Essential Tips for Mucking Out Your Horse!

You need to make sure your horse’s stall is clean to prevent the risk of infection or disease. It is particularly important to keep their feeding area clean.

Next time you get back from your ride, after you put away your Saddle, here are some tips to help make mucking out easier.

• Try to clear it out when the horse is out to pasture so they are not in the stall at the time.
• You need to clear it of feeding equipment and toys.
• Get the right clothing to dress for the job.
  • You need to wear thick gloves to prevent blisters which are a risk if you are shovelling repeatedly and you aren’t used to it.
  • Wear shoes and gloves that are not made of leather as urine can erode the stitching in them. Instead, use rubber boots when you are mucking out.
• If the stall has straw in it use a fork or a pitchfork to remove wet bedding, soiled bedding or manure. It is easiest to put this into a wheelbarrow to take outside to the manure pile.
• You then need to finish off cleaning the stall out and check there is no hidden soiled bedding.
• Then you should ensure that the surface of the floor is as even as possible. It can be evened up with new clean bedding on the top of the unsoiled bedding you have not removed.
• The stall may need to be stripped completely weekly to keep on top of soiled bedding.

Watch this helpful video on how to clean a stable