How to keep your horse box clean
If you are interested in the health of your horse and want it to feel really comfortable in its box, then you have to keep it clean. Regular lapping and removal of the wet areas goes without saying, but other things are also necessary. Here are a few instructions for a really clean horse box.
A horse box has to be cleaned every day
A horse should feel comfortable in its box if it is to spend many hours of the day in it. In addition to being large enough, cleanliness is extremely important. In addition, you protect your horse from respiratory problems and hoof problems with a clean box that is as dust-free as possible. Daily lapping and removal of the damp areas are essential.
- Every day you have to remove all horse droppings from the litter at least once, but if possible several times, with a pitchfork. Put the wheelbarrow directly in the door and shake out the straw over it. So you can get some of the straw because the loose horse droppings slide into the wheelbarrow. You have to completely remove whole heaps.
- The wet areas where the horse urinated are also important. These are not always immediately visible, as the horse spreads fresh straw over the wet areas as it moves in the horse box. Therefore, use the pitchfork to carefully search all of the litter for moisture and remove it completely. You can be very generous here and prefer to remove a little more litter than overlook what is wet and leave it behind. If a larger area is wet, you can make better progress with a manure shovel because wet straw cannot slip through the tines.
- Then distribute the remaining litter evenly in the horse box and sprinkle enough fresh litter over it. So your horse can feel good.
- You should also check the condition of the drinking trough and feeding trough every day. Some horses have a habit of fiddling into these devices, which clogs up the watering system and that Lining is no longer touched. Carefully remove all horse droppings and thoroughly wipe the drinking trough and trough with a rag.
A holiday job at the riding stables is a nice way to get in touch with the riding, ...
It doesn't matter whether your horse is standing on straw or on sawdust, the box maintenance is always the same. A horse box should always be kept as dry and clean as possible.
A complete emptying ensures sufficient hygiene
Despite the daily box maintenance, you should always empty the horse box completely every 2 weeks in order to remove all dirt without leaving any residue. It can always happen that a little wetness is overlooked during daily care. Very unhealthy mold can quickly form in these areas and must be disposed of.
- For complete cleaning, proceed as you would for daily box care, only this time you completely remove the litter. Depending on the size of the box, you will have to dispose of several wheelbarrows full of litter on the dung heap.
- Thoroughly sweep the empty box with a stable broom, only then can you get an overview of the condition of the box underground. Check carefully for unevenness and have them repaired by the stable owner if necessary.
- Also, inspect all of the box walls for cracks, splinters, protruding screws, and any spots that could injure your horse. If you find something, you must immediately eliminate or defuse it.
- Thorough cleaning includes washing out the box. Ideally, you can spray this out with a water hose and the water can drain off directly. If this is not possible, you will have to scrub the box with a scrubbing broom and a water bucket. The water then has to be soaked up again with a cloth. It is important that the floor dries properly before new litter is put into the horse box.
Also clean the grilles and panes
- In a stable there is always a lot of dust and dirt that tends to stick to cobwebs. Therefore, you should run along all bars with a rag or a special broom and remove cobwebs and dust. Doing this regularly will keep the air in the box cleaner.
- If your horse box has a window, you should also wet it regularly so that enough light can always enter the box. Use only water for this and avoid cleaning agents so that your horse cannot absorb them if it licks the windows. In most stables, however, the glass panes are protected from inquisitive horse mouths by bars on the inside so that they cannot be broken.
If possible, should Horses spend most of the day outside in the fresh air with enough exercise. But this is not always feasible. That is why it is all the more important to keep a horse stall really clean.
