Nicole Casper from the Birkhof stud is extremely satisfied with her BELMONDO® mats
Based on the positive real-world experience of her industry colleagues, Nicole Casper decided to install BELMONDO® Walkpro in her stable walkway and washdown area in 2020.
BELMONDO® was chosen through a recommendation
Nicole Casper decided to install rubber mats in the stable walkway in 2020. Before going ahead with her plan, she asked a few of her industry colleagues about mats they had had good real-world experience with. Almost all of them recommended using BELMONDO® mats.
Advantages that nobody at the Birkhof stud can do without
Walkpro's cushioning effect ensures it is pleasantly quiet in the stable walkway. The horses go onto the mats without being coaxed and walk confidently. Nicole Casper has some horses that are very skittish when they are not on natural soil and will not walk on just any ground. Even these animals walk on the rubber mats normally. Almost as if it were natural soil that just happened to be the normal surface of the stable walkway. In her opinion, the mats have just the right firmness, even if it is a rubber flooring.
"Even horses that are skittish tend to walk on the rubber mats normally. Almost as if they were walking on natural soil."
Compatibility with vehicle traffic and cleaning
In winter, it also seems less cold in the stable walkway thanks to the insulation provided by Walkpro explains Nicole Casper. The rubber ensures a secure, warm feeling.
Yet another advantage for Nicole Casper: The floor is easy to sweep clean with a brush. In her opinion, it is not a given that a stable walkway floor provides a firm grip and is slip resistant while also being easy to clean. But that is definitely the case with Walkpro. The mats are also compatible with vehicle traffic, such as a farm yard loader.
"Driving on the mats with a farm yard loader is also no problem at all, as they are very robust.
Walkpro also in the washdown area
Walkpro mats have also been installed in the washdown area. In the beginning, Nicola Casper was skeptical about whether the mats would still be slip resistant after hosing down the horses. But she has been impressed with just how non-slip the mats are – even when wet.
"I'm delighted that the mats are non-slip – even when they are wet."
BELMONDO® mats in looseboxes and horse walker
BELMONDO® mats have already been installed in some of the looseboxes at the Birkhof stud, and everyone is equally satisfied with them.
Moreover, plans are also in place to install rubber mats in the horse walker. The Birkhof stud also hopes to find the perfect balance between strength and flexibility here, just like with the stable walkway mats.