Rydale Country Clothing
Ladies
Men's
Pets

How to Muck Out a Stable: An In-Depth Beginner’s Guide

22 Mar 2021 |

We’re almost certain you’d rather be out hacking, jumping, or eventing, but someone’s got to handle the messy tasks, too, haven’t they?

If you have zero clue how to muck out a stable (or just want a few tips to do a top-tier job), allow us to show you in this handy-dandy guide. We’ll even tell you what to wear, the risks of not mucking out, and how often you need to add it into your schedule.

What is Mucking Out? 

There’s no use learning how to muck a horse stall without first learning what it actually is, is there? 

To “muck out” means to clean your horse’s home. It involves removing old bedding soaked in urine and manure and replacing it with clean, quality bedding. Doing a thorough job is essential to ensure they’re comfy and keep their health in check. 

Lady with horse in the stable

Why Mucking Out a Stable is Essential for Horse Health

Would you enjoy living in a dirty, messy home? We can bet the answer is no. An unclean stable can attract insects and encourage hoof problems such as thrush. Urine-saturated bedding can even result in your horse breathing in ammonia, harming their lungs with every breath. 

Perfecting how to muck out a stable keeps horses comfortable and free of serious problems, whilst making your time at the stables much more pleasant. 

Stable vs Stall: What’s the Difference?

A stable is the structure that houses multiple stalls. And a stall is a much smaller “home” for each horse to call their own. 

Tools and Equipment Needed for Stable Cleaning

When mucking out stables, getting all your equipment in order is the very first thing you need to do. And lucky for you, you’ve likely already got these must-haves in your equestrian armoury, but if you haven’t, it’s worth putting a shopping list together: 

  • Wheelbarrow
  • Pitchfork
  • Shavings fork
  • Stable broom
  • Work gloves
  • Rubber boots
  • Odour-control solution

Lady at ther stables with horses

Best Bedding for a Clean and Hygienic Stable

Choosing your horse’s bedding isn’t exactly a simple task. There are so many factors to consider, like your needs, your horse’s needs, the quality, and how easy it is to work with. So, let’s run through some of them, shall we?

Regardless of what bedding you choose, quality is the most important factor because you don’t want your horse ingesting toxic substances or experiencing irritated skin. Decent bedding will also minimise dust in the stall, and reduce the risk of respiratory problems. 

But it’s critical that the bedding provides support for your horse while standing and laying down, too. This can prevent stable injuries, such as capped hocks or elbows, and will allow your horse to easily and safely move about. Stable injuries are much more likely if the stable is too small or if the bedding and floor surface does not offer sufficient grip.

This last one is more for your benefit, but it’s still worth some thought – 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’s absorbed and can be removed. But, the actual design of the stable will also affect the efficiency of drainage and absorption ability, so it’s not all down to the bedding.

Tips for Keeping a Stable Smelling Fresh

1. Switch Bedding Regularly 

Use absorbent bedding like straw pellets or wood shavings and muck out daily to prevent odours building up.

2. Improve Airflow

Keep windows and doors open where possible to increase ventilation and reduce stale air.

3. Maintain Quick Spot Cleans

Don’t wait for a full muck-out — remove wet patches and droppings throughout the day to stay on top of smells.

Preventing Ammonia Buildup in Stables

Ammonia forms when urine breaks down, and without proper care, it can build up quickly — affecting both horse and human health. Mucking out thoroughly and often, ensuring all wet bedding is lifted, can help to reduce it. Using rubber mats underneath bedding can help with drainage, and choosing bedding types that trap moisture and odours effectively are best. But most importantly, effective ventilation in the stables will help to minimise ammonia levels.

Step-by-Step Guide to Mucking Out a Stable

Lady with horse

1. Prepare the Stable 

Preparation is key, isn’t it? And this time it’s also pretty critical. You need to pick a time to muck out when your horse is grazing or exercising outside. But we know what Mother Nature’s like, don’t we? If the weather isn’t on your side, put them in an empty stall. Then, remove feed tubs, water buckets, and toys.

