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Which stable floor for horses sensitive to mites?

Stamping, rubbing, and biting in the legs: Mites in horses are especially a problem in autumn and winter. In horses that are kept outdoors, mite infestations can occur due to a wet and muddy ground, but in horses that are also stabled, the bedding is often a significant factor. Which stable floor is best for horses sensitive to mites?

Mites

1 November '23 • 2 min reading time

Mites are spider-like insects that are not visible to the naked eye. They thrive in moisture and warmth. Therefore, socks of cold-blooded and Friesian horses are often a favorite habitat for mites. But mites can also be found in straw and hay.

Straw, flax, or sawdust?

Mites can come from straw. So, if your horse spends a lot of time in the stable and is sensitive to mites, it may be useful to choose a different bedding. When using sawdust or flax in the stable, the risk of mite infestation is much lower. It also depends on how many hours your horse spends in the stable. If your horse only spends a few hours outside each day, the risk of mite infestation due to the stable floor is much greater than if there is some straw in a shelter where your horse only goes when the weather is very bad.

Flax or sawdust

Many people swear by flax or sawdust as bedding. Flax, in particular, often produces less dust in the stable and requires less work. A well-maintained deep litter bed of flax is easy to handle. Make sure your horse always has a soft and dry place to lie down. Otherwise, your horse may lie down less frequently than it would like. A dry and soft stable floor has a positive impact on horse welfare.

The advantages of straw

If your horse spends a lot of time in the stable, there are also good reasons to choose straw. Your horse will always have something to munch on if there is straw in its stall. Research has shown that horses lie down more when they have a straw bed and also spend more time sniffing and picking at their bed than with flax or sawdust. This can reduce unwanted stable behaviors such as weaving or crib-biting because the horses are less bored. Other research has shown that horses given the choice prefer a stall with straw over a stall with sawdust.

Pay attention to your hay too!

Mites can live in straw, but also in hay! Because mites enjoy high humidity, keeping the humidity low in the stable and in the forage is a good measure. Fewer mites will be present in dry hay compared to pre-cut silage. If there are mites in the hay or in any grains fed, such as oats, a mite infestation can also be seen on the horse's head and not just on the legs. If you see signs of mites on the legs, a contamination through the straw is more likely.

Sources:

Mills, D., Eckley, S., & Cooper, J. (2000). Thoroughbred bedding preferences, associated behavior differences and their implications for equine welfare. Animal Science, 70(1), 95-106. https://doi:10.1017/S1357729800051638

Hanna Werhahn, Engel F. Hessel, Irene Bachhausen, Herman F.A. Van den Weghe,

Effects of Different Bedding Materials on the Behavior of Horses Housed in Single Stalls,

Journal of Equine Veterinary Science,

Volume 30, Issue 8, 2010, Pages 425-431, ISSN 0737-0806

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2010.07.005

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