Muck out daily, keep bedding deep and dry, ensure good ventilation, remove wet patches and droppings often, and store feed securely. Fresh air and dryness matter more than a fancy stable.
Muck out properly
Remove droppings and wet bedding at least once a day, more for stabled horses. Skip out through the day to keep the bed clean between full muck-outs. A dry bed protects the hooves from thrush and the legs from standing in ammonia.
Protect the lungs
Dust and ammonia damage a horse’s airways and cause coughing and long-term problems. Choose low-dust bedding, keep the stable well ventilated even in winter, and store and shake hay away from the stable. Soaking or steaming hay reduces dust for sensitive horses.
Keep forage and water clean
Provide constant forage in a clean net or a slow feeder so the horse trickle-feeds, and scrub water buckets daily. Clean forage and water reduce waste, boredom and the risk of gut and airway problems.
Manage pests and feed storage
Store feed in sealed, vermin-proof bins and sweep up spills, since spilled feed draws rats and flies. Keep muck heaps well away from the stable and grazing, and use traps and good hygiene to control flies through summer.
Do not over-stable
Even a spotless stable is no substitute for turnout and movement. Horses are healthiest with plenty of time out, fresh air and company, so keep stabling to what the horse and weather truly need, and keep grooming tools handy to check the horse over daily with a good grooming kit.