2. Prepare Your Equipment 

Do your future self a favour by assembling your cleaning equipment at the stable door. And don’t forget to position your wheelbarrow just outside, facing the direction you’ll need to wheel it.

3. Grab a Fork & Shovel to Remove Soiled Bedding

The method of removing soiled bedding will depend on which bedding type has been laid. For straw, you’ll need to grab a pitchfork to remove the muck. Whereas you’ll need a shavings fork if it’s bedding with shavings or sawdust. Throw manure and soiled bedding into a wheelbarrow.

One of the most important parts in mucking out a stable is double-checking there isn’t more soiled bedding underneath what you’ve already removed.

4. Add Clean Bedding 

Waste not, want not, right? Don’t throw out all of the bedding just because a percentage of it was soiled. You can lay the clean bedding and add fresh to bulk it out – just make sure it’s evenly spread. 

Best Practices for Laying Bedding

There are no particularly strict rules for how to muck out a stable – especially regarding the bedding. But it’s worth asking yourself “Am I doing enough to protect my horse’s limbs and joints?”. The bedding should cover the entire stable floor, particularly near the door, to keep your horse from standing for long periods on bare concrete or uneven stone floors. 

How Thick Should the Bedding Be?

As a general rule of thumb, the lower the temperature, the thicker the bedding. But don’t neglect the flooring below – if you’ve got thick rubber matting, you won’t need to lay as much.

5. Clean Alleys & Doorways

Well, we did tell you this was a “mucky” job, didn’t we? And unfortunately, this is typically an it-will-get-worse-before-it-gets-better situation. So, after replacing the bedding, sweep up manure, straw, or shaving from the alleys or doorways. Then, take a shovel and scoop up spilled materials to toss into a wheelbarrow or manure pile.

6. Tidy Away

There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel, isn’t there? Mucking out may seem like a big job – especially as it’s so physically demanding – but we’ll do anything to keep our horses in tip-top shape, won’t we?

The last thing you need to do is replace the food tubs, buckets, and toys. Then, clear away your equipment. 

Quick Daily Muck Out vs Deep Cleaning

Lady with horse in the paddock

Deep Cleaning 

Deep cleaning requires a lot of time and effort, and is usually only achieved once or twice a year. This involves removing all bedding and equipment, disinfecting all surfaces, and treating pest issues to create a healthier environment for the horses.

Full Muck-Out

This is (by far) the most recommended method for how to muck out a stable. Best carried out on a daily basis, you’ll need to remove all fresh droppings and urine from the stable. Of course, this will take a while – but you want your horse to thrive in the best environment, don’t you? 

Remember to rotate banks as well – built-up mould and dust are a no-no.

Part Muck-Out

If you’re often short on time, a part muck-out is definitely a good compromise. Droppings should be removed daily (this is non-negotiable) and extra bedding must be added, but you can postpone the full muck-out until the weekend. 

Deep Litter

If you have a large number of horses (and you’re short on time), you’d probably use this method of cleaning every once in a while. It involves removing droppings from the stable and adding fresh bedding on top. But there’s one pretty critical point to note – beds should never become too deep and the stable should still be totally emptied and thoroughly cleaned when possible. 

It seems like a savvy way to save a little time and effort, doesn’t it? But be careful – deep littering isn’t great for your horse’s respiratory health and it could even lead to other ailments.

FAQs About How to Clean a Horse Stable

What is the fastest way to muck out a stable?

Work methodically: remove droppings first, lift out wet bedding, and use a shavings fork for speed and efficiency.

How often should you clean a horse stable?

Daily muck-outs are ideal to keep your horse healthy and the stable fresh. Spot-cleaning in between helps, too.

What is the best bedding for a stable?

Shavings or straw pellets are great for absorbency and ease of mucking out. Choose what suits your horse and routine.

How do you stop a stable from smelling?

Clean daily, use absorbent bedding, and keep airflow strong. Odour-neutralising powders can help between deep cleans.

What are the essential tools for mucking out a stable?

At the very least, you’ll need a shavings fork, wheelbarrow, broom, and a durable pair of gloves.

Loading...
Copyright Rydale Country Clothing | YTC Ltd 3768619
b8cee94