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  Discussion on Stall cleaning a thing of the past!!!!
Author Message
Member:
dianes

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 6, 2007 - 11:02 am:

Hi, I haven't read all the previous tips and tricks, so hopefully, this won't be duplicitous. I have 7 horses, some as long as 15 years, and I have kept them in various conditions. However, the best one, and one that took 15 years to figure out, is PERFECT!!!! I provided a private stall that's connected to a small run for each horse. The stall has a rubber mat floor in it. I NEVER put shavings or bedding of any type in there. I'd put shavings in the small run. They absolutely WILL NOT pee in their stall, as long as the door is open to their run. My theory is because it splashes their legs. And once they start going outside to their run to pee, they figure that's a good spot to poop, too, and they do. I had two horses that would poop in their stall, so I started just putting that manure out in their respective runs every day. Now they never use their stall, they go outside. They'll nap out there in their manure, but, hey, who doesn't? ;-) I spent NO time cleaning my barn. They currently have a run-in shed for access during their pasture time. It's 12 x 24, and all 7 of them crowd in there like a can of sardines. But they will NOT poop or pee inside. I'm in heaven! Thought I'd pass it along.
Member:
bthcks

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 6, 2007 - 8:30 pm:

My 3 horses are loose 24/7 and go in their stalls to get out of the sun mainly. Of course they dont mind pooping in there. I am about to try an experiment - ask the two geldings that make a mess by trampling the manure and peeing a puddle to go outside to pee and to poop over against a wall. Let you know if it works. The mare does it so maybe she will help. They listen to her commands.
Member:
paardex

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 7, 2007 - 4:13 am:

Stupid question but isn't it just as much work to clean out the runs?
Jos
Member:
imogen

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 7, 2007 - 5:14 am:

My thoughts exactly Jos, especially for those of us in wet climates!

By the way, I'd like to recommend to you all the excellent Minnesota Extension services publications on horses including this one on composting horse manure:

https://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/DD7540.html

Imogen
Member:
dianes

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 7, 2007 - 9:22 am:

Well, actually, I seldom clean the runs. The shavings I keep in there are a good 3 feet deep. With their foot traffic and rain/snow, it all just composts and mulches and disappears. Under the shavings is highly absorbent ground. For some reason, our ground just sucks moisture down in no time. Every once in a while I'll go out there and remove all the shavings, which I then transfer to the round pen for further mulching during workouts. It all just disappears!
Member:
lilo

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 7, 2007 - 9:41 am:

I am about to try something similar. My mare poops in her stall, but rarely pees inside. Both horses have access to their runs 24/7. My gelding likes to pee inside - he will get the rubber mats and no shavings, in hopes that it will work like it did for Diane.

I use stove pellets for the mares "private toilet" in the run - unfortunately it does not disappear. I have to clean it out periodically and put fresh pellets in there.

Lilo
Member:
dianes

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 7, 2007 - 10:07 am:

Another idea for you, Lilo, is have your mare's run-in on your warmest, sunniest side of the barn. I live in Idaho, and our summers are hot, so the sun just bakes the poop dry and dries the soaked savings, as well. In the winter, it all just freezes and "goes away." Neat trick! I LOVE it when Mother Nature helps!
Member:
juliem

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 7, 2007 - 4:28 pm:

Where in Idaho Diane?
Member:
dianes

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 7, 2007 - 6:11 pm:

Hi, Julie,

I'm just south of Bellevue in the Wood River Valley (Sun Valley area). Where are you?
Member:
juliem

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 7, 2007 - 9:54 pm:

Diane, I'm in Eagle, Northwest of Boise. Ever come to Boise, email me (first and last name, all lower case, @mindspring.com. Are they making snow yet?
Member:
mrose

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 7, 2007 - 10:25 pm:

Really pretty area you live in Diane! Hmmmm....maybe another HA get-together sometime in the future (hint, hint) I'd love an excuse to do some camping and riding in that area!
Member:
juliem

Posted on Thursday, Nov 8, 2007 - 12:14 am:

Sara, that's a great idea!!
Member:
paardex

Posted on Thursday, Nov 8, 2007 - 9:19 am:

If it means no cleaning of stables any more it is a wonderfull area!! Due to the climate as Imogen also suspected even if my horses would be able/wanting to learn the technique it wouldn't help me
So a holiday hmmm a looong one for me.
Jos
Member:
dianes

Posted on Thursday, Nov 8, 2007 - 9:46 am:

Hi, Sara, That's a great idea! Maybe next summer! It is beautiful here, for sure.

