again but the urine will drain straight through it.

How thick is a Stall Skin?
It is a very dense just over 1/4” thick. You are welcome to request a sample from the web page.

Is Thicker Better?
Over the past 14 years, Stall Skins has developed what we think, is the perfect balance between durability and permeability (the ability for liquid to pass through the Stall Skin material).
A recent entrant into the permeable flooring market seems to be very excited about their "30% thicker" fabric. We tried that...and didn't like it. By using a thicker fabric, and melting the top by applied heat, they certainly have a tougher product. But at what cost?
Our experience taught us that sacrificing permeability for a thicker product defeats the whole idea of a permeable stall floor. If you're looking for durability, why not buy rubber mats? They'll be around for your grandkids to use!
We've never claimed that Stall Skins are as durable as rubber mats...but will pay for themselves in as little as one year by savings on bedding material.
After 14 years of providing Stall Skins to the horse community, and as the developer of this concept, we think our product is the perfect balance.
See for yourself.

We sent both products to a lab for testing.

Stall Skins drain nearly three times as fast, and the thicker fabric actually stretches more.

Horse Mat Stall Skins
Grab MD 1151 lbs 600 lbs
Elong. MD 73% 70%
Grab XMD 690 lbs 700 lbs
Elong. XMD 99% 85%
Puncture 415 lbs 300 lbs
Waterflow 18 g/m/ft2 45 g/m/ft2

It appears they are stronger in the machine direction due to the very high heat process, but that also makes them flow less water than we do on the Stall Skins.
What is not good is the lack of flow rate the other product yields. With bark, or other materials, on top of the fabric, it further restricts water flow. I believe that is a definable difference in the performance of the fabrics. The other product also elongates much more than the Stall Skins, that is not good in this application.

How do I know if the ground drains enough for a Stall Skin?
The rule of thumb is that you are able to pour a bucket of water on the ground and watch the puddle disappear as you are standing there.
If the puddle stays, then the ground needs some work.

What can I use underneath it if my ground does not drain?
Crushed Limestone, DG, Road base, or a sand that has gravel mixed into it works well. Use whatever you can get locally.
If your horse urinates in the same place, dig that out and make a hole about 2’x’2x2’ and fill it with gravel, make the top of the hole about 4” lower than the rest of the stall, level it out with crushed rock. This will help the urine to drain through the mat quicker.

How compact does the ground need to be?
The ground needs to compact enough that your horses’ hooves are not buried in the base when they walk on the dirt. You can hose it down a little and then do shuffle steps across the whole stall or rent a roller from Home Depot.

How long do they last?
Our proto-types have been the ground for about 7-8 years. The average mat should last you at least 6-7 years. You will save at least a dollar a day in bedding costs so they should pay for themselves within 7 months.

Which way up does the fabric go?
The rough/shiny side goes up against the horse and the soft fluffy side goes down against the dirt.

What do you do if you have a 10x12 Stall?
For this size you would order the 1212 Kit. Once you have installed it, you can cut off any excess material.

Custom Sizes?
Please call the office 1-800-400-3165. Custom Size are Fabric Only orders, they are not returnable and come without Molding or Screws and Washers.

Fabric Only Orders?
You have to order the width of the roll which is 13’ wide and nearly up to what ever length you need. These can be ordered by phone only. These orders count as custom orders so take about 3-4 weeks and are not returnable.

Can I use this outside?
Absolutely, they are great for muddy gate ways, or paths that have a lot of foot traffic. Create a frame, make it flush with the ground and screw the material to the frame and cover with mulch or gravel.

How long do orders take?
Standard Kit Sizes take about 2 weeks and Custom Orders take between 3-4 weeks.

Please contact us if you have any other questions we are happy to help.