Urine can erode the stitching on the soles of leather riding boots, resulting in them being ruined. Different types of bedding materials are used to suit the varying needs of both horse and owner. Poor quality or the wrong type of bedding can have many negative consequences for the health and welfare of your horse.
There is an ever increasing range of bedding materials to choose from nowadays which means that thorough consideration needs to be given when deciding which is best for you and your horse.
It is crucial that the bedding material used is of very high quality to ensure that it creates minimal dust. Fresh and clean air is important for both you and your horse because mould spores and dust can result in a number of respiratory problems. Another factor to consider is how easy it is to work with.
Bedding materials should require minimal effort to remove manure and urine should be able to freely drain to the base where it is absorbed and can be removed. However, the design of the stable will also affect the efficiency of the bedding you choose in terms of drainage and absorption ability.
This is important to ensure the prevention of stable injuries, such as capped hocks or elbows, and to allow your horse to easily and safely lay down and stand up.
Stable injuries are much more likely if the stable is too small or if the bedding and floor surface does not offer sufficient grip. Prepare the Stable Before you start mucking out the stable, you need to take out your horse. It is a good idea to choose a time for stable cleaning when your horse is grazing or exercising outside.
Once your horse is out, you need to remove any feed tubs, water buckets and toys. Prepare Your Equipment. Assemble your cleaning equipment by the stable door so that you can easily access it. Park your wheelbarrow just outside the stable, facing in the direction that you will wheel it in when you have finished.
If the stable is bedded with straw, use a pitchfork to remove any manure or soiled straw. Alternatively, if bedded with shavings or sawdust, use a shavings fork to remove the manure and wet bedding.
Fork the manure and soiled bedding into the wheelbarrow. As you continue to remove the dirty bedding, scrape any unsoiled bedding to the side and check to ensure there is no soiled bedding underneath. As your wheelbarrow begins to get full, it is a good idea to wheel it out and dump its contents on a manure pile. It can be tempting to keep filling the wheelbarrow until no more can fit in, but this can make it extremely heavy and hard to push and tip.
Clean Bedding Once all of the manure and soiled bedding has been removed, spread any remaining clean bedding back over the stable floor. Main Nav Choose. ORG Why. ORGs in Action Get. Find My. ORG Community. ORG Story. NGO and. ONG Policies. ONG Takedown Policy. ONG Registration Policy. ONG Privacy Policy. This is essential to prevent stable injuries such as capped hocks or elbows and to allow the horse to lie down and get up safely without slipping.
Good, high banks and thick bedding will also help to alleviate injury if a horse becomes cast. Injuries are more likely to occur if the stable size is too small for the horse and if the surface of the floor does not offer adequate grip. Thick bedding with high banks may also help to block out draughts.
No matter what type of bedding material is used, it is essential that the stable is big enough for the horse to turn around and lie down comfortably without making contact with the walls. To avoid horses standing on bare concrete or uneven stone floors, bedding should cover the whole stable floor, particularly near the door. Many horses spend long periods standing here which can place added strain on the limbs and joints.
Regardless of the type of bedding chosen, it is essential that the material is of a good quality, is not toxic if eaten, and is not an irritant to the skin. Regular mucking out and cleaning of the whole stable environment is fundamental to the ongoing good health and welfare of the horse. There are a variety of mucking out systems available to choose from, each with their own advantages and disadvantages:.
Research has confirmed a link between ammonia and respiratory problems in horses. Decomposing urine and faeces cause ammonia to be produced and therefore it is present in the stable. Ammonia can cause respiratory health problems for the horse, highlighting the importance of good stable management. Horses kept on deep litter systems will be exposed to higher levels of ammonia compared with a horse that is fully mucked out daily.
Dry, clean bedding also helps to eliminate the risk of thrush in the hoof. Thrush is a foul smelling bacterial infection which can be caused by horses standing in wet, dirty bedding.
Again, good stable management will go a long way to prevent the infection. Dusty or dirty bedding is a significant health risk and the advantages of dust free bedding cannot be overstated. Expecting staff to work with dusty or mouldy bedding materials is unacceptable as there is a potential health risk to humans too. There has never been a greater choice of bedding materials on the market and although there are similarities between many of them, they all have their advantages and disadvantages.
Many of the new products benefit from superior research and technology.
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