Having clean, dry bedding areas is essential for a horse's health and well-being. Dirty, damp stalls can harbor bacteria, and parasites, and promote the growth of flies and other pests. This puts horses at risk for various illnesses and infections. Maintaining a clean stall Tarpaulin helps create an optimal living environment in several ways.
Horse Health Benefits of Clean Stalls
Reduced risk of respiratory diseases. Damp bedding can allow molds and bacteria to grow, which horses can inhale. Lower incidence of hoof and leg issues. Wet stalls are more likely to cause thrush and other hoof infections. Decreased prevalence of skin wounds. Horses in dirty stalls have higher odds of cuts, scrapes, and bacterial or fungal infections of the skin.
Respiratory Health
Horses depend on their respiratory systems for essential functions. However, unclean stalls compromise lung health. Wet bedding breeds bacteria like Streptococcus zooepidemicus and Rhodococcus equi, both known to cause pneumonia in horses. Studies show horses living in dusty or damp stalls have a 60% higher risk of developing respiratory infections.
Hoof and Leg Infections
Moist environments are ideal breeding grounds for pathogens like the fungus Trichophyton that causes thrush, a painful hoof infection. Research indicates horses in damp stalls are 3 times as likely to suffer from thrush than those with appropriate drainage. Wet stalls also correlate to increased incidence of wounds, cracks, and other leg ailments that lower quality of life or impact performance.
Parasite Prevention
Internal and external parasites thrive in unclean housing. A 2012 Swedish study found horse facilities with poor drainage systems had 81% more gut worms compared to well-managed barns. Dirty stalls also amplified the incidence of skin-dwelling mites and ticks that weaken horses through anemia or toxic reactions. Heavy Duty Tarpaulin facilitates routine scraping and replacing of soiled substrate to curb parasitism.
How Horse Stall Tarps Help Keep Stalls Clean and Dry
Horse stall tarpaulins are an essential barn tool for promoting equine wellness. These durable covers protect flooring from urine and moisture exposure that leads to damaging buildup of bacteria, mold, and odors. Regular use of tarps streamlines cleaning and replacement of bedding for fresher living quarters preferred by horses.
What is a Horse Stall Tarpaulin?
Simply put, a tarpaulin is a heavy-duty, waterproof material designed to shield stall floors. Tarps come in rolls, folding pieces, or fitted styles. Common materials include vinyl-coated polyester or polyethylene that withstand abrasion and weather elements.
Benefits of Using a Tarpaulin in Horse Stalls
Some key advantages of stall tarps include:
Moisture Wicking
Tarpaulin Sheet prevent urine and digestive waste from soaking into wood or concrete floors and bedding material below.
Protects Flooring
Sealing off moisture safeguards the structural integrity of floors over time.
Facilitates Cleaning
Tarped areas can be fully scraped and pressure-washed between bedding changes for thorough sanitizing.
Extends Bedding Life
Dry bedding material like straw or shavings stays fresh longer when protected underneath a tarp.
Different Types of Tarpaulins for Horse Stalls
Common tarp styles are flat tarps that lay directly on the floor, fitted tarps molded to stall dimensions, or partitions/walls that act as tarp barriers. High-quality materials and seams result in products that last for many seasons of regular use and disinfection.
How Tarpaulins Protect Bedding from Moisture
When installed correctly without folds or gaps, tarpaulins form an impenetrable barrier that guides liquids into designated drainage areas. This separation at the floor lining level is integral for keeping stalls as clean and dry as possible.
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