What are the best rubber flooring options for horse floats in Australia?
Rubber matting is the clear frontrunner for equine trailer flooring in Australia, outperforming timber and aluminum on every practical measure: traction, shock absorption, and moisture resistance. Four Australian providers stand out for quality and availability: Regency Floats, Skyler Rubber, Pegasus Horse Floats, and S.M.L Mats.
The materials these providers use fall into two main categories. Vulcanized SBR (Styrene-Butadiene Rubber) composites, often reinforced with nylon or canvas ply, deliver a tensile strength of 4 MPa and a density around 1.45 g/cm³, making them tough enough to handle constant hoof stress. Recycled rubber products take a different route, prioritizing sustainability and insulation alongside solid durability.
| Provider | Material/Type | Durability & Warranty | Customization | Availability | Best For | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regency Floats | Advanced composite flooring system | 10-year warranty | Full custom, European design | Australia-wide | Premium warrantied float flooring | 4.9★ (226 reviews) |
| Skyler Rubber | Recycled rubber mats | Durable; 20 years innovation | Standard sizes | Australia-wide | Eco-conscious buyers | 4.5★ (33 reviews) |
| Pegasus Horse Floats | Rubber flooring with float builds | Solid; service and repair available | Custom float sizes | Australia-wide | Versatile float and flooring packages | 4.7★ (9 reviews) |
| S.M.L Mats | Reinforced custom rubber mats | High quality; Australian made | Custom-made to order | Australia-wide | Custom-fit float and stable mats | — |
Regency Floats carries the longest warranty in this group at 10 years, which is a meaningful gap over the 3-year warranties common on off-the-shelf mats. Skyler Rubber’s recycled construction adds sound insulation alongside grip, a combination that suits owners who prioritize both horse comfort and environmental footprint. S.M.L Mats manufactures custom-made reinforced rubber mats specifically for horse floats and stables, making them a practical choice when standard dimensions do not fit.
How do these Australian providers compare in depth?
Regency Floats
Regency Floats builds its flooring system directly into the float rather than selling mats separately. With over 40 years of manufacturing experience and a 10-year flooring warranty, the system is designed to work as a unit with the float’s subfloor, eliminating the gap where moisture typically hides. European design influences show up in the fit and finish, and buyers can specify colors, bay widths, and fittings at the point of order.
Skyler Rubber
Skyler Rubber focuses on recycled rubber horse mats engineered for shock absorption and thermal insulation. Twenty years of product development shows in the consistency of their material. These mats suit owners who want a standalone mat solution for an existing float, particularly those who care about where the rubber comes from.
Pegasus Horse Floats
Pegasus Horse Floats covers the full spectrum from 2-horse straight loads to 4-horse angle loads and goosenecks, with rubber flooring included as part of their build and repair services. If your float needs a floor replacement alongside other service work, Pegasus handles both in one visit.
- Offers float service, repair, and spare parts alongside new builds
- Range spans 2-horse to 4-horse configurations plus goosenecks and horse trucks
- Rubber flooring available as part of custom and deluxe float packages
S.M.L Mats
S.M.L Mats is a straightforward Australian manufacturer of custom-cut reinforced rubber mats for horse floats, tailgates, dividers, and stables. Their product list is specific and practical, with no frills. For owners who need an exact-fit mat rather than a float package, S.M.L Mats delivers on that single requirement.
Pro Tip: When comparing providers, ask whether the rubber mat is sold separately or integrated into the float build. Integrated systems like Regency Floats’ are harder to replace piecemeal but eliminate the sealing and fit problems that come with aftermarket mats.
How do you choose the right rubber flooring for your horse float?
The right choice depends on three things: your horse’s physical condition, how often you travel, and the float’s existing subfloor.
Older horses and those with joint issues benefit most from thicker, softer rubber. Matching flooring to horse health and transport frequency gives the best protection against joint fatigue on long hauls. For younger, healthy horses on short trips, a standard 6mm reinforced SBR mat handles the job without adding unnecessary weight.
Thickness is where most buyers get tripped up. Rubber mats in the 6–10mm range are the practical sweet spot for float floors. Thicker mats (around 19mm) are better suited to static stable areas because the extra weight affects towing efficiency on a moving float. A standard mat at 3/4 inch thickness already adds meaningful weight per panel, so outfitting a full float floor compounds quickly.
The subfloor matters as much as the mat itself. Even the best rubber mat cannot compensate for a rotten or poorly supported subfloor beneath it. Before laying any new matting, inspect the timber or metal base for soft spots, corrosion, or delamination.
Key selection criteria:
- Anti-slip surface: Look for hammer-top, studded, or diamond-plate textures. Smooth mats lose grip when wet or soiled.
- Reinforcement: Nylon or canvas ply reinforcement resists tearing under hoof stress far better than non-reinforced rubber.
