I’ve had a few questions lately on how our horse foam does over time. So I thought this would be the perfect topic for the blog. In 2008 we decided that we would take what we knew about cow comfort from North Brook Farms, and convert it to the equestrian industry. IGK Equestrian created a horse stall mattress system with a high quality foam and top cover. The horse foam we choose, called an open cell foam, was specifically made to accommodate horses and their size. Horses are usually lighter animals (other than all those draft horses out there!) compared to cows and have a wider hoof; because of these differences, the foam needs to be optimized to a horse’s weight and stature and so we’ve created a horse foam to specifically suit horse’s needs.
Despite being incredibly soft and light, don’t let this foam fool you – it’s very tough. Since 2003, we’ve installed tens of thousands of pieces under both cows and horses and our oldest pieces of foam under both animal types are still going strong! Our customers do not see compaction or break down and the animals continue to get a soft, supportive bed to relax and recuperate on. Over the last 12 years, topcover has been pulled back to reveal foam looking like it was just put in. We’ve tested the foam to have less than 1% compaction over a decade of keeping animals comfortable, and our customers are truly amazed at how the foam never changes and consistently offers their horses a supportive surface for their legs and hooves in their box stalls. One word of caution when using these mattresses: be ready to hear the snores of a horse that you never thought would lay down. Loud snores have scared the dickens out of more than a few owners and hands coming in for AM chores.
I’d love to hear any other questions that you may have about our SmartStall™ System! Please feel free to contact me at [email protected]!
