Tips on Keeping Horse Stalls Dry

Owning a horse can be a wonderful and very rewarding experience, but it is important to provide proper care for your four-legged friend. Horses require very specialized care--care that is much different than what dogs, cats and other common household pets require. One of the essential elements of successful horse-keeping is providing a clean and dry stall, and it is important for all new horse owners to know how to provide that clean environment.

  1. Consider Using Pelleted Wood Shavings

    • Not too long ago the only choices horse owners had for their stalls were sawdust and straw, but these days there is a third alternative that can save both time and money. Many different companies now sell pelleted wood shavings designed for use in horse stalls, and these shavings can be a great alternative to traditional sawdust and wood shavings.

      It is important to use only pelleted shavings that are specifically sold for use in horse stalls--the pelleted wood products sold for use in wood stoves and home heaters may contain woods that are toxic to horses.

    Keep Ahead of Things--Especially in Wet Weather

    • While putting down pelleted wood shavings can give you a head start toward a clean stall, they will not do all the work by themselves. In order to keep your horse's stall clean and dry you will need to pick the stall out on a daily basis. As wood pellets get wet they puff up into regular sawdust, and this makes it easy to find and remove those wet spots.

      By doing this daily maintenance you can keep your horse's stall clean and dry in even the wettest conditions. When the weather has been extremely wet or snowy you may also have to add a few bags of pelleted shavings to keep ahead of those challenging conditions.

    Don't Be Afraid to Strip the Stall If It Becomes Too Wet

    • Proper stall maintenance means that stripping the stall should not be required on a regular basis, but there are times that it will be necessary to strip the stall down to the bare dirt and put new shavings down. If the stall has become extremely wet it is a good idea to strip it down and put down a fresh new layer of savings. Stripping the stall will take some time and require some work, but failing to provide a clean stall for your horse can leave your equine companion with some serious health problems--and you with some big vet bills.