SUPER STALL Cleaning

Keep your horse's stall clean, dry, and fluffy with these steps.

- BY ELIZABETH MOYER, USPC FUNDRAISING AND MARKETING COORDINATOR BROUGHT TO YOU IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES PONY CLUBS, INC.

Did you know your horse can produce nearly 30 pounds of poop per day? Cleaning your horse's stall might not seem like the most exciting chore, but it's one of the most important.

Dirty stalls can cause hoof problems like thrush, attract tons of flies, and make the air unhealthy for your horse to breathe. Manure, wet bedding, old hay, and spilled feed all add up to one big mess. Keeping the stall clean helps your horse stay healthy, happy, and comfortable—and it will make the barn a much more pleasant place for you to hang out, too!

By cleaning your horse's stall every day, you will become familiar with his normal habits. You'll notice how many manure piles and wet spots are usually there to clean up, and you'll be more aware of his typical eating and drinking patterns. This will help you spot any changes that could mean he isn't feeling well.

BEDDING

Stall bedding provides a clean, dry, and comfortable place for your horse to lie down. It offers cushioning over a hard stall floor for your horse's legs and joints. Horses can get sores on their legs from lying down on a hard surface, especially on pointy or knobby areas, like the hocks and fetlocks. Bedding also helps soak up urine and moisture.

There are different types of bedding materials for horses. The kind of bedding you choose will probably depend on what is easy to get and most affordable where you live. One of the most popular types of bedding is wood shavings. Expandable wood pellets, straw, and sawdust are other common bedding materials for horses.