Field Shelter Flooring: Which Option Is Best?

What is the best flooring for a field shelter?

The best flooring for your field shelter depends on your ground conditions, drainage and how you use the shelter. 

Field shelter flooring options at a glance

• Wood chip: A cost-effective, natural option that's easy to put down but may need topping up over time
• Road planings: Create a firmer, non-muddy surface and work especially well on wetter ground
• Grass mats: Help protect the ground while allowing grass to grow through, although they follow the contours of the ground underneath
• Rubber stable mats: Provide a softer, insulated surface that's comfortable for horses and easy to muck out.

Whatever surface you choose, make sure the ground drains well. 

Wood chip

Wood chip is a cost-effective way to stabilise and dry out the ground where your mobile field shelter will sit. You can buy it in large quantities for relatively little money.

You can compress it yourself or leave it to settle over time with day-to-day use. It also provides a natural base layer for your horses to bed down on.

However, if it rains substantially and the ground underneath is unstable, wood chip can become a problem. By its very nature, wood absorbs water and over time can become less stable as it gradually sinks into the earth.

This means you'll need to regularly add more wood chip, especially on wet or heavily used ground.

Road planings

An alternative to wood chip is to lay down road planings, sometimes known as scalpings. 

These can be spread over areas where you plan to position or rotate your shelter to create a firmer, less muddy surface.

You'll need a deep enough layer to allow for some sinkage while still leaving the surface slightly raised to help keep the area dry.

Road planings provide a stable base layer that you can then cover with wood chip or rubber stable mats for a softer surface. They can also work well around gateways and other areas where water and heavy use tend to poach the ground.

Grass mats

Grass mats are rubber honeycomb sheets that you can lay down to help protect the ground. Their open design allows grass to grow through the holes, so the mats gradually become less noticeable.

The material is designed to withstand changing weather and temperatures, making grass mats a low-maintenance way to protect the grass and ground underneath.

However, you'll need to secure the mats properly to prevent the edges from lifting. Their flexibility also means they tend to follow the contours of the ground rather than creating a completely level surface.

If the ground is particularly uneven or soft, you may need to prepare the area first before laying grass mats.

Rubber stable mats

Rubber stable matting is one of the most popular flooring options for mobile field shelters. Made from rubber or rubber-based compounds, stable mats provide a soft, insulated surface that can make the shelter more comfortable for your horses.

Depending on the ground conditions, stable mats can be laid over a suitable prepared surface or used on top of materials such as road planings. They can also reduce the amount of bedding needed compared with coarser flooring materials.

Rubber mats are much easier to clean and muck out, but it's important that they sit flat and securely. If bedding or debris works its way underneath, the surface can become uneven.

You may also want to add rubber edging along the bottom of your shelter to help keep draughts out and bedding inside.

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Think about drainage before choosing your flooring

Whatever flooring you choose, think about how well the area drains before putting it down.

Low-lying or boggy ground can quickly become muddy when horses regularly walk over it, and simply covering the surface likely won't solve the problem underneath. 

If possible, position your shelter on firm, well-drained ground where water won't naturally collect.

If the ground needs a firmer base, you can use road planings underneath and add a softer surface like rubber matting or wood chip on top.

It's also worth thinking about the areas immediately outside the shelter. Entrances and gateways often take the most wear, so protecting these areas can help stop mud being carried into the shelter.

Do you need planning permission for field shelter flooring?

It depends on the type of flooring you add. Permanent groundworks or a concrete base could affect the planning requirements for a mobile field shelter.

If you're planning any permanent work, check with your local planning authority before you start.

You can also read our guide to planning permission for mobile stables and field shelters for more information.

Find the right mobile field shelter

Colt mobile field shelters come in a range of sizes and layouts, so you can choose one based on how many horses you have and how you plan to use it.

They're built from pressure-treated timber using 75mm x 50mm framing and 16mm (12mm finished) shiplap cladding. Each shelter comes on strong timber skids with a tow point and heavy-duty chain, so you can move it around your land using a 4x4 or tractor.

Take a look at our mobile field shelters, or get in touch with our team if you need help choosing.