# Need manure fork for messy stall



## chevysmum (Sep 30, 2009)

New boarder grinds his stall into millions of small pieces of manure. Trying to find the smallest manure fork to get most of the mess picked up. Bought the Fine Tines fork, no luck with that. We use sawdust for bedding. Any suggestions would be appreciated.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

It's called a garden spade, the one with the flat blade on it. Look for one with a longer handle unless you are under 5'6". I find them a little short as I'm taller.


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

No idea where to get one but I saw one that was custom made and was fantastic for sawdust. They had taken a heavy gauge grill screen, the kind with very small holes and made a small scoop shovel out of it. The holes were just big enough to sift the sawdust without shaking any of the manure back out.


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

If the horse is truly a horsey cuisinart, we just take out the wettest and worst of it.....and strip it as needed. The wet stuff can be picked up with a regular fork, at least that is what we do. I use back of it to scrape it into a pile and then pick it up. That gets the wet stuff off the mats (if you have them). It never looks totally clean like the horses that are neater, but....it is what it is.


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## farmranch (Nov 18, 2007)

*Have you tried a screened rake?*

Equitee Mfg makes some really good manure forks, including a "mini-tine" version that has 27 tines that are spaced very close together. If that doesn't work for you, you might try their manual Shake'n Rake, which is basically a manure fork with a screened basket. They were used on the Gulf to separate tarballs, so they will pick out the smallest bits. Optional 3/8" or 1/4" mesh. Don't know if this will work, but I sure like their manure forks. With the smallest mesh you might need the powered version:lol:
The Best Sand Sifting Rakes for Cleaning Beach Sand or Golf Bunkers

If that won't work here is a link for a sifter scoop shovel, but I think the holes might be too big.
http://beaconathletics.com/store/hand-tools/sifter-scoop-shovel/

They both cost about the same, buy them both and post back!.


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## Bluebird (Jul 20, 2011)

chevysmum said:


> New boarder grinds his stall into millions of small pieces of manure. Trying to find the smallest manure fork to get most of the mess picked up. Bought the Fine Tines fork, no luck with that. We use sawdust for bedding. Any suggestions would be appreciated.


If you use shavings as bedding (wood shavings), get yourself a plastic shavings fork. Metal ones are a pain as they not only remove the manure but also most of the clean bedding. They are a godsend. Believe me. Takes no time to muck out. All I was taught to do was lift, toss and flick against the side of the stable. Muck runs down the hill to the floor and you just skim it away.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

If he's as bad as the last OTTB we had who used to dance up and down on every pile he did then sifting is a waste of time. We had good rubber matting and just put in the bare minimum and just shovelled the lot out every day
If he's not as bad as that then as per *Bluebell*


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

franknbeans said:


> If the horse is truly a horsey cuisinart, we just take out the wettest and worst of it.....and strip it as needed. The wet stuff can be picked up with a regular fork, at least that is what we do. I use back of it to scrape it into a pile and then pick it up. That gets the wet stuff off the mats (if you have them). It never looks totally clean like the horses that are neater, but....it is what it is.


The horsey cuisinart at the barn leaves on Friday... Thank God! :lol:

I use a plastic grain shovel to scrape up the wet stuff and to shovel out the worst of what a manure fork won't pick up. It's basically a "good enough" job for a few days, then completely strip and start over again. Thankfully her owner never complained, she is quite aware of her piggy horse and actually complimented me on getting it cleaner than she used to.


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