Stable hygiene: This must be observed in the horse stable
Horse farm owners know how important this duty is: have the horse stable cleaned regularly. Because good horse stable hygiene and hygienic conditions throughout the farm promote the well-being and health of all horses on the farm. Disinfecting the horse stable is also part of good hygiene. It prevents diseases. It should be noted that there are different cleaning cycles. And with the right cleaning equipment, efficiency can also be significantly increased.
Why hygiene is important in horse stables
If just one animal on a horse farm falls ill, the entire herd can quickly become infected. Anyone who has ever experienced something like this as the owner of a horse farm knows how important it is to clean and disinfect the entire facility, including the stables.
Although these tasks are often performed by horse owners or staff, farm owners should know what to do. After all, they are responsible for ensuring that the farm is clean and that the horses live under healthy conditions. An overview of who carries out which tasks and when is part of it for horse farm owners.
Because good hygiene in the horse stable promotes animal health and the well-being of the horses. The cleaner the horse stable, paddock, tack room and all other areas of the yard are, the less suitable they are as a habitat for viruses, bacteria and parasites. The result: the pathogens spread less quickly and the animals get sick less often.
Regularly cleaning the horse stable (or having it cleaned) – these are the advantages:
- Destruction of the livelihood for pathogens
- Rarer emergence of diseases
- Less spread of disease
- Increase in well-being and health of horses
In order to achieve good horse stable hygiene, however, the horse stable does not have to be cleaned down to the last straw. The most important thing is the regular removal of roughage, bedding and droppings. Mites, mold spores or other pathogens and germs can attach themselves to these.
If litter and manure are also stored in a damp environment for too long, they begin to rot. This creates the pungent smelling and poisonous gas ammonia. Like too much dust, ammonia irritates the respiratory tract and mucous membranes of horses. Animals can suffer chemical burns to the respiratory tract and esophagus, or develop a chronic cough that permanently damages their lungs.
If ammonia comes into contact with urine or the water from the drinking trough, for example, ammonia ammonia forms. This strong lye can attack the horse's hoof horn and skin. Regular horse stable cleaning and a good supply of fresh air counteract the formation of ammonia. Balanced ventilation keeps the air in the horse stable cool and dry. Plus, she's always on the move. As a result, even the smallest particles and dust are carried out of the stables.
Both stable hygiene also include deworming the horses. It makes sense for farm owners to introduce a common deworming regime for all animals. Whether a strategic or a selective deworming concept makes more sense should be discussed with the veterinarian.
Good horse hygiene protects against these diseases
Good farm and stable hygiene prevents diseases and epidemics such as the following and their spread in horses:
- herpes
- druse
- influenza
- fungal diseases
- African horse sickness
- West Nile Virus
- rabies
- Borna virus
- leptospirosis
If a horse falls ill with African horse sickness, West Nile virus or rabies, farm owners in Europe must report this in accordance with EU animal health law. The Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 shows which animal diseases are also notifiable across Europe. According to the Animal Health Act (TierGesG), infections with the Borna virus and leptospirosis are notifiable in Germany.
Cleaning and disinfecting horse stables: the cleaning cycle
The cleaning of the horse stable is divided into daily, weekly and annual cleaning work. Depending on the degree of soiling, the owner or stable staff must also disinfect the horse stable. What is important is a clear decision and communication about which tasks the farm owner and his employees carry out and which the horse owners. In order for the farm owner to keep track of things, it makes sense to document daily, weekly and annual work.
Daily work
Playpens and horse boxes must be mucked out daily. This includes removing the horse droppings and wet bedding with a pitchfork and wheelbarrow - also in the open stable and in the paddock. Aisles and the riding arena should also be cleaned of faeces and urine residues every day.
Tip – change wheelbarrows:
A different wheelbarrow should be used for mucking out the horse stable than for feeding hay. This ensures that no germs get into the fresh feed.
In addition to mucking out, daily cleaning of the horse stable also includes:
- Check potions
- Check horse trough
- Check fight
- Sprinkle new
- Possibly: Sprinkle manure mattress again
If there are dried residues of feed in the horse trough, drinking trough or rack, these should be removed. Warm water and a sponge or brush are ideal for cleaning. A wet/dry vacuum cleaner can be used for heavy soiling. This also applies to feeding and drinking facilities in the open stable and in the paddock.
