Like human infants, baby horses are susceptible to a wide range of bacteria and other harmful germs that can result in serious illness and even death. A foal’s immune system is insufficiently developed at birth to fight off these germs, leaving them prime candidates for sickness. If your mare is pregnant, you’ll need to know how to disinfect a foaling stall.
First of all, you should know that a foaling stall should be larger than your typical stall, usually at least fourteen feet by fourteen feet, sometimes more, depending on the size of the mare. This gives the foal plenty of room so that his mother doesn’t accidentally step on him while walking to the water or food dish on the wall. It is also better to bed a foaling stall with straw or non-chemical-enhanced shredded paper than with sawdust or shavings because the latter can be irritating to your foal’s respiratory system.
Once you’ve built a foaling stall, you’ll need to level the floor so that water and urine can’t pool and your foal can learn to walk on a flat surface. Many horse owners choose to lay foaling stalls with rubber mats to create a soft, comfortable bed. Before you add anything to it, however, you’ll need to disinfect the foaling stall.
Remove All Objects
Before you can disinfect anything, the foaling stall must be entirely bare. Remove the water and feed buckets as well as salt blocks, jolly balls and anything else that can be easily transported. You should also remove all bedding in the stall, as fresh straw is absolutely necessary. Once the stall is cleared, you can check the walls and floors for potential hazards, such as protruding nails or large splinters.
Wash Objects
Anything that will need to go back into your foaling stall must be thoroughly washed and disinfected, including water and grain receptacles. For the first washing, use hot water and detergent to scrub any caked mud or debris from the object, then rinse thoroughly. Next, scrub them again with a water-bleach solution (1:5 ratio) to remove any harmful bacteria and germs. Lastly, wash them again with hot water and soap to remove any lingering residue, then rinse thoroughly and allow to air dry.
Sweep Stall
To properly disinfect a foaling stall, you must remove dirt, spider webs and molding hay from the roof, sides, ledges and door to the stall. In most cases, this can be accomplished with a simple broom, but make sure to discard any debris outside the stall rather than allowing it to fall on the floor.
Pressure-Wash the Walls
Using a pressure hose or a garden hose with a pressure attachment, thoroughly soak all walls of your foaling stall, then use a scrub brush and soap to scrub every inch of available surface. This step is especially crucial if your foaling stall has walls with a porous surface, which can easily trap germs while you wait for your foal’s arrival. Make sure you hose thoroughly after scrubbing to remove all soapy residue.
Disinfect the Foaling Stall
The final step to disinfect a foaling stall is the actually disinfecting. You can use any product you like, but I prefer Lysol concentrate. Mix the disinfectant with warm water (not hot) with about three tablespoons of the Lysol for every gallon of warm water. The easiest way to apply the solution is with a garden sprayer (you can find them at Wal-Mart or any home improvement store). Thoroughly soak the walls, then allow to dry over the next couple of days.
NOTE: For this step, you will need to wear protective clothing, including face mask, goggles, long sleeves and long pants.
Replace and Repeat
Most horse owners should disinfect their foaling stall four or five weeks before their mare’s due date, then repeat the process once a week until the foal is born. Once you are finished, you can replace the clean grain and water buckets as well as clean bedding, but make sure you don’t return your mare to her stall until the walls, floors and rafters are thoroughly dry.
