phantomhorse
Well-Known Member
Have switched from deep litter shavings to straw, as have moved to a new yard which supplies the straw and does not permit other bedding to be used. Quite glad about that as the price of shavings and other types of bedding is just SOOOO expensive at the moment and the straw from the new yard is really nice quality and well priced.
We've only only been there a couple of weeks but I am disgusted at how smelly my stable is (and me, after mucking out!)
I am doing a full clean out daily, and sweeping the floor clean before laying the straw back down and putting a thick layer of clean on top. I am doing this daily in the morning, just after the horse goes out for the day. No point in leaving the bed up as it's too damp and the floor doesn't dry during the day, plus I only have a limited time in the evenings to bring in, change rugs etc, so prefer to leave the stable ready for the evening.
The stable is smelling really strongly of ammonia, and I am taking out 2 good sized barrow loads of wet straw each day. I've not changed her diet and she's drinking normally, so could anyone recommend anything I can do to reduce the strong smell of ammonia apart from what I am already doing?
I should add that the stable is at the very end of an open barn, with 4.5 foot walls all round and plenty of ventilation. The bed is fresh each day, so I do not know why the ammonia smell is becoming so strong over night. It certainly wont be good for my horse's lungs breathing that smell in for hours on end.
If I were elsewhere I'd probably use a layer of absorbent bedding under the straw, but we're only permitted to use straw. So, what can I do to improve the smell of my straw bed....
We've only only been there a couple of weeks but I am disgusted at how smelly my stable is (and me, after mucking out!)
I am doing a full clean out daily, and sweeping the floor clean before laying the straw back down and putting a thick layer of clean on top. I am doing this daily in the morning, just after the horse goes out for the day. No point in leaving the bed up as it's too damp and the floor doesn't dry during the day, plus I only have a limited time in the evenings to bring in, change rugs etc, so prefer to leave the stable ready for the evening.
The stable is smelling really strongly of ammonia, and I am taking out 2 good sized barrow loads of wet straw each day. I've not changed her diet and she's drinking normally, so could anyone recommend anything I can do to reduce the strong smell of ammonia apart from what I am already doing?
I should add that the stable is at the very end of an open barn, with 4.5 foot walls all round and plenty of ventilation. The bed is fresh each day, so I do not know why the ammonia smell is becoming so strong over night. It certainly wont be good for my horse's lungs breathing that smell in for hours on end.
If I were elsewhere I'd probably use a layer of absorbent bedding under the straw, but we're only permitted to use straw. So, what can I do to improve the smell of my straw bed....