I see you have Arabs. Me, too. I have 7. Did the breeding, like you did, but after 11 months of waiting and a year of loving them, I could never sell one. I love my kids, and life without them would be very empty, indeed.
Member:
lilo

Posted on Thursday, Nov 8, 2007 - 7:19 pm:

Diane,

Thanks for your hint - her run is on the south side of the barn, but maybe is not big enough.

I just had the gelding's stall lined with rubber mats - he was very funny when he explored it. Pawed and snorted, kind of like he does with the trailer at first.

I put some shavings outside for him, added some of the mare's soaked wood pellets to give him the idea. Now, will he take the hint??

Lilo
Member:
dianes

Posted on Thursday, Nov 8, 2007 - 8:02 pm:

Good luck, Lilo! I can't wait to hear how it "goes." ;-) He might have to make the mistake a time or two, but my bet is he's not going to like the splashing. I'd recommend really hosing it out each morning, if he does go in the stall, and then try again. Let me know how you do! I'd love to know I've made someone's life a little easier!
Member:
muffi

Posted on Friday, Nov 9, 2007 - 4:29 pm:

OK you live in Idaho and have no shavings in the barn - isn't it cold there?
I keep shavings in the barn only to keep them warm and Snuggly at nite when they hunker down to sleep - they have 24 * 7 access to the outside - two horses communal out side area - sand and shavings, actually wood Chips bigger than shavings. In the stalls we keep shavings the fine ones for them to sleep in . but you're right as soon as I put fresh ones in there they straddle them and pee (two geldings) they each have their own 12 *12 stall to sleep and eat in separate like but no restriction on in and out travel.
I was going to take the shavings out for the summer when it was warmer. I haven't blanketed them yet this winter - but we have had some mighty cool windy days - some mornings in the teens already - reliably below freezing about every morning now.
so thats why I keep them but Diane - I will try the no shavings this spring!
and Jos - it is easier to clean the land mines out side - the sand and wood chips just fall off them through the fork. much quicker - and yea the Pee just kind of disapers. (some times I use PDZ on the regular spots though cause when it warms up you can tell where they pee from 200 feet if you dont)
Member:
dianes

Posted on Friday, Nov 9, 2007 - 5:01 pm:

Hi, Muffi, Yes, I live in Idaho, and, yes, it does get cold here. I saw your horse photo, and we look just like that in the winter! Fun, huh?

My experience has been that if you resist the urge to blanket your horses and just give them a shelter, even if it's just a run-in shed with 3 sides, as long as they have a windbreak, they will do just fine. I have one mare who I blanket when it reaches 10 degrees, but she just doesn't put on the coat that the rest of my furballs do. I'll blanket the whole damn family at zero degrees. If I go out to feed and anybody's shivering, I feel TERRIBLE. But that one mare is the only one I've ever actually SEEN shivering. The others are toasty and woolly and happy and have coats you can literally hide your fingers in. I also let them be a bit fat going into winter, as well.

My personal feeling is they do not need shavings, unless they're stallbound and can't go outside at will. Then I would bed them in shavings and deal with the mess. But if you have stalls and outdoor access AND you blanket, trust me, those little rascals are toasty and do not need to lie down in shavings. In fact, my kids will go outside when they want to lie down, no matter what the temperature is.

You know, also, I have a 12x24 run-in shed, and all 7 of them will pack in there and it's WARM just from their body heat!

Aloha, Muffi! Doncha' just LOVE winter???? ;-)
Member:
scooter

Posted on Friday, Nov 9, 2007 - 5:29 pm:

Muffi, I took the shavings out of my lean-to this spring and the horses completely quit using it for a bathroom. They prefer to sleep outside in the summer anyway. Like you we are having cold nights in the lower 20's and I could see the horses started sleeping in there, so I put down shavings for them and one gelding can hardly hold his pee while I spread it out. I would like to pop him in the butt with the pitch fork. The other 2 go outside unless it is windy and snowing/raining. The older gelding just can't stand clean shavings.

Rubber mats aren't an option for me as I am afraid they would get wet and slick from the weather. The only place in the winter they will lay down is in the lean and I never blanket so must put up with the 1 geldings mess. If I don't have shavings down they lay on the floor (limestone) and get hock sores.
Member:
ajudson1

Posted on Saturday, Nov 10, 2007 - 9:23 am:

I swear my horses come IN just to use the bathroom. I think it's because there are 2 mares and 2 geldings. I leave 2 stalls open, 12 x 14 each, with no beddings, a porous nylon type flooring that does splash. I have no idea why they go in there! I wonder if it's because it is the geldings' stalls and it's a territory thing? When they are all stalled and locked up, both geldings wait if at all possible to pee until let out. The one mare on the other hand, she will pee all over her stall no matter what I do. It's like she eats her fill of hay, then wets it down and that's it.

