# Stall cleaning tips



## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

With Pony being on stall rest, I've been doing a lot of stall cleaning. I'm having problems with the pee, though. He pees in the same spot, so there is a big wet spot in the dirt (stall has dirt floor). Someone told me to clean it out, then put some of the older bedding on it to soak up the pee, let it sit, and then take it off. That hasn't been working. I tried cleaning out the area, even scooping out some of the wet dirt, and leaving it bare for the 3-4 hours between the time I clean his stall and the time I leave. Then I go and cover it with clean bedding. But before I cover it with the clean bedding, it is still wet, and it really stinks. After I cover it up, I can't smell it any more, but it's still nasty there. Surely there is some way to combat that?

Hmm, I just realized that I have some diatomaceous earth leftover from my ant / hay experience. Maybe I will put some of that on the floor, leave it, and pick it up.

What do you guys think? I don't like to leave him in a stinky stall.


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

Are stall mats an option? Then you can simply scoop out the soaked bedding, sprinkle some lime or stall deodorizer, and put down fresh bedding.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

SilverMaple said:


> Are stall mats an option? Then you can simply scoop out the soaked bedding, sprinkle some lime or stall deodorizer, and put down fresh bedding.


I could ask, but it's not my barn, so I'm not too enthusiastic about buying stall mats for someone else, when he's hopefully only going to be on stall rest for a couple of weeks.


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

OK, so two options I'd consider:


- get a couple of stall mats for the center of the stall, and take them home when he goes home for one of your stalls or for your grooming/tie area.
- go with a 'deep litter'- type system--- scoop out the poop and wet bedding that you can get out without disturbing the layer next to the dirt, and then cover with more fresh bedding. It's not ideal, but it will work for a few weeks and help keep the urine soaked up and out of the dirt. It uses a lot of bedding, but makes a soft, warm stall flooring and it's absorbent with minimal smell if you do it right, especially in the winter. 



I used to do 'deep litter' when I had stalls on concrete in the winter. By spring, it would be a foot thick and so packed we'd need to open up the stall fronts and get the bedding out with a tractor, but it was warm, dry, good footing, and didn't stink.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Lime or use stall PDZ stall deodorizer after cleaning, sprinkle it on daily to help with the smell.
Because you have a gelding and he is neat in the stall you have one-spot a problem.
You need to replace what you are digging out...can you literally put a wheelbarrow of dirt in that spot...take it easy digging it out as you are not going to "dry" the ground...
Neutralize the stink with above products {use pulverized lime not pellets} ...
If the smell of really strong and bad speak to the vet as it can be indicator of infection in the body running rampant.
Many swear by stall bedding pellets on their wet spots...they supposedly absorb better and some use them only in that one spot and shavings not skimped on in the rest of the stall.
Uncover the pee spot, remove, deordorize and replace, replace bedding...
I would try leveling the stall with fresh dirt, then try the pellets and small flake shavings or more a mix that is fine like sawdust as it is far more absorbent than big flakes.
You may just have to deal with a stall depression till Pony can be let out and you resurface/fill in holes made.
Many though just dig and dig...no.
Look to stop the dig and get something in place to absorb.
Absorbing the smell, neutralizing it and finding something better to absorb and then bed deeper might be all you can do as even matting the stall is not fixing the fact the horse urinates in one location and quite a bit it sounds..
Deep litter bedding as was mentioned also works, but takes time to build and can also be aromatic when started, something not sure you want to deal with...and it is a lot of work if you ever strip the stall down, backbreaking labor at times.
:runninghorse2:...


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

Argh, and I was just at the feed store today. I had thought about those bedding pellets for that spot before, then forgot. Then remembered, then forgot. 

I like the idea of bringing in some more dirt, too. Yes, I should probably stop digging a hole in there...


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

I've had several geldings who always peed in the same spot, creating an ammonia pit. Where there is room we'd dust with lime and then cover with an old tire until it dried. By then there would be a new ammonia pit to move the tire to. Geldings don't like to be splashed by their urine, so you could also dust with lime or DE and cover with something that will splash (small mat?) to encourage him finding a new spot. You'll probably have to chase the pee pits the whole time he's on stall rest, but that's horse ownership!


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

"Pee pits." Yes, the joys of horse ownership, LOL.


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

Well, to be honest, a male horse doesn't have a lot of options in a regular-sized stall.... he's pretty much going to pee in the middle most of the time!


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