Horse stall mats come in a couple of different formats, one is a fairly large mat at about 4' x 6', so you may only need a couple for your stall, the others are smaller tiles that you can stick together like a puzzle.
What purpose do horse stall mats serve?
Because these mats are so soft, they are easy on the horses feet, and comfortable for them to stand on for long periods of time, like on long road trips. Due to the fact that horses have hooves, it can hurt them to stand on concrete or wood for a long time. Horse stall mats are also meant to save you money on bedding, as it lasts a long time, and the urine pools on top rather than seeping in, making them much easier to clean. You are also easily able to sterilize horse stall mats in the event of a horse contracting a disease, this will save your horse from getting sick again and again, with difficult to clean surfaces like soil or concrete.
How do I clean horse stall mats?
Horse stall mats mainly only need to be hosed down from time to time, but if you want to get a good cleaning in I would suggest taking out the the mats and spraying both sides down with a pressure washer. If you're mats really need a good cleaning, use a scrub brush and some soap or disinfectant, but be sure you're using no harmful chemicals.
Should I get interlocking mats?
If it's important for your mats to stay in place I would go with the interlocking ones, the mats with straight edges are great but can slide around a bit, so they are probably better for smaller stalls where it doesn't matter if they shift a bit. The interlocking horse stall mats are also easy to transport, so are straight edged ones, but because interlocking ones are smaller it's easier to grab less for smaller areas.
Ultimately, your horses comfort and health is what's most important, and a good quality mat will aid in this.