Right now my main reason for leaving the stalls open is to give the horses a dry place to stand as the ground is slop and mud.

Muffi,

I live it Upper MI, and it gets colder than heck here too. I never blanket my horses unless they get wet and cold, which only happens if one gets DrOve out of the open stalls, and I don't buy any bedding but I do put extra hay in (usually older hay) if the stalls are really wet/damp. I do stall them seperately during nasty weather.
Member:
lilo

Posted on Sunday, Nov 11, 2007 - 7:32 pm:

Hi all - so far so good after putting rubber stall mats into both stalls. The gelding did do a number 1 in there yesterday, but not today.

He has a very large area to his disposal - a large dry lot in addition to his run, so, I am hoping this will work for him. I need to clean out (they both use the stalls for manuring) every day.

Time will tell. I have not hosed out the stalls - would like to avoid that if possible because - even though the mats fit pretty tightly, there are gaps and the water would seep in there.

Lilo
Member:
dianes

Posted on Monday, Nov 12, 2007 - 8:30 am:

Hi, Lilo,

Congrats! Sounds like things are progressing nicely! I sure hope the kids catch on quickly for you. I hose my stalls out whenever a lot of dirt and dust accumulate. I had my honey put about 2 or 3 feet of gravel down before he put the mats in, so even tho the water seeps between the mats, it drains right down and disappears. Just keep tossing any fresh manure you might find on your mats out to your runs. They'll figure it out.

Diane
Member:
dianes

Posted on Thursday, Nov 15, 2007 - 9:32 am:

So, Lilo, how's the experiment going? I'm hoping to hear you haven't cleaned a stall since putting in the rubber mats. Please let me know. My horses can't possibly be the only ones to learn this habit, can they?????
Member:
lilo

Posted on Thursday, Nov 15, 2007 - 5:20 pm:

Hi Diane,

My gelding has had a couple of lapses in the last week. This morning his stall was dry - have to go out and clean it now (3 pm) and see if he kept it dry. The mare is using her "toilet" in the paddock as usual, so no problem there.

I am quite happy with my decision to put in the stall mats. I wonder who will be potty trained first, my horse or my 2 1/2 year old grandson??

Lilo
Member:
dianes

Posted on Thursday, Nov 15, 2007 - 5:48 pm:

Hi, Lilo! Great news, even with a lapse. I really think we're on to something here. I wish someone else would give it a try. Can you imagine being the inventors of tidy horses???? I think we could be RICH!
Member:
juliem

Posted on Thursday, Nov 15, 2007 - 7:29 pm:

Had rubber mats with no bedding since 2002 for this reason. Occasional lapses by one mare. The other 4 that have stalls never slip up if not confined. If it's cold enough that they have to be shut in to keep my waterers from freezing I put bedding in the stalls and all restraint ends!
Member:
lilo

Posted on Friday, Nov 16, 2007 - 11:37 am:

Hi Diane - yesterday after my post I went out and the stall was dry. Not sure about the mare, though. She dumps all her manure in one spot (good girl) but it seemed kind of wet, as if she had urinated on the manure.

Cleaned stalls this morning (my grandsons are coming in the afternoon, had to get the chores done early) and all was dry!!

I do know if I put shavings (or pellets) in the stall for my mare, she will take advantage and go in the stall. I might have to put up with it if it gets cold this winter, because the old girl needs a place to sleep. Her previous scheme was to carefully deposit all manure on one side of the stall, and sleep on top of that. It was obvious because of all the manure stains on her coat. She is a grey!

Lilo
Member:
muffi

Posted on Friday, Nov 16, 2007 - 1:54 pm:

Well this is what I have been doing.
I keep shavings and spent hay in the stall Over the mats. At Night.
but in the mornings I move it all to a tight little pile on one corner of the stall, and actually sweep up the stall of dust from the hay and shaving and blown in dirt. (I dispose of it too out side) - so 80 % of the stall looks clean & Tidy -nothing but mats for the day.
At nite I sweep the shavings back in the center for them to sleep in. My husband - You guys know the one that only does horses cause he loves me - doesn't think we should take the shavings out all together cause they need it for sleeping. These are not old horses, 16 yr old arab and 8 year old Grade horse. but it does get below freezing ever nite now and we don't blanket - they hunker down in the shavings every nite - I know because they are wearing them in the mornings when we feed.
But with that routine, cleaning the floor off, they do all their business outside the stalls during the day! YAY. so afternoon & evening cleaning is easier. Yea I am AR - I clean up a couple times a day - I work from home - on the phone and computer all day - so my noon break is to ride and clean or just plain play with the horses - and when we feed at nite we clean again.
The boys learned really quick not to mess on the clean mats durning the day. Works like a charm.
in the summer I will not use shavings at all. but make sure that we have Wood chips or Sand available outside for the boys to have a good No Splash Zone if you know what I mean. LOL
SO Far So Good.
Member:
lilo

Posted on Saturday, Nov 17, 2007 - 9:32 am:

Muffi - this might just work for my mare when it gets colder. I don't know that I will be manage more than one cleaning per day - even though I am retired, and only working part-time. In the winter they like to lie down outside in the sun to rest - that is, the gelding does it. Have not seen my mare do it yet this fall.
Lilo
P.S. both stalls dry this morning!!
Member:
ilona

Posted on Sunday, Nov 18, 2007 - 9:18 am:

Lilo,
Your horse or your grandson, well I guess we have the answer now. That was funny.

