His stable really smells

[chaps89]

My geldings stable is really really smelly. I'm not talking just when you take the wet out, but any time you go in his stable (particularly in the mornings, it's not so bad once it's aired during the day)
It's a strong ammonia smell. He has rubber matting down, it's not sealed (the bu**er has pushed the walls so the edges don't meet anymore, but if you lift the mats, his wee hasn't soaked underneath so it's not from that.
He's on a deep bed of wood pellet bedding, my mums mare is exactly the same.
Before we moved onto the pellets hers was the smelly bed, his was fine, now it's the other way round.
I'm careful when mucking out- I know you can leave some of the wet in, but since it smells I take every bit of wet out now, keep the bed damp but not sodden and top bedding up daily with partially soaked pellets. (That's another thing- despite not taking much wet out I seem to have to put alot in. Not too much of a problem as it's cheap but it seems to just disappear!)

I don't think it's a case of a urine problem meaning his wee smells stronger as his bed has never smelt before regardless of what bedding he's been on and he's fine and weeing like normal, the stable is also well ventilated.


I'm saving alot of money on bedding and mucking out is very easy, but it just smells so badly unless I can sort it out, I'm going to move back to softchip.

Any ideas?

 

[Bowen4Horses]

i have the opposite problem with woodpellets, my gelding's stable used to HONK with straw and isn't too bad with pellets (well, it's better anyway, it's still a bit whiffy). my problem is that he drinks soooooo much and wees sooooo much and then does a little dance to mix it all up. i can't help but think he likes a dirty stable...

i take out all soaking wet patches, and poo. then i pile up the remaining around the edges so the matting dries and when i put it back down i fluff it all up again. when i add more pellets, i add them dry. they fluff up overnight. and absorb any moisture.

x

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

easibed is more absorbent than shavings or wood pellets and is fairly cheap if you buy in bulk. Have you tried a powdered disinfectant like stable zone to put on the flooring?

 

[Peacelily]

a strong smelling urine can be a sign they've got a high protein diet, so more proteinous waste is being excreted, or that there might be some kidney/bladder/urethra infection - give the vet a ring and ask for their opinion....

think of if you've changed diet or anything recently

 

[teddyt]

QR- The smell is ammonia and bacteria from wee that is left in the bed. Thats why i dont like wood pellets, some wee is always left in the bed and once exposed to the air bacteria will also breed. Ammonia is very bad for the respiratory system but most people only think about dust.

 

[SpruceRI]

I use Equi Dry (I think that's what it's called!) - a powder that you sprinkle on the floor and then put the bed back on top. It soaks up some of the wet but draws the ammonia/urine smell out, leaving it pong free.

My Shettie used to drown the place, and this stuff really helped