[Ag-eq] Mucking out a stall

[Nella Foster]

Jody:

I pay my yard guy to clean up after the mules.  I've done it before, but it 
takes me longer and I just decided that wasn't how I wanted to spend my 
time!  I know I can do it if I have to!

I don't keep my mules in stalls, except for feeding pellets in the evenings. 
They have a turn out area, which is about 1/4 of an acre, which they wander 
about in.  I leave Their stalls open and they can go in for the shade or 
rain.  They also have a 12 by 24 shade structure to get under.  In Arizona 
we are much more concerned about the sun and heat than cold and rain.  I 
often find the mules getting out of the sun, but they usually just stand out 
in the rain unless I put them in their stalls.

Some people say it isn't safe to leave the stalls open the way I do.  Horses 
have been known to get one another cornered in a stall and really hurt each 
other.  The mules are all very calm and I have never known of them to bite 
or kick at each other.  I don't worry about them, but when Mike has any of 
his horses here I close the stall gates.

Yes, I have felt for the piles with my boots and then used the manure fort 
to scoop them in to the muck bucket.  I've also raked the poop into piles 
and then scooped into the muck bucket.  The way I let them run around makes 
it a little harder since there is so much more space.  The mules make it 
easier for me and tend to go in the same 2 or 3 places, so I can rake up the 
place and then scoop into the bucket.  Some horses are good at going in the 
same place and others just go where ever!

My mule Jack has this funny habit before feeding.  I feed pellets in the 
evening and when I go out the mules and goats all run to the stalls.  Jack 
likes to run into Cricket's or Allie's stall and pee; then he runs into his 
stall to be fed.  Cricket likes to run into some one else's stall to cause 
confusion.  They all have their personalities!

Nella
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jody W. Ianuzzi" <jody at thewhitehats.com>
To: "'Agricultural and Equestrean Division List'" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 2:15 PM
Subject: [Ag-eq] Mucking out a stall


> Hi all,
>
> I haven't had the experience yet, but how do you all much out a stall?  I
> figure I will get a pair of rubber barn boots and just find the manure 
> with
> my feet.
>
> What do you all do?
>
> JODY
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ag-eq mailing list
> Ag-eq at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ag-eq_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> Ag-eq:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ag-eq_nfbnet.org/nfoster%40extremezone.com