Drinking troughs and horse troughs must be disinfected if a dead animal is found in them. This stops the spread of germs. Once the old manure has been removed from the horse box, the floor is strewn again - whether with straw, straw pellets, shavings or sawdust. Dung mattresses also have to be sprinkled on daily. The new bedding ensures that no harmful ammonia forms and the horses do not have to stand in their own manure.
Weekly chores
In addition to the daily chores, there are some cleaning jobs that horse stable owners should have done about once a week. These include:
- Clean and disinfect horse trough
- Clean and disinfect drinking troughs
- Sweep horse boxes and corridors
Sweeping is necessary to regularly clean the horse stable from dust. This is for basic stable hygiene. In order not to stir up additional dust when sweeping with the broom, it is advisable to first moisten the floor of the horse boxes and corridors.
For faster and more efficient cleaning, it makes sense to use a vacuum sweeper instead of a broom. The suction function of the machine ensures that dirt is not stirred up - there is therefore no need to wet the floor. This means that the horse stable can be cleaned more quickly and the users are also less burdened.
A hand-operated vacuum sweeper is usually sufficient for smaller farms. For larger companies, on the other hand, a ride-on sweeper is ideal, with which large areas can be cleaned more quickly. Both the hand-operated and the ride-on sweeper can be equipped with a side brush in order to reach edges particularly well.
After cleaning the horse boxes, it should be checked that there is no moisture left on rough and uneven areas of the floor. Because otherwise new germs can quickly form there. Remaining cleaning water can be efficiently removed with a wet/dry vacuum cleaner, for example. Any residual moisture must then dry by itself. Good ventilation helps with this.
Depending on the degree of soiling, weekly cleaning of the horse stable also includes:
- Washing the horse blankets
- Washing the saddle pads
- Washing the bandages
Annual works
At least once a year, the obligatory program is to clean the entire horse stable. Cleaning is best done on a warm spring or summer day. Because the horses must be able to be outdoors for at least 24 to 48 hours.
Clean the horse box and clear out the playpen
Horse boxes and playpen are completely cleared out. It is then necessary to thoroughly clean and disinfect them using a high-pressure cleaner. The stable mats are also cleaned and disinfected.
Cleaning and disinfecting the horse box is always part of the cleaning program after a horse has moved out. Because: If a new horse moves into the box, it should be clean for the well-being of the animal. If several weeks pass before the new horse moves in, cleaning and disinfection must be carried out again.
The annual cleaning of the horse stable is important, because this also cleans the box walls and partitions. This removes parasites that may have crawled up the wooden walls.
Cleaning horse stables: other annual duties
In addition to the horse box and playpen, all other rooms and areas of the horse farm should also be cleaned during the annual cleaning:
Tip - the right cleaning equipment:
Cobwebs can be removed quickly and efficiently with a wet/dry vacuum with an extension tube. A window vacuum or a roller brush is ideal for mirrors. The latter can be connected to a hose or pressure washer.
Paddock:
- Remove stones
- If necessary, remove poisonous plants
- Check fences and repair if necessary
Storage and Tack Room:
- Sweep and declutter
- Check poles, stands and other paraphernalia
- Clean and disinfect winter blankets and saddles
- Clean cleaning supplies and cleaning box
Feed Room:
- Dispose of expired food
- Empty and wash out the feeding bins
- Clean thoroughly with a broom or sweeper
The riding arena should also be cleared of weeds. For a clean appearance, it is also a good idea to repaint borders, obstacles and other elements.
Tip – check well water regularly:
If the horses are soaked with well water, this should be officially examined once a year. This ensures that it does not contain salmonella, Escherichia coli bacteria or other pathogens.
Annually cleaning and disinfecting the horse stable: the steps in detail
The annual major cleaning of the horse stable should always be carried out in the correct protective clothing. In addition, it makes sense to stick to a predetermined procedure. On the one hand, this prevents cleaning work from having to be carried out twice. On the other hand, this ensures thorough cleaning of the horse stable.