- Moisture resistance: Vulcanized, non-porous rubber prevents urine from soaking through to the subfloor.
- Fit: Custom-cut mats minimize gaps where hooves can catch and where moisture pools underneath.
- Sealing: Apply a sealant like Sikaflex around mat edges to stop moisture migrating to the subfloor.
Pro Tip: Weigh your float before and after fitting new mats. If you are close to your tow vehicle’s payload limit, a 6mm mat over a sound subfloor is safer than a 10mm mat over a compromised one.
What makes Regency Floats’ flooring system stand out?
Regency Floats has manufactured horse floats in Australia for over 40 years, and their flooring approach reflects that accumulated knowledge. Rather than treating the floor as an add-on, they engineer it as part of the float’s safety system, with the rubber layer, subfloor, and structural frame designed to work together.
The warranty on their flooring systems is the longest publicly available from any Australian float manufacturer. That coverage matters because floor failure in a moving float is not just a maintenance problem. It is a safety event.
Their floats are fully customizable, with European design influences visible in bay dimensions, fittings, and finish options. Buyers can specify warmblood-width bays, divider configurations, and color schemes at the point of order, which means the flooring system is sized and sealed correctly from day one rather than retrofitted.
Key benefits of Regency Floats’ flooring system:
- 10-year warranty covering the flooring system as part of the float build
- Integrated design with subfloor and structural frame for whole-system safety
- Custom bay sizing including warmblood-width configurations
- Australian manufacturing with over four decades of production experience
- Advanced safety technology built into the float structure, not bolted on afterward
Regency Floats is Australia’s best-selling family-owned horse float manufacturer, a position built on consistent product quality and post-sale support rather than marketing alone.
How do you keep rubber float flooring clean and hygienic?
Rubber’s non-porous surface is its biggest practical advantage over timber. Urine and manure sit on the surface rather than soaking in, so a rinse with mild detergent and water after each trip keeps the mat sanitary. That said, the edges are the weak point.
Without proper sealing at mat edges, urine moisture causes hidden corrosion beneath the rubber, often going unnoticed until the subfloor is already compromised. Sealing edges with Sikaflex and lifting mats periodically to clean and dry the subfloor prevents that problem. If mats are permanently bonded, regular inspection of the float’s underside is the substitute.
For day-to-day maintenance, sweep out manure and wet bedding after every use. Hose the mat surface and allow it to dry fully before the next trip. Mats that stay wet between uses develop odor and accelerate subfloor corrosion regardless of how good the rubber is.
Are rubber float flooring options environmentally responsible?
Recycled rubber products have changed the sustainability picture for equine flooring. Skyler Rubber’s mats are made from recycled rubber, diverting material from landfill while delivering shock absorption and insulation properties. For owners who want a lower-footprint option without compromising performance, recycled mats are a genuine alternative.
Vulcanized SBR mats, while not made from recycled content, have a long service life that offsets their production footprint. A mat that lasts a decade or more generates less waste than cheaper options replaced every two or three years. Alternatives like Rumber (a composite of rubber and plastic lumber) offer 15–20+ year lifespans and full rot resistance, though at a higher upfront cost and with a more permanent installation profile.
The most sustainable choice is the one that lasts longest in your specific conditions. A correctly sealed, reinforced rubber mat on a sound subfloor will outlast an unsupported mat of any material.
Regencyfloats: flooring built into every float from day one
Regencyfloats is Australia’s leading family-owned horse float manufacturer, and the flooring system is not an afterthought. Every float ships with an integrated rubber floor engineered for safety, sealed against moisture, and backed by a 10-year warranty. You are not buying a mat and hoping it fits. You are buying a system.
Floats are fully customizable, from bay width and divider configuration to color and fittings, and delivery is available Australia-wide. Whether you are in Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, or Tasmania, Regencyfloats ships direct. Browse current in-stock models and view available floats to find the right configuration for your horses.
Key Takeaways
Rubber flooring integrated into a quality float build, sealed correctly and matched to your horse’s needs, is the most durable and safest equine transport floor available in Australia.
| Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Rubber is the top choice | Rubber outperforms timber and aluminum on traction, shock absorption, and moisture resistance for horse floats. |
| Thickness sweet spot | A 6–10mm reinforced mat suits most float floors; thicker mats (19mm) add weight better suited to stable areas. |
| Sealing prevents hidden damage | Unsealed mat edges allow urine to corrode the subfloor; Sikaflex at edges and periodic mat lifting prevent this. |
| Reinforcement extends lifespan | Nylon or canvas ply reinforcement resists tearing under hoof stress far better than non-reinforced rubber. |
| Regencyfloats warranty advantage | Regency Floats offers a 10-year flooring warranty integrated into the float build, the longest available from an Australian manufacturer. |
