We often spend a lot of time (and money) making sure our horses have lovely clean, fluffy beds to come into over the winter months. But how often do we spend time cleaning the rest of their stables?
By keeping our horses in a stable even for short periods of time their respiratory tract is exposed to a huge number of airborne allergens and dust particulars. Even in the healthiest horse allergens and dust can irritate and cause inflammation to their airway.
Ammonia
We know that ammonia causes irritation and inflammation to our horse’s windpipe. So if you can smell urine when you walk into your stable or when you are mucking out then it will be irritating the mucosal lining and causing inflammation.
Make sure you leave bedding up to air the floor when the horses are out of the stable. If it is really bad give the floor a wash with a bucket of water and leave to dry. We love using squeegees, they remove any excess water and help the floor dry quickly.
Rubber mats provide cushioning for our horses and warmth to lie down on but if they are unsealed will allow the urine to pool underneath the mats. Make sure you lift them on a regular basis and wash both the floor and underneath the mats
Dust
Despite using clean, dust free bedding you will inevitably find dust around your stable. Take a moment to notice when you are mucking out or putting in fresh bedding whether you feel the need to cough and clear your throat. If you can feel the dust in the air so can your horse. Keeping them inside in this environment will create a challenge to their respiratory system which if unmanaged can lead to them needing medication and time off.
We often see people who are soaking hay because it is a bit dusty, and yet are using a bedding that creates a cloud of dust when mucking out. A good indication of how much dust is in your horse’s environment is to muck out, lift all the bedding to the sides and see what you are sweeping off the floor. Don’t forget to check and sweep down the walls and bars too as these often harbour lots of dust.
Cobwebs
Whilst some of us would prefer spiders didn’t choose to live in our stables, there’s not much we can do about it. However the cobwebs they leave behind collect dust and small particulars and create an unhealthy environment for our horse’s respiratory system.
Cobwebs and dust accumulation are also a sign of inadequate ventilation. Ideally stables should have openings at the front and back of the stables to let air flow through but if this isn’t possible make sure you brush down the cobwebs on a regular basis.
Clean water
It seems obvious but we often see dirty water drinkers and water buckets. Make sure you clean them on a regular basis to remove any slime and dust from around the edges. Top tip…a cut off milk bottle is a great scoop for cleaning the small automatic waters. Empty, sponge clean and re-fill. It takes 2 minutes tops!
Haybars
Whilst haybars are a great way to feed your horse on the ground and contain the hay, they need regular cleaning. Not only do they collect dust but they are also the perfect place for mould and fungal spores to grow particularly if you soak your hay or use haylage, which has a higher moisture content and will go off much quicker than dry hay. Ideally these should be completely emptied each day and given a good brush out with a stiff brush. For ease of cleaning it can help to fit haybars with a gap at the bottom to allow the bits to drop out of the bottom.
Feed Buckets & Mangers
It may seem obvious but feed buckets and/or mangers should be scrubbed clean each day to remove old feed. Left unwashed your horse will end up eating out of a mouldy, fousty bowl which can also attract flies.
Cleaning buckets after each feed is important if you share buckets between horses and one of them is on a course of medication. Your gelding does not need any trace of your mare’s regumate!
Soaking Hay?
Not strictly related to your stable but still an important part of good horse care. Make sure you replace the water each day and give your bucket or tub a good scrub out every few days to get rid of the green slime that will accumulate.
Bi-Annual ‘Spring’ Clean
It is good practice to clear out your stable, power wash and disinfect at least twice a year to get rid of any dust, bacteria, mould and fungal spores. There are plenty of different brands of disinfectant on the market such as Virkon or we use Steri-7 Xtra at the practice. Power wash out all the dirt and muck, squirt some disinfectant on the walls and floors, scrub with a stiff brush, leave for 5 minutes, rinse and squeegee out any excess water.
With a clean stable and a fresh bed most horses will have a happy, healthy respiratory system. If your horse is still showing signs of respiratory issues such as coughing or has nasal discharge we would always recommend contacting your vet for further advice.
Team LLEP x
