When the days grow shorter and wetter, it is not just life out in the pasture that changes. A different time also begins in the horse stable. Horses are once again spending more hours in their stalls, bringing in wet hooves and damp coats – and the bedding, too, no longer stays dry as easily.
By now, we often notice something we barely perceived in the summer:
That typical, sometimes pungent stable odor. Yet a horse stable does not have to smell of ammonia. And that is exactly why, in autumn, it is worth taking a conscious look at the stable climate.
Horse stable in autumn – in a nutshell
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More moisture and longer time spent in the stable can increase the strain on the bedding.
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Ammonia can form from horse urine through microbial decomposition processes.
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Ammonia is not just an unpleasant "stable smell".
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Dry lying areas, regular mucking out, and good ventilation are particularly important.
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Natural clinoptilolite has a special ability to bind ammonium through ion exchange.
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Zeolite bedding can therefore be used as a supplementary component in stable management.
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Targeted application is particularly useful where the stall frequently becomes damp.
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The most important rule remains: Zeolite does not replace mucking out or ventilation – it complements good stable management.
When summer slowly turns into stable season
Autumn is a transitional period. The nights are getting longer. Temperatures are dropping. Rainy periods are increasing, pastures are getting wet, and in many places, horses are once again spending significantly more time in the stable. This also changes the microclimate in the horse's stall.
The horse brings moisture in via its hooves and coat. It urinates into the bedding. Damp spots dry more slowly. At the same time, in cooler weather, stables are sometimes ventilated less generously than in summer.
That is precisely when it is worth taking a close look at the ground:
How dry is the lying area really?
And just as importantly:
How does it smell in the stall?
The best stable climate test begins with your own nose
If you enter a stall in the morning and immediately notice a sharp, pungent smell, you are not just smelling "horse." A part of this typical stable odor can be ammonia.
Ammonia (NH₃) is formed during the breakdown of nitrogen-containing compounds from urine. Simply put, the urea contained in horse urine is broken down by microorganisms. This can initially produce ammonium (NH₄⁺), which, depending on conditions, can be partially released as gaseous ammonia (NH₃).
And that is exactly the gaseous ammonia we smell. The odor is therefore not just an aesthetic issue. It tells us something about the environment inside the stall.
Why ammonia in the horse stable is an issue
Horses have sensitive airways. And they spend a lot of time with their noses exactly where stresses can arise: close to the ground. When eating hay, resting, and especially when lying down, the horse's nose is directly above the bedding.
Scientific studies show that the stable environment can affect horses' airways.
One study, for example, found that stabling compared to pasture turnout led to a small but statistically significant increase in ammonia concentration in the ambient air. At the same time, changes in the exhaled breath condensate of the horses were measured.
Studies of various bedding materials also show how strongly the choice and management of bedding can influence ammonia concentration in the stable.
Good stable air is therefore an essential part of good horse husbandry.
And it is not just about ammonia. Dust, microorganisms, allergens, and sufficient air circulation also play a role.
Moisture: the second major autumn factor
Ammonia and moisture are closely linked in the stable. Where urine remains in damp bedding for a long time, microorganisms find good conditions for the decomposition of organic matter. That is why a dry stall is not just more pleasant; it is part of good stable management. Especially in autumn, it is therefore worth knowing the typical problem areas of a stall.
Almost every horse has them.
The famous "urination spot"
Horses are creatures of habit. Many have a preferred spot in their stall where they urinate repeatedly. And here, it makes little sense to indiscriminately treat the entire stall with large quantities of an additive every day.
It is much more sensible to:
observe – identify the problem area – act in a targeted manner.
Remove damp bedding and treat the affected area before adding fresh bedding. This saves material and addresses the issue where the moisture actually occurs.
And what does zeolite have to do with it?
Now we come to a fascinating natural material.
Natural zeolite is a volcanic mineral with a special crystalline structure. One of the best-known types of natural zeolite is clinoptilolite. You can imagine its interior simply as a three-dimensional framework with tiny pores and channels. But even more decisive for ammonium is another property:
Clinoptilolite is a natural ion exchanger.
The crystal lattice carries negative charges. To balance the charge, there are exchangeable positively charged ions—so-called cations—inside it. Ammonium (NH₄⁺) is also positively charged.
When dissolved ammonium meets clinoptilolite, it can be exchanged for other cations in the zeolite and thereby trapped within the mineral.
Simply put: The zeolite offers ammonium a place in its structure. This mechanism has been studied scientifically for decades.
In a classic study by Bernal and Lopez-Real, both the ammonium and ammonia adsorption of various natural zeolites were examined. Significant absorption capacities for both forms of nitrogen were found for the tested zeolites.
Newer scientific review articles also confirm ion exchange as one of the essential mechanisms by which clinoptilolite can absorb ammonium.
