While a sharp surface, jagged edge or weak board could potentially spell disaster for your horse, there is one important aspect of a stall that can frequently become overlooked due to hectic schedules and more enjoyable horse activities. And that is the everyday maintenance required in keeping a hygienic stall.

Anyone who has walked into a barn and been hit by the smell of ammonia knows how important thorough stall cleaning can be for healthy lungs and happy critters inside a barn.

Even under the best turnout circumstances your horses may be spending half his life inside a stall. Therefore, his living quarters need to promote a clean environment and be free from irritants that contribute to respiratory problems.

There are many effective habits you can develop to ensure your horse's primary residence fosters a healthy atmosphere. Most procedures require a little extra effort, but will be worthwhile for the future health of your equine companion.

Base of the Stall
There are different base alternatives an owner can provide for their horse, including dirt, limestone, sand, clay, wood and concrete. Although there are many debates as to what is the best alternative for a base, a stall fully lined with rubber mats on top is a popular choice for many horse owners.

Rubber mats are not a necessity, but they provide a bit more cushion to stand on and can make it easier to clean the stall.

Mats make it easier for stalls to be stripped out on a regular basis. How often you will need to strip your stall depends on factors, such as the length of time your horse spends in his stall, how well the stall is cleaned and the amount of bedding provided.

With mats, you won't have a problem figuring out when you have sufficiently removed all the bedding. When a stall has housed horses for many years, it can become impossible to find exactly where the base ends and the bedding begins. In those situations, it is best to scrape all loose material out, and start again with a new base.

When placed on a level surface, mats will help keep the ground more level. Although, the ground underneath will still need to be tended to if depressed or uneven areas develop. If your horse tends to paw, a mat will protect the floor of the stall, and possibly his hooves.

A leveled stall is very important, but may necessitate hard labor. It's not easy to keep stalls even, as horses are hard on the floors, and tend to routinely stand in the same place. Deciding to use mats, however, will keep your stalls leveled for a longer period of time.

Concrete is a choice for a base that will never need to be leveled. Yet, depending on the amount of time a horse spends in the stall, the unforgiving surface may prove to be too hard on legs and joints, even when covered with a rubber mat and adequate bedding.

No matter what base you're using, bacteria and moisture can also seep through the lines between mats and build up to become a messy situation. It 's a good idea to have the base graded to a slight slope, to promote drainage. If the moisture doesn't drain, you will have to periodically pull the rubber mats out remove the soiled portion of the base. A concrete floor, or other hard surface, will have to be scrubbed with a disinfectant.

Cleaning
It may not be your favorite chore but thoroughly cleaning your horse's stall is essential to his well-being. It's advantageous to remove the horse from his stall, if at all possible. Not only will it provide an easier work space for you, but it will keep your horse from breathing in the pitchfork loads of muck you are throwing out.

Just like cleaning a room inside your home, it's easiest to concentrate on sections, starting at the furthest corner and working your way out. But no matter which method you find works best, be sure not to skip any portion of the stall. It always seems that the cleanest top layer of bedding will be hiding something underneath. Turn over all the bedding to find all soiled material.

Always remove any wet bedding. It needs to be replaced with fresh material to prevent a buildup of gases that can damage the respiratory system. For a particularly wet area, it will be beneficial to move all the bedding aside and let the area dry for a few hours. To help you keep your stalls clean and healthy, products are available specifically designed to sprinkle on wet floors to eliminate both odors and bacteria.

A deeply bedded stall will prove more difficult to clean, yet, it will be a nicer environment for your horse. In any stall, the harder you work at disposing only the soiled bedding, the less new material you'll have to replace it with. Fresh bedding will need to be added on a consistent basis, depending on how much is discarded each day.

Frequently picking up messes in the stall will increase the life of your bedding. And the longer your horse spends in the pasture, the less time and money you'll have to spend on keeping his stall in order.

Bedding
The goal behind using any type of bedding is to both absorb wetness and provide a comfortable place for your horse. Yet, when looking at some stalls, it seems the latter objective is forgotten.

Straw and wood shavings are two popular forms of bedding; yet, both will take time and effort to clean properly. There are other options available as well, but remember never bed a horse on walnut shavings, as they are toxic.

No matter which bedding you choose, if you find that floating particles irritate your eyes or make you cough and sneeze, you can be confident it is negatively affecting your horse, too. Opt to buy a better quality product.

The standard amount of adequate bedding in a stall is three to six inches; however, some high-class facilities might have your horse standing in a foot of shavings. A deeply bedded stall will be important for horse suffering with leg or hoof soreness.

Again, the amount of bedding necessary will increase if he spends most of the day inside, urinates frequently or likes to lie down.

If your horse has a history of rolling in a freshly bedded stall, it's a good idea to bank or pile the shavings along the sides of every wall. This method will hopefully keep him from becoming cast inside his stall.

Don't be fooled into thinking a thinly bedded stall is the best approach to save the strain on your pocketbook. A thin layer of shavings will most likely equate to a stall that needs to be completely stripped each day. Every bit of bedding will have to come out when a horse kicks his messes around, saturating all the bedding inside the stall.

If you begin with a generous amount of shavings, carefully remove only what is soiled and replace an equivalent amount to what was removed, you will be providing the most cost-efficient stalls you can.

So don't jump to the conclusion that fewer shavings will necessarily be a savings plan. The development of hock sores, thrush and urine scald will consequently run up your medicine and veterinary bills.

The bottom line is the more time and energy you spend cleaning your horse's stall the more savings you will reap in the way of bedding. And the happier your horse will be in his healthy space.