Mucking out - what happens if you do not muck out every day?

Hi!

Keeping your horse's box or loose housing dry and clean matters a great deal.

Droppings and urine contain substances, mainly bacteria and ammonia, that your horse should not be exposed to unnecessarily. The hooves need to dry out, and standing in droppings and urine risks damaging them. Horses also have sensitive airways, and standing in the strong ammonia fumes that build up when you skip mucking out does them no good.

How much you need to muck out depends on whether or not you run a deep litter system. If you are able to keep a deep litter bed, it often works well and you do not need to remove much. It does, though, demand careful management of the bed: plenty of bedding, good air quality and ventilation, and a horse that does not dig😸🦄