New to having a stable kept horse!!!

[cobgirlie]

So need some experianced advise!! My smaller cob needs to come in at night for the foreseeable, he has a sugar intolerance so I have to ensure he has no haylage which can't be done while he's out in the field as obviously other owners want their field kept horses to have haylage this time of year. Anyway I've been managing the last week or so on shavings but it's not only time consuming but extreamly expensive too!!! I've got one rubber mat but happy to invest in a couple more if that will save me money? So after many years of having my horses out 24/7 I'm having to adapt and learn!!!!!

Basically what in everyone's experience is the cheapest, and easiest way to keep a stable? My lad isn't hugely messy and he tends to mess in one area only which is helpful!! Any handy hints that you can give to a newbie stable keeper!!!

 

[Siam Jack]

my 2 are stabled at night, one has been on straw since before we got him and he is a dream, always messes in the same place! and his stable only takes me about 5-10 mins to completley clean, she on the other hand is the worst mare I've ever known she is now on straw (cost) and seems to kick her droppings all over the stable!!!
Another lady in my yard has the full stable covered in rubber matting and just a small amount of shavings for them to wee on, she told me they dont like the feeling of wee falling straight onto the mats, she only uses 1 bag of shavings every 2 weeks, the mats all need cleaning every day though but it only takes her 10-15mins

 

[ForeverBroke_]

Cheapest method I've found is using any chopped straw/shavings mix and semi-deep littering. So, poo's out in the week and wet out on the weekend.

I put in a bale a a week at most and its a rather large, thick bed with 3 banks

 

[sueeltringham]

I've got my IR/sugar intolerant mare in a small section of field on soaked hay. Its best to keep them moving. Is it possible to fence a section of field off? Otherwise if mine come in, I deep litter on shavings. The mare would eat all her bed if I put her on straw, but it depends on the horse. Straw probably works out cheapest if you can use it.

 

[cobgirlie]

I've got my IR/sugar intolerant mare in a small section of field on soaked hay. Its best to keep them moving. Is it possible to fence a section of field off? Otherwise if mine come in, I deep litter on shavings. The mare would eat all her bed if I put her on straw, but it depends on the horse. Straw probably works out cheapest if you can use it.

Unfortunately not, well it is but I tried with electric fencing and because he's a greedy cob he broke out of the paddock and spent the evening eating the haylage so YO has asked I bring him in as it's causing problems!! TBH he's very happy to come in and does seem to be enjoying his stable. So he can't be trusted to stay in a paddock with hay when his mates are having haylage!! Typical cob!!! I suspect he'd eat straw also!

 

[pottamus]

My lad is in at night all year round and I have tried all ways...deep littering and clearing out every few months, deep littering and clearing out at the weekends and having a normal bed and clearing out daily. I have found that the more bedding they have the longer the mucking out and potential for using more and more bedding.
I have found the best method to be minimal bedding and using 1 bale of bedding per week. The bed does get thinner as the week wears on but it is a lot easier and quicker to find and get rid of the wet aswell as the poo.
I have got my lad on a layer of home made shredded paper and then cardboard bales on top. The shredded paper is by far the best material I have ever used for wet stuff as is hold the wet together, stops it spreading and means I can easily find it and removed it in virtually one piece rather than with shavins that separate and make the bed a mess over time.

 

[sea_view]

I'd invest in matting, use shavings with decent banks and just pull down enough for him to lie on/pee on.

 

[Booboos]

Fastest and cleanest method I found is rubber mats (warm, cosy and all of mine lie down in them), with a tiny amount of pellet bedding to act as a litter where the horse tends to pee. Takes 5 minutes to sort out and smells lovely!

 

[Sanolly]

That's what I do, I have a big bank at the back and just leave about an inch of bedding down on top of the rubber mats for them to pee on when they're in.

 

[cobgirlie]

That's what I do, I have a big bank at the back and just leave about an inch of bedding down on top of the rubber mats for them to pee on when they're in.

I'm liking the sound of this method!! I not convienced he lays down anyway because his rugs haven't been dirty and his bed is quiet neat...being a cob I'm guessing the whole night is spent eating..well when there is a HUGE haynet full of food it's rude to not eat it all!!