I don't understand how corrals, no matter the size, don't need to be cleaned. No matter where my horses go it never seems to just disintegrate and I have to clean regularly. I actually then spread in my arena and add agricultural lime and that takes care of the fly issue. Helps footing too. If you just leave everything,isn't it black with flies in the summer?
Member:
lilo

Posted on Sunday, Nov 18, 2007 - 9:32 am:

Ilona,

The horse, of course. His stall was dry this morning!

I do need to clean my corrals. I use sweet PDZ fairly regularly on the mare's "toilet". When it stops being effective, I change the stove pellet bedding.

In winter the smell and flies are much diminished, fortunately. When I drain the mare's water tank, I let it run through her "toilet" and out into the adjacent pasture - that helps also. Here in Colorado we try to not waste water - it is too precious a resource. Just wish the developers and county government would realize this .......

Lilo
Member:
dianes

Posted on Sunday, Nov 18, 2007 - 9:51 am:

Hi, kids,
I don't know why I'm so different here in Idaho. I have 5 acres with 7 horses, and I clean paddocks....uh, never. Yes, I have manure in my pastures. Of course. However, my pastures are under automatic sprinklers, and we actually MUST use our irrigation water or we'll permanently LOSE it! So my water comes on once a day for 30 minutes or so in every area the horses can access. It's the water that biodegrades the manure. It simply falls apart and disappears. My horses also have favorite spots for pooping and favorite spots for urinating. It just goes right into the dirt and disappears. Even in my 60' round pen and my 70x90 square pen, both filled with shavings, when the walk around, it mulches with the shavings. All I do is VERY RARELY add fresh shavings. Yes, we have flies, but I honestly don't think there would be fewer flies if I worked harder. They're no worse than friends who have no horses experience. Maybe the difference is the water I use. I just don't know.
Member:
ilona

Posted on Monday, Nov 19, 2007 - 2:00 pm:

Diane,
I guess the water is the trick. Maybe I should come up with a sprinkler system for my corrals. I too have but 5 acres with 10 horses and irrigation rights. My horses aren't in pasture though they are in 50x50 corrals with run-in shelters. Less room to distribute their offerings! I battle mud with too much water so I suppose I will just be cleaning forever! Too bad as I have other things I would like to do with my time!
Member:
lilo

Posted on Monday, Nov 19, 2007 - 10:36 pm:

Diane - I agree with Ilona - the water must be the difference. I would be bankrupt by now if I irrigated. We are on community wells and we pay for our water usage. The rates escalate the more you use - and that is a good thing, because as I stated before, water is a precious resource here.
So, back to cleaning the corrals ....
Lilo
New Member:
cowgal

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 20, 2010 - 10:12 am:

I am pretty new to having horses. My stalls have a gravel dust (I guess that is what you call it) floor on top of hard packed soil, then I put shavings. I am thinking about getting mats but am wondering how do you clean the pee? Won't it just soak into the mats and get stinky? I have a new barn that is lovely but no runs off it and it is not going to happen since we spent a small fortune on the barn all ready.. you might wonder why I did not research this before we got the barn... good question! We bought the property for an investment, it was a cattle farm, we turned into a horse farm then fell in love with it and moved in ourselves. I am trying to figure out what is the best for them and me. Any suggestions?
New Member:
bbfarm

Posted on Sunday, Dec 9, 2012 - 1:17 pm:

does anyone have info on going rate for cleaning stalls in the Northeast (per stall)? thanks.
Member:
rtrotter

Posted on Sunday, Dec 9, 2012 - 5:13 pm:

Hi Billie Bo,

I have racehorses. I was paying $4.00 per stall( between 8-10 stalls) which included properly cleaning either straw or shavings( adding straw or shavings as needed), scrubbing two water buckets and a feed tub and refilling the water buckets. It also included sweeping the barn. Cob webs were knocked down and stalls were occasionally hosed to keep down the dust. My barn was spotless when my stall help left for the day. Once a week my trunks got cleaned with Pledge.

Rachelle
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