Ideas for bedding WIWO stables

[BrokenArrow]

The way our property is set up has all the horses at the front, majority of them with WIWO stables with varying size yards off them. All of the yards are big enough for them to have a good stretch and spend the majority of their day outside. All of the stables are concreted.

It’s coming into winter here and Id really like to give some of them somewhere warmer to sleep. Especially in the horrid rainy weather that’s been plaguing us lately. But two of them are really wet in their stables. As in I was changing bedding every second day completely while they were stabled full time. I tried shavings in their WIWOs for a bit and it was the same problem. They both came in to do their business. It’s not just the extra shavings, but the extra time as well.

Should I just bite the bullet and put rubber down (crying about the cost later)? Or does anyone have any other ideas for some sort of bedding that I’m not cleaning out every second day.

[Snowdenfarm]

This just an N=1 obviously, but I was able to train my horse to pee in her run out by picking up her wet spots and putting them outside where I wanted her to go. I just tried it out of desperation and was stunned when it actually worked. When it is really nasty out she pees inside, but the next day she goes back to peeing outside.

[trubandloki]

Help the clueless…acronym help. WIWO = ?

[BrokenArrow]

Walk in/walk out.

[trubandloki]

I just use shavings and clean it like I clean stalls, 1 or 2 times per day.

[BrokenArrow]

@trubandloki

I just use shavings and clean it like I clean stalls, 1 or 2 times per day.

It’s not really feasible for the ones who pee constantly. I was doing that and cleaning out the entire stable every second day because it was so wet. This is why I’m looking for alternatives.

[BrokenArrow]

@Snowdenfarm

This just an N=1 obviously, but I was able to train my horse to pee in her run out by picking up her wet spots and putting them outside where I wanted her to go. I just tried it out of desperation and was stunned when it actually worked. When it is really nasty out she pees inside, but the next day she goes back to peeing outside.

Tried that. Didn’t work. I thought it would, especially because one is a stallion.

Nope. He just doesn’t like splashing his legs if he can help it. I even tried a shavings pile outside but he still preferred to come in to do it.

[S1969]

@BrokenArrow

It’s not really feasible for the ones who pee constantly. I was doing that and cleaning out the entire stable every second day because it was so wet. This is why I’m looking for alternatives.

I think if there was an easy solution, we would all know about it. It’s just basic horsekeeping. My stalls have Dutch doors and they are open 24/7 except feeding time, and yes - they come in to pee, poop, nap and eat.

In good weather, they are more likely to sleep in the pasture and therefore maybe will pee out there too. But in sketchy weather (windy, too hot, too cold, or anything wet) they are in their stalls a lot of the time, and tend to bathroom in there. Especially after you’ve just cleaned them. My former boarder used to say “everybody loves a clean bathroom!”

If you use enough bedding, you won’t have clean the entire thing out every day/every other day…but yes, of course there is a cost and time factor to adding more bedding.

[trubandloki]

@S1969

Especially after you’ve just cleaned them. My former boarder used to say “everybody loves a clean bathroom!”

Glad to know it is not just mine. I swear the sound of me putting the wheelbarrow away is their cue to manure or pee in their clean stall.

[Pico_Banana]

Mine don’t have access to their stalls during day turnout, but one of them tries as hard as she can to hold it all day and then immediately goes in her stall when I bring her in. The other one is better, but I swear she’s starting to do the same thing, too.

[2DogsFarm]

@S1969

My stalls have Dutch doors and they are open 24/7 except feeding time, and yes - they come in to pee, poop, nap and eat.

Same here.
They prefer Out over In & with access to pasture, my stall-cleaning chore has become a lot easier.
This morning, not a single pile in any of the 3 stalls. Which tells me they slept out.

Out of my own aging inability to strip a stall very often, I’ve gone to a Lazyman’s Deep Litter method.
The preferred pee spot gets dug out as deep as I can before my wonky knees say “Quit!” then fresh bedding goes on top.
This has gone on for 18yrs & just the last couple have created mounds where my laxity called it done.
This year I’m paying to have the stalls dug down to the packed crusher-run that floors them & I’ll start over.

[Libby2563]

@Pico_Banana

Mine don’t have access to their stalls during day turnout, but one of them tries as hard as she can to hold it all day and then immediately goes in her stall when I bring her in. The other one is better, but I swear she’s starting to do the same thing, too.

Yup, I think peeing is contagious.

Funny story, I taught my one who loves to pee in his stall to pee on command when I first bring him inside so I can catch it directly in the muck cart. This was like 7 years ago and every horse I’ve had in the barn since then has learned from watching us that they should also pee on the same command. If I’m quick I can catch two pees and not have to clean it all up later…kinda gross but it does save time and bedding. The downside is that sometimes the first one now pees when he doesn’t really have to, just because he wants a treat.