The proper cleaning of a stall is extremely important to your horse’s health and well being. If you horse lives in a stall for any hours of the day, then, he or she will need a nice cozy comfortable home to live in. Stalls that aren’t cleaned well will smell, attract bugs and promote bacteria growth that can lead to serious health issues for you and your horse. Using rubber mats in your stall are great to keep your horse on a level surface and to keep the manure and urine from migrating into the ground. Mats are available at your local grain store or tack shop. Make the investment, it’s totally worth it!
You must clean your horse’s stall every day!
Here is our guide to cleaning your stall.
Tools Needed:
Wheelbarrow
Broom
Manure Fork
Flat shovel
Gloves
Water Bucket Brush
1.
First, you must determine when the best time to clean your horse’s stall is. In the morning just after he/she has been turned out? Or, during the day when your horse is in? If your horse is in all day, you will need to clean at least twice a day. If your horse isn’t turned out during the day, if available, move him/her into an empty stall. If you can work in your horses’ stall while he/she remains there, then excellent! Once you have your schedule set, then, stick to it like glue.
First, you must determine when the best time to clean your horse’s stall is. In the morning just after he/she has been turned out? Or, during the day when your horse is in? If your horse is in all day, you will need to clean at least twice a day. If your horse isn’t turned out during the day, if available, move him/her into an empty stall. If you can work in your horses’ stall while he/she remains there, then excellent! Once you have your schedule set, then, stick to it like glue. 2.When you are ready to clean, get all your tools ready and put them by the stall door.
When you are ready to clean, get all your tools ready and put them by the stall door. 3.Take out the water buckets, dumping any water left from yesterday. Scrub the bottom and sides thoroughly and rinse. Bacteria can form inside the buckets and if not properly scrubbed and clean, that bacteria can lead to salmonella poisoning. Fill the buckets with fresh water but don’t hang them yet in the stall. Set them aside.
Take out the water buckets, dumping any water left from yesterday. Scrub the bottom and sides thoroughly and rinse. Bacteria can form inside the buckets and if not properly scrubbed and clean, that bacteria can lead to salmonella poisoning. Fill the buckets with fresh water but don’t hang them yet in the stall. Set them aside.4.Bring your wheelbarrow as close to the stall door opening as possible.
Bring your wheelbarrow as close to the stall door opening as possible. 5.Assuming that you are using shavings or fine bedding, using the Manure Fork, pick up the large piles of manure first and place into the wheelbarrow. Getting all the manure that is visible first will consume less time in sifting.
Assuming that you are using shavings or fine bedding, using the Manure Fork, pick up the large piles of manure first and place into the wheelbarrow. Getting all the manure that is visible first will consume less time in sifting. 6.Find The Wet Spot(s). Every horse has a different wet spot. Usually, you can see where they have urinated by the wetness on top of the surface. Once you have found it, carefully pull back the bedding around it, leaving only the spot itself. Pick up the entire spot and move it into the wheelbarrow. Use caution, moving a wet spot is tricky, if you maneuver too fast, it will break up and fall off the fork.
Find The Wet Spot(s). Every horse has a different wet spot. Usually, you can see where they have urinated by the wetness on top of the surface. Once you have found it, carefully pull back the bedding around it, leaving only the spot itself. Pick up the entire spot and move it into the wheelbarrow. Use caution, moving a wet spot is tricky, if you maneuver too fast, it will break up and fall off the fork. 7.Once you’ve got the big stuff and the wet spots handled, now it’s time to sift! Using your manure fork, pick up piles of the bedding and gently toss them against the wall creating a tall pyramid pile. The loose manure will fall to the bottom of the pile and you can easily pick up what you have missed, or what was hidden. Sometimes horses cover their manure. Why, who knows, but, my horse is famous for it. Once you have all the loose bedding in a pile against the wall, take the broom and sweep the stall floor completely and toss that into the pile and sift. Once you feel that you’ve sifted and got everything out, collapse the pile by pulling it down a little at a time to cover the stall floor. Even out the bedding and pick up anything you may have missed. Sifting the bedding in this manner circulates air thru the bedding and helps maintain a dry, fluffy stall your horse will love. Empty your wheelbarrow in the designated manure area and put all your tools away.
Once you’ve got the big stuff and the wet spots handled, now it’s time to sift! Using your manure fork, pick up piles of the bedding and gently toss them against the wall creating a tall pyramid pile. The loose manure will fall to the bottom of the pile and you can easily pick up what you have missed, or what was hidden. Sometimes horses cover their manure. Why, who knows, but, my horse is famous for it. Once you have all the loose bedding in a pile against the wall, take the broom and sweep the stall floor completely and toss that into the pile and sift. Once you feel that you’ve sifted and got everything out, collapse the pile by pulling it down a little at a time to cover the stall floor. Even out the bedding and pick up anything you may have missed. Sifting the bedding in this manner circulates air thru the bedding and helps maintain a dry, fluffy stall your horse will love. Empty your wheelbarrow in the designated manure area and put all your tools away. 8.In the summer time, it’s important to keep the bugs away. I fly spray the walls of my horse’s stall. It helps keep the bugs down along with hanging bugs strips in the barn. Spraying your stall during bug season is a personal choice.
In the summer time, it’s important to keep the bugs away. I fly spray the walls of my horse’s stall. It helps keep the bugs down along with hanging bugs strips in the barn. Spraying your stall during bug season is a personal choice. 9.Hang your clean water buckets.
Hang your clean water buckets.10. Put fresh hay in the stall. I always put a flake or two in the stall, that way the stall is always ready for your horse.
Put fresh hay in the stall. I always put a flake or two in the stall, that way the stall is always ready for your horse. Then, you are done!Stall cleaning is not easy, it takes time to learn all there is to know about cleaning, but,this is how I clean and hopefully, the information is useful to you. Stall Cleaning