Ammonium and ammonia – what is actually the difference?
This is important because both terms are often confused.
Ammonium (NH₄⁺) is a charged ion and is present, for example, dissolved in moisture.
Ammonia (NH₃) is the uncharged form that can become gaseous – and which we perceive as a pungent smell.
There is a chemical equilibrium between both forms, which is influenced by factors including pH value and temperature. For clinoptilolite, the absorption of ammonium via ion exchange is particularly well researched. In addition, adsorption effects against ammonia have also been described in scientific studies. This is an important distinction.
Because instead of simply claiming: "Zeolite absorbs the smell," we can now explain much more precisely why this mineral is of interest in the stable.
HORSEKRAFT bedding: Using zeolite in the horse stable in a targeted way
We use this exact natural mechanism in our HORSEKRAFT bedding with zeolite.
It consists of: high-quality feed lime, natural zeolite, organic lavender.
The mixture is finely ground. In HORSEKRAFT bedding, the zeolite content has a fineness of approximately 35 µm. This fine structure makes it possible to work the mixture well into existing stable bedding.
Important: HORSEKRAFT bedding is not a replacement for the actual base bedding. Straw, shavings, or another suitable bedding material remain the basis.
HORSEKRAFT bedding with zeolite is used supplementarily – especially where moisture and urine occur.
How we apply HORSEKRAFT bedding in autumn
Our practical experience:
For a stall of approximately 10 m², we use about two small scoops per day.
However, there is no need to powder the entire stall thickly.
Better to work in a targeted manner:
1. Muck out damp areas
Regularly remove wet and heavily soiled bedding.
2. Apply HORSEKRAFT bedding with zeolite near the ground
Distribute it especially on typical damp spots or under the fresh bedding.
3. Add new bedding on top
This way, the fine material is exactly where the urine and moisture occur.
4. Observe the stall
How quickly does the area get wet again? How does the stall smell the next morning?
5. Adjust quantity individually
A stall with one horse that urinates a great deal needs different management than a large, airy stall with very dry bedding.
The horse and the stall usually tell us very quickly what works.
Does zeolite work with straw, shavings, or stable mats?
Basically, the zeolite mixture can be used in addition to various bedding systems.
With straw, it can be applied under or into the lower bedding layer.
With shavings, it is also preferably used in the particularly damp areas.
Even with stable mats, a thin layer on the corresponding spots under the actual bedding can be useful.
The decisive factor is less the question:
"What kind of bedding do I have?"
but rather:
"Where does moisture arise in my stall?"
5 adjustment screws for a good stable climate in autumn
Zeolite alone does not make a good horse stable. We prefer to view stable hygiene as the interplay of various factors.
1. Consistently remove damp spots
A permanently wet lying area should not simply be covered over with more and more material. Wet material must go.
2. Ventilate properly – even when it gets cold outside
Fresh air is not a luxury. A horse stable should be sufficiently ventilated even in the cold season, without horses being constantly exposed to unfavorable drafts.
A hermetically sealed, warm stable is not automatically a good stable.
3. Use your nose
How does it smell in the morning?
How does it smell directly above the bedding?
A distinctly pungent ammonia smell should be a prompt to check bedding, ventilation, and management.
4. Treat problem areas in a targeted way
The entire stall does not need to be treated equally. Using zeolite bedding where ammonium and moisture arise is much more sensible than distributing it indiscriminately.
5. Look at the whole horse
Does my horse like to lie down?
What do its hooves look like?
Is the bedding dry?
How is the air?
Does the horse cough?
A stable does not consist of isolated problems. Stable climate is a system.
Damp bedding – also an issue for hooves
In autumn, hooves spend a lot of time in moisture anyway.
Wet pastures, muddy paddocks, and subsequently a damp stall can lead to the hoof horn being exposed to an unfavorable damp environment over a long period.
The central sulcus of the frog in particular deserves special attention now.
That is why, for us, two things go together in autumn:
mud management outside – dry lying areas inside.
Zeolite-containing bedding additives can help to manage moisture in the stall area.
If thrush or another hoof disease already exists, however, it must be specifically assessed and treated. A dry stall supports good hoof management but does not replace necessary hoof care or veterinary treatment.
And what happens to the zeolite afterwards?
Here, a beautiful natural cycle closes.
What we remove from the stall is not simply waste.
Horse manure and bedding can – when correctly stored and composted – become valuable organic material for soils again.
Clinoptilolite loaded with ammonium becomes particularly interesting here: in science, clinoptilolite is not only studied regarding absorption but also regarding the later release of ammonium.
Nitrogen, which we want to avoid losing to the stable air as ammonia, is, after all, an important plant nutrient at the same time.