Clothing for cleaning and disinfection
In order to protect the people who clean the horse stable, they should wear appropriate clothing. This protective clothing is ideal during cleaning:
- Solid clothing to protect against dust and dirt
- Rubber boots
- Protective gloves
- Safety goggles
- Respiratory protection
- Ear protection (when operating the high-pressure cleaner)
During the disinfection, an impermeable full protective suit should be worn over the fixed clothing - including a hood. Rubber boots, respiratory protection, safety goggles and protective gloves should also not let any disinfectant through.
Cleaning horse stable
In order to efficiently clean and disinfect the horse stable, the following procedure is recommended:
1. Take horses out of the stable
In order for horse owners or stable staff to be able to clean the horse stable, all horses must first be brought out of the paddock. It is important to ensure that there is enough space for all animals.
2. Mucking out and sweeping
Once the animals are out of the stable, horse manure and wet bedding are first removed with a pitchfork and wheelbarrow, as is the case with daily cleaning.
3. Clean horse trough
The horse troughs and drinking troughs must also be cleaned. The use of a wet/dry vacuum cleaner is particularly suitable for this in large companies.
With the wet/dry vacuum cleaner, feed residues can be sucked out of the troughs quickly and easily - regardless of whether they are liquids or solids. Then horse boxes and corridors are thoroughly swept with a sweeper.
4. Wet cleaning
Efficient cleaning of the horse stable: With the help of a high-pressure cleaner, horse boxes, playpens and corridors can be cleaned quickly and without strain.
It is possible to clean the horse box with both a cold and a hot water high-pressure cleaner. The hot water has the advantage that it dissolves dirt faster. It also reduces the germ load in the horse stable.
It is important that not only the floor, but also the box partitions are thoroughly cleaned with the high-pressure cleaner. It is also advisable to spray horse troughs and drinkers wet. Finally, you can use a surface cleaner to clean the floor. This prevents dirt from splashing onto the already clean walls or partitions.
Detergents should be used to remove heavy soiling. Alkaline cleaning agents or foam cleaners are useful. On the one hand, these loosen water-insoluble dirt and, on the other hand, remove protein and fatty residues from faeces and feed.
Note: Rubber stable mats should also be cleaned annually. Rinse them off thoroughly from both sides with a high-pressure cleaner.
Advantages of Hot water High-pressure Cleaners
High-pressure cleaners clean even better with hot water at constant pressure. In addition to better results and faster cleaning and drying times, a measurable reduction in germs can be achieved with hot water high-pressure cleaners. With the help of the steam setting, sensitive surfaces can even be gently cleaned at up to 155 °C. In addition, the devices enable a reduction in the working pressure, the time required and the amount of cleaning agents to be used. Cleaning with hot water offers a number of advantages and various options for optimizing the cleaning process.
5. Disinfect the horse stable and lime if necessary
After the wet cleaning has been completed and floors, box walls, troughs and drinking troughs have dried, the next step can begin: disinfecting the horse stable. The protective clothing described above should be worn.
It is also important to use a disinfectant that is harmless to horses. Biodegradable disinfectants from specialist shops are best suited.
The disinfectant is applied according to the manufacturer's instructions to any part of the horse stable using the high-pressure cleaner: floor, box partitions, troughs, drinking troughs - and the corridor should also be disinfected.
It is important to disinfect the entire horse stable:
- To the furthest corner
- Stable mats from both sides
- Equipment such as pitchfork, broom and wheelbarrow
Once all surfaces of the horse stable have been disinfected, they must be rinsed thoroughly with water. In the case of plastered walls, it also makes sense to whitewash them if necessary. This process also has a disinfecting effect.
6. Leave to Dry
Before the horses can go back into the stable, the boxes must be completely dry. For example, if cleaning water has accumulated in the troughs, this can be removed with a wet/dry vacuum cleaner. Sufficient ventilation should be provided to further promote drying. How long it takes for the horse stable to dry depends on the air temperature and humidity. As a rule, about one to two days should be planned for this.
Suitable products for your application:
Ride-on sweeper
Walk-behind sweepers
Hot water high-pressure cleaner
Cold water high-pressure cleaner
Wet/dry vacuum cleaner
Surface Cleaner
