Galop 3Caring for the horse
Contents
- 01WelcomeOverview
- 02Life in natureKnowledge
- 03Bedding and waterCaring for the horse
- 04The points of the horseKnowledge
- 05The hoof and shoeingKnowledge
- 06A full groomingCaring for the horse
- 07Tack and bridleCaring for the horse
- 08The walk and the trotKnowledge
- 09The diagonal at trotIn the saddle
- 10Markings and whorlsKnowledge
- 11Coat colour variantsKnowledge
- 12BreedsKnowledge
- 13The aids to turnKnowledge
- 14The canter strike-offIn the saddle
- 15Position and balanceIn the saddle
- 16Controlling the gaitIn the saddle
- 17Curves and half-voltesIn the saddle
- 18Approach and jumpIn the saddle
- 19GroundworkOn foot
- 20The disciplinesKnowledge
- 21Revision and examRevision
Bedding, mucking out and keeping the water clean
A stabled horse spends long hours standing or lying on its bed, and it often drinks several tens of litres of water a day. A healthy bed and clean water are the basis of its comfort and its health.
In the exam programme
- Explain the different kinds of bedding.Common module B
- Muck out and keep the bedding.Common module A
- Keep the drinker or watering place clean.Common module A
Bedding is the layer of material spread over the stable floor. Good bedding does four jobs: it absorbs urine, it is comfortable enough for the horse to lie down, it insulates it from the cold and damp of the ground, and it stays healthy — dry, free of dust and mould. Dirty bedding damages the horn of the feet and gives off ammonia, which is bad for the lungs.
Straw
Long hollow stems.
Wood shavings
Thin curls of pale wood.
Wood pellets
Small cylinders of pressed wood.
Hemp
Short fibres, very absorbent.
| Bedding | Strengths | Drawbacks |
|---|---|---|
| Straw | Comfortable, warm and cheap in many areas; the horse nibbles the clean stalks, which keeps it busy. | Can be dusty; not for horses that cough or eat too much of their bed. It must be yellow and dry, with no musty smell. |
| Wood shavings | Low in dust if they are dust-extracted, and seldom eaten: they suit horses with allergies and greedy ones. | Dearer than straw; once wet, they pack down and must be taken out. |
| Wood pellets, hemp, flax | Very absorbent and low in dust: little bedding comes out each day. | Expensive; pellets are often dampened so that they swell before use. |
Other materials are used in different regions: sawdust, shredded paper or cardboard, miscanthus. With a bed the horse cannot eat, think all the more about hay: it keeps the horse busy and gives it the fibre it needs.
Mucking out
- Get readyWork in an empty stable if you can. If not, tie the horse up, never turn your back on it, and keep the fork and the wheelbarrow out of its reach.
- Take out the dirty beddingWith the fork — or a shovel and a rake for shavings — take out the droppings, then lift the bed to find and remove the patches soaked with urine.
- Bank up the sidesSpread the clean bedding in the middle, then pile some up against the walls: these are the banks. The raised edges make a clean reserve and protect a horse that lies down against the wall.
- Top upAdd as much fresh bedding as it takes to get a thick, even layer, with no spot where the floor shows through.
- Strip it out regularlyAs often as your club decides — often once a week for a straw bed mucked out daily, more often in summer — empty the stable completely, scrape the floor, let it dry, disinfect if needed and lay a new bed.
Tip
Yard vocabulary: mucking out is the daily job; stripping out a stable means emptying it completely. The muck, droppings mixed with soiled bedding, goes on the muck heap.
Keeping the water clean
A horse must have clean water at all times. At Galop 2 you saw how much it needs to drink and the ways of giving it water; now you learn to keep them clean.
- Automatic drinker: check every day that it refills when you press the paddle, take out hay, droppings and debris, and scrub it with a brush as soon as any deposit appears.
- Bucket: empty, rinse and refill it at least twice a day; hang it up or wedge it so that it cannot tip over.
- Field trough: check the level and the water supply, take out leaves and algae, scrub the sides; in winter, break the ice and lift it out.
- Natural water: it must be running and clear, with safe access, no deep mud and no slippery bank. A stagnant pond is not a good place to drink.
- Manger: empty and clean it before every feed, because leftovers ferment.
Remember
A horse that does not drink enough is at risk of colic. If the level in a bucket has not dropped since the day before, or a horse ignores its drinker, tell someone in charge.