Cleaning My Stable

August 11, 2017

My stable manager, Sarah Levins, and her team members, Dolma and Pemba, do a wonderful job of caring for my horses, pony and donkeys. They also work hard to maintain the stable - keeping it clean, well-stocked and comfortable for my dear equids.

Once a year, my Bedford, New York stable undergoes a heavy, thorough cleaning - this is important not only for the wellness of the horses, but for the stable itself. This week, while two of my Friesians are up at Skylands with me, the stable was given a complete scrubbing - the walls were power washed, the floors and mats were cleaned and thoroughly dried, and every nook and cranny was inspected.

Here are some photos - enjoy.

: There is a lot of activity going on at my stable. Everything is removed from the stalls and placed in the middle of the space, so the stalls could be given a thorough power washing.

: All the floor mats are taken outside to the stable courtyard, so they could be power washed individually.

: Dawa power washes every corner of every mat. Gas powered pressure washers, or power washers, are great – they pump out up to 2800 pounds per square inch of water pressure.

: These mats are thick, non-porous and made of 100-percent recycled rubber. These mats are very important – the flat, non-slip, shock-absorbent surface provides traction, and ease of movement for my dear horses.

: Once they are power washed, the mats are dried with a leaf blower and then left under the sun to dry even more.

: Meanwhile, Dolma power washes the stall floors.

: Here’s Dawa power washing the doors.

: Rufus and Clive are in their nearby paddock listening to all the noises.

: During these major cleaning sessions, it’s also good to inspect the stalls in case there are other issues or repairs that may need addressing.

: Dawa power washes the walls and ledges – every nook and cranny is washed to remove as much organic matter as possible.

: The lower wooden walls, which often get kicked and marred by hooves, are scrubbed clean. Our stable intern, Lily, is such a hard worker.

: Chhewang power washes each metal bar.

: And then Dawa follows close behind with the trusted power washer.

: Dolma tackles the floors next – see how the dirt is removed from the cracks? A power washer can get out so much more than what is seen – they are very helpful.

: Outside, the mats are drying very well.

: And several hours later, once the stable floors and mats are completely dry, the mats are brought back in and assembled. These mats are very, very heavy – each large piece is at least 250-pounds.

: Each mat is returned to its original place and using his hands and a mallet, Dawa carefully lines up the mat seams.

: Pemba stomps on the mats to make sure they are all flat and secure.

: Back in the courtyard, one of my peahens is sunning herself on a mat. Stable mats need to be thoroughly cleaned once or twice a year. Good quality rubber mats provide a drier environment for the horses, and reduce the need for excess bedding.

: Here is Chhewang, power washing more mats – there are eight stalls in my stable, so this is a three day process.

: As each mat is finished, Dawa turns it over, so the undersides could also be cleaned. Allowing them to dry outside helps to eliminate odors and kill bacteria that thrives on moisture.

: And then one by one, they are brought back in and returned.

: Dolma starts laying down new straw pellets and wood shavings – new bedding for the stalls.

: In the opposite corner, Dolma places some hay.

: All the feed bowls are scrubbed.

: Here’s Dolma returning the Nibble Net to the donkey stall. These nets come with durable straps that attach to the bars of the stall.

: She then fills it up with hay. Each one holds a sizable amount of hay, but because equids have to pull the hay out through the webbing, they won’t eat as fast, or as much.

: This is also returned to the donkey stall – a giant Himalayan salt lick. Himalayan rock salt is the purest form of salt available on earth. Mined from ancient deposits deep in the Himalayas, these rock hard salt licks contain many of the valuable minerals any horse needs to promote a healthy balance in the body.