How Often Do You Clean a Horse's Stall?

Cleaning a horse's stall involves more than the daily process of "mucking," or removing manure and urine. For a stall to be truly cleaned, bedding should be removed or turned over, and the walls, water buckets and feed troughs be cleaned. Inspecting the stall for safety hazards and insect infestations is also a part of cleaning a horse's stall.

  1. Cleaning vs. Mucking

    • According to the book "Equine Science," mucking a horse's stall should be a once-daily event at minimum, while a complete cleaning is done once a week to once a month, depending upon the stall's condition and your horse's health and preferences.

    Bedding

    • After mucking the stall and making sure that it is free of urine and manure, remove and completely replace or fluff up the bedding material. A pitchfork is useful for this task.

    Water and Feed Buckets

    • Clean water and feed buckets with hot, soapy water. Use a large bristle brush to scrub the inside, the bottom and the top rim of the buckets to clean any slime or residue that may have built up there.

    Inspection

    • Inspect the walls and ceilings for cobwebs or evidence of infestation and treat accordingly. Wipe down walls if necessary, and check for any safety hazards in the stall equipment.

    Considerations

    • Take time to note any repairs that need to be made. It is easier and safer to have the horse turned out or otherwise occupied outside the stall while you are cleaning it.