Background

The Stevenson family lifestyle block, located in Taupaki, just out of Auckland, is the perfect place for the family’s passion for horses. After doing some initial renovation work to their barn, it became clear that the flooring needed some attention. Considered an afterthought, the flooring was a harsh and noisy dirt and stone mix which was messy and uneven.

The Challenge

Eloise was after something that was both aesthetically pleasing as well as shock and sound-absorbing. As the 3.5m x 5.5m area was the main access to their barn, they wanted it to be multipurpose. They needed the area to sustain daily foot traffic as well as perform like a stable. They didn’t want to have to walk over bedding.

The Solution

After doing some googling and talking with a knowledgeable friend, Eloise discovered Numat. The main requirements she was after in a product were cleanliness, safety, and comfort. This was because the area was to be converted into a yard/stable where her horses would be left alone at times. She wanted peace of mind that they would be safe and comfortable at all times.

After talking with one of our surfacing consultants, Eloise decided to go with Unimat – a high-quality German rubber mat with a ribbed base – to ensure superior comfort and shock absorption. After some initial groundwork to flatten out the area, the installation of the product was simple.

Outcomes

Eloise could see results within the first week.

“I love everything about it. I’m very proud of this area. Every time I walk across it I feel great and I know my horse does too.”

Immediately, she found that when she brought her horse onto the rubber matting he was content.

“He will happily stand on the matting for hours without his hooves clattering or scrapping, the flooring absorbs all contact,”

“It’s brilliant for tacking up, grooming, and washing tails etc. We tie a haynet for the horse and the area can simply be swept afterward and it’s completely tidy again. It looks brilliant and is so smart.”

As Eloise was having trouble with one of her horses digging in his front hooves when eating, which was always a concern, thanks to the Unimat’s durability, the rubber surfacing isn’t affected at all.

Conclusion

For Eloise, she now can’t imagine life without her Numat rubber surfacing. It has absolutely transformed the area visually and functionally. Looking back, the old dirt flooring wasn’t giving even a fraction of the satisfaction or cleanliness that the rubber matting has done. She now wants to keep improving the barn and is looking towards getting more rubber matting in the future.