Natural Bedding Stall Set-up and Maintenance
Step 1: Set up
We recommend 6 to 8 bags of bedding for a 12' x 12' stall. Start with 4-5 bags and cover the entire stall floor level as there is no need for "banking." Let your horse walk on it for 2-3 days so that it forms a good foundation. Add the remaining bags to ensure that the bedding is about 6". A good shavings fork will remove the droppings from the top of the bed as this avoids digging the bed up and reduces the amount of bedding taken out.
Step 2: Cleaning
Every 5-7 days, scrape the top dry layer off to reveal the wet spots underneath. If the base is BROWN, you don't need to scoop it out yet. Put the dry bedding back over the spots and leave it for a few more days - brown bedding is still absorbing. If the wet layer is RED, it's time to remove it. Scrape any dry bedding away from this patch, and remove the saturated bedding. Only take out the red patch, the rest of the dry base layer should be left intact.
Step 3: Takeaway and Removal
Put the dry bedding or any brown bedding back in the patch you just removed, press down to form a new base, and top up with a fresh bale, if required.
In the manure pile, bedding will rot down to nutritious compost in record time. You'll have smaller manure piles to take away, or alternately, compost and make your farm more sustainable!