10 top tips for healthy stables…
As promised in our latest newsletter, here’s out top 10 tips for healthy stables!
- Choose your bedding wisely. There are lots of beddings out there, and it might take you a little time to find the best one for your horse. If he has respiratory issues, look at low dust or dust free- if he’s very wet, get something that’s very absorbent…so the list goes on.
- Arrest ammonia. Ammonia is horrible – not only does it smell bad, it can also cause respiratory issues. If you’re struggling with your ammonia levels, a floor freshener and disinfectant like Stable Fresh can be a huge help.
- Ventilation. Make sure your stables have adequate ventilation. A supply of fresh, clean air is really important, even when it’s cold!
- Hay there! Dust spores and dodgy hay can compromise the respiratory system. We all try and buy the best hay we can, but different years generate such different harvests that it can be really tough. If your hay’s a little dusty, soak it or steam it to prevent it having a negative impact on the horse’s stable environment and his lungs.
- Move out to muck out. Mucking out is an essential part of your daily routine, but make sure you’ve moved your horse away from the bedding, dust and muck you’ll be throwing into the wheelbarrow.
- Water source. Ensure that buckets of water are replaced each day- automatic drinkers should be checked each day and cleaned regularly too. Dehydration can cause the horse huge problems and making sure there’s always clean water available is a good way to help prevent this.
- Keep it clean. Clean buckets and troughs regularly to remove anything that shouldn’t be there.
- Disinfect. There’s no doubt about it, an area that’s regularly subjected to faeces and
urine is going to need disinfecting regularly, to help remove bacteria and keep it smelling fresh. Stable Disinfectant Concentrate (Microlat) is a great liquid disinfectant that’s powerful on bacteria, fungi and viruses, but really safe to use. - Be vigilant. If your horse shares a stable block with other horses, be quick to react if you notice he (or any other horse) is developing a condition that could spread. Move the ill horse into an isolation box until the vet has confirmed a diagnosis. Quick action can prevent a whole yard from being ill.
- Be responsive. If you horse’s current regime isn’t working for him, whether it’s his hay, his bedding or he’s just not happy, change what you’re doing. Stables can be very boring places for horses, so think about his mental health as well as his physical health when you move him indoors.
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