Stall Cleaning 101

by Lisa Kiley | Published in Horsmen’s Corral Magazine October 2023

Cleaning your horses stall – to some it is a chore, to others a meditative experience – I know I have done some of my best thinking while mucking out a stall or two.  Either way you look at it, there comes a time when the task must be done.  Maybe your horses are in their stalls daily, or just use them for lay-ups, before shows, or in bad weather but keeping your stalls in tip-top shape will make horses home base a safe and pleasant one.  We will touch on a few key factors to keep in mind to make cleaning your horses stall a snap: 

Start With a Good Base

Ease of cleaning stalls usually starts with having a solid, even base that provides ample drainage.  If you have the benefit of building stalls from the ground up, investing in a good foundation will make upkeep on the stalls easier for years to come.  Topping the ground floor with rubber mats can add an additional layer of protection for your horse from harder surfaces and help prevent a horse from digging holes in surfaces that aren’t as stable.  Typically, a ¾” mat that is around 4’x6’ is the most popular option because at around 100 lbs. it remains in place quite well.  Regardless, if the mats are straight edge, you will still need to do regular upkeep to clear out bedding that may get under the corners.  If you have a horse that has difficulty keeping mats in place, getting interlocking mats can be quite helpful.  The better the base, the easier the mats will lay evenly in the stall over time. 

Pick the Best Bedding

The type of bedding you choose will have everything to do with what you are looking to accomplish. Extra loft? You will want a large flake. Easy cleaning? A small flake or a pellet may be the answer. Generally, when you go for a large flake, there is more cushion for the horse, and it can make a very comfortable bed, but the larger flakes are a little more difficult to clean through and will result in more bedding used and wood product going out with the manure. Smaller flakes or pellets are easier for daily cleaning and offer less wood product lost with the manure, which can be a good thing if you are planning on composting. One of the most important factors to consider with bedding is the absorbency it offers. The key to the best absorbency lies in using kiln dried products with the top material choice being pine. Another concern is how dusty the bedding might be, the higher quality the wood product, the lower the dust. A larger flake is also less dusty than pelleted options, but quality kiln dried wood will always yield lower dust regardless of size than mixed wood products. 

Clean Regularly

Horses differ greatly in how messy they are in their stalls from the super clean to the ones that could be aptly named ‘Pig Pen’. It may take a little extra time, but it is helpful to really pick through each stall in an organized fashion to make sure that you are getting all the manure and soiled bedding out. Getting the pee spot out is important for keeping the stalls and barn smelling as fresh as possible and will be in a different area depending on if the horse is a mare or a gelding. Often, barns that have a heavy urine odor go back to lackadaisical cleaning and can be very harmful for your horse’s respiratory system. Daily cleaning is important for keeping stalls clean, smelling good and leads to less issues with flies and even other rodents. It’s also a great idea to get in a regular routine of adding fresh bedding as needed for each individual horse based on how they keep their stalls. The type of bedding can determine on how often and how much you will need to add in. It’s also a good idea to strip out stalls and really give them a good cleaning every so often. The addition of stall fresheners can also assist with odor when utilized properly. 

Use the Right Tools

When it comes to muck forks, there are a lot of different styles out there to choose from. While many things come down to preference, trying out some different options may have a positive effect on daily stall cleaning. Basket forks can really be shaving savers, but some stall cleaners don’t like the added weight and like to stick with the standard fork. Some have metal handles (less likely to break) and others are wood (which don’t have as much bite on cold days). One thing is for sure, keeping forks hung up off the ground when not in use will help prevent them from becoming casualties under tractor tires. Depending on how many horses are in the barn, a muck tub and cart may be perfect for a couple horses or a larger wheelbarrow if you have a few more, some wheelbarrows have hitches so they can be attached to a four-wheeler or small lawn tractor. Assess the quality of the tires before you make a purchase, along with the availability/cost of replacements. Large farms may opt to invest in a manure spreader that can be driven through the barn. 

Manage Manure

The manure pile should be easily accessible, but far away enough from the barn so that odors and runoff are avoided in the barn area. If possible, implement a composting program for your manure. While it can take a little bit of work to get started, it is better for the environment, and it will produce a more viable product than spreading or simply storing raw manure in a pile without active management. If this isn’t something that sounds right for you, there are options to remove manure from your property. Your local extension office is a great resource for information on getting a plan together to handle manure.