Gateway Rubber Grass Mats for Horses

Turn a poached gateway back into firm, green ground

Field gateways take more hooves than anywhere else on the yard, and by November most of them are a mud bath. These 23mm heavy duty rubber grass mats spread the weight of every hoof so it can't sink in and churn up the ground, while grass grows up through the open holes and knits the mats into the turf. They stop mud poaching in 2–3 weeks of wet weather, leaving a firm, free-draining gateway that stays green in summer and walkable in winter, with no digging and no concrete.

Used by private horse owners, livery yards, riding schools, stud farms, equestrian centres and agricultural contractors across the UK. Join thousands of yard managers who have eliminated gateway mud for good.

Why horse owners use them in gateways

• ✓Hooves stay on top, not in the mud. The mat spreads hoof impact (400–500kg per strike) across the root zone, so the soil underneath doesn't break up into the deep poaching and ruts you get in a bare gateway.
• ✓Grass grows through. The open-cell design keeps 75–80% grass coverage once established. The roots bind the mats into the ground, and the gateway stays green instead of turning to bare soil.
• ✓Drains 200mm of rain an hour. Water runs straight through the holes, so there's no pooling, no standing water and no muddy wash running into yards or fields.
• ✓Grip underfoot. The textured rubber lattice gives shod and unshod hooves, and yard staff's boots, something to grip in wet conditions.
• ✓Tough enough for shoes, studs and muck. 23mm SBR recycled rubber withstands metal horseshoe studs, urine, manure, disinfectant and pressure washing without degrading.
• ✓Frost and UV resistant. Rated from -15°C to +50°C, so the mats stay flexible through hard frosts and summer heat.
• ✓Reversible for double the lifespan. When one side starts to show wear, flip the mat over to bring a fresh surface into use.
• ✓Cleaner legs at turnout and bring-in. No more wading through deep mud at the gate, so legs, boots and rugs come back cleaner.
• ✓Takes field traffic too. At 23mm thick, the mats take tractors, Land Rovers, trailers, quad bikes and horseboxes, as well as horses, ponies and people.
• ✓Nothing to wash away or rot. Hardcore sinks into wet ground and wood chip rots down into more mud. Pegged rubber mats stay where you lay them, year after year.
• ✓Easy to lay, easy to move. At about 12kg, each mat is easy for one person to carry and lay. There's no concrete and no permanent groundwork, so if you move a gate or change your grazing, take the mats up and peg them down somewhere else.

Grass mats or another gateway fix?

How many mats for my gateway?

Cover the full width of the gateway plus about half a metre past each gatepost, and at least 3 to 4 metres out on the field side, where horses wait and turn. If the track or yard side gets churned up too, cover both sides. These layouts use whole mats, with no cutting:

Tip: the mats also work around water troughs, hay feeders, field shelter entrances and on track systems. Measure the area and the calculator at the top of this page will work out how many you need.

Laying them in a gateway

1. Pick your moment. Grass mats work best laid on firm ground that still has some grass, ideally between late spring and early autumn, so the grass has time to grow through before winter. If you can, use another gate for 3 to 4 weeks while it establishes.
2. Already a mud bath? Don't lay mats on top of deep, soft mud, because they'll sink and shift. Wait for a dry spell, scrape off the loose mud, fill the ruts, then level and seed the surface. On ground that stays wet all year, lay the mats over 100 to 150mm of compacted MOT Type 1 stone instead. They then give a firm, grippy, free-draining surface over the stone, although grass won't grow through.
3. Check the gate. The mats raise the ground by 23mm, so make sure the gate still swings clear before you peg them down. Lift the gate on its hinges if it drags.
4. Lay and tie. Start at the gate line and work outwards, butting each mat tight against the last. Use the 4 cable ties that come with each mat to join it to its neighbours along the joints, so the whole area moves as one.
5. Peg every mat. Each mat comes with 4 ground pegs, one for each corner. Push them in fully, especially along the outside edges, where hooves and wheels step on first. Choose the pegs & ties option above.
6. Check after a few weeks. Once the ground has settled, push down any pegs that have lifted and trim off the cable-tie tails.

• Poo-pick droppings off the mats as you would the field. Scrape, hose or pressure-wash the surface clean when needed.
• Mow or strim over the mats in summer with the blades set high.
• Don't drag a chain harrow or metal blade across the mats.

Specifications

Common questions

How many pegs and ties come with each mat?

With the pegs & ties option, every mat comes with 4 ground pegs and 4 cable ties: a peg for each corner, and ties to join it to the mats next to it.

Will these fix a gateway that's already deep in mud?

Not on their own. Mats laid straight onto soft, deep mud will sink and move. Wait for a dry spell, scrape and level the ground and seed it, or lay the mats over a compacted stone base. Step 2 of the laying guide above explains both.

Will shoes and studs damage them?

No. The 23mm SBR rubber withstands ordinary shoes and metal horseshoe studs, as well as urine, manure and pressure washing.

Will my horse walk over them?

Some horses look twice at a new surface. Lead them over calmly a few times and most settle quickly. Once the grass grows through, the gateway looks like ground again.

Can I drive a tractor or horsebox over them?

Yes. The mats take tractors, Land Rovers, trailers and horseboxes. On very soft ground, lay them over a compacted stone base first (see step 2 above). For excavators and other heavy plant, use our heavy duty ground protection mats.

Can I use them inside a stable?

No. The open holes let urine and bedding straight through, so they aren't made for stable floors. For inside the stable, use our solid 6ft × 4ft rubber stable mats.