In this way, horse husbandry connects with one of our favorite STEINKRAFT topics:
Cycles instead of throwing away.
Horse → Stable → Manure → Soil → Plant.
What is bound in one place can become valuable again elsewhere.
What zeolite can do – and what we do not promise
It is important to us not to make natural materials out to be more than they are.
The ability of clinoptilolite to absorb ammonium is scientifically very well documented.
However, that does not mean that zeolite "repairs" a poorly managed stable.
Zeolite does not replace:
- regular mucking out
- sufficient bedding
- good ventilation
- clean waterers and feeding areas
- hoof care
- veterinary diagnostics for respiratory problems.
And this is exactly how we want natural products to be understood:
Not as a miracle cure. But as a sensible component in a well-thought-out system.
Our autumn tip for horse owners
When horses spend more time inside in the autumn, walk into the stable quite consciously one morning. Before you muck out. Look. Smell. Reach into the bedding. Where is it damp? Where does your horse lie? Where does it urinate repeatedly? How does the air feel? Sometimes we do not need a complicated analysis at all.
Our horses and their stall show us quite precisely where we should look.
And perhaps that is exactly what good horse husbandry is: Not reacting only when a problem has grown large. But noticing the small signs beforehand.
Frequently asked questions about ammonia and zeolite in the horse stable
❓Why does my horse stable smell more strongly of ammonia in the autumn?
Longer stable hours, damp bedding, less evaporation, and changed ventilation can contribute to ammonia becoming more noticeable. However, the specific husbandry and stable conditions are always the deciding factors.
❓Does zeolite really bind ammonia?
For the natural zeolite clinoptilolite, both the absorption of ammonium and adsorption effects against ammonia are scientifically described. The binding of ammonium via ion exchange is particularly well researched.
❓Can I use HORSEKRAFT bedding on straw?
Yes. HORSEKRAFT bedding is used as a supplement to normal bedding and can be applied in a targeted manner in damp spots under or into the bedding.
❓How much HORSEKRAFT bedding do I need?
Our practical experience is about two small scoops daily for an approximately 10 m² stall. However, the deciding factors are moisture, type of bedding, stall size, and the individual horse.
❓Do I still have to muck out daily?
Of course. Zeolite does not replace mucking out. Particularly damp and soiled areas should continue to be removed regularly.
❓Is ammonia only problematic because of the smell?
No. Ammonia is one of the factors of stable air that should be considered, especially with regard to horses' sensitive respiratory tracts. Dust, allergens, microorganisms, and ventilation also play an important role in air quality.
❓Does zeolite help against thrush?
A dry, hygienically maintained stall is an important component of hoof care. Zeolite can assist with moisture management in the stall. However, existing thrush should be treated specifically; bedding alone is not a therapy.
Conclusion: Good stable air starts on the ground
Autumn makes visible what is sometimes less noticeable in summer. Moisture stays longer. Horses spend more time in the stall. And suddenly you smell it again: the typical pungent odor of a damp horse stall.
We do not have to simply accept this as "normal stable smell."
Much can be achieved with thorough mucking out, sufficient fresh air, dry lying areas, and well-thought-out bedding management. Natural clinoptilolite offers a fascinating natural property in this regard: It can absorb ammonium through ion exchange.
That is exactly why we use it in our HORSEKRAFT bedding. Not because a natural mineral solves all problems. But because sometimes a small piece of nature in exactly the right place can make a meaningful difference.
For a drier stall. For more pleasant stable air. And above all for the place where our horse spends many hours of its day.
Science & Sources
Bernal, M. P. & Lopez-Real, J. M. (1993): Natural zeolites and sepiolite as ammonium and ammonia adsorbent materials. Bioresource Technology, 43(1), 27–33.
The study confirms the absorption of both ammonium and ammonia by natural zeolites and describes the significance of the exchange sites in the mineral.
Kithome et al. (1998): Kinetics of Ammonium Adsorption and Desorption by the Natural Zeolite Clinoptilolite. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 62.
This paper examines the absorption and subsequent release of ammonium by clinoptilolite under various conditions.
Stabling causes a significant increase in the pH of the equine airway (2010): Study on horses regarding changes in respiratory parameters comparing stabling to pasture turnout.
The study found a significant increase in ammonia levels in the ambient air under stabling conditions compared to pasture conditions and simultaneously observed changes in parameters of the horses' exhaled air.
Saastamoinen et al. (2015): Reducing Respiratory Health Risks to Horses and Workers: A Comparison of Two Stall Bedding Materials. Animals, 5.
The study shows that different bedding materials can lead to significantly different ammonia concentrations in horse stalls, thereby underlining the importance of bedding management for the stable climate.
Read more:
🍂 Horses in autumn
🍂 Horse stable in autumn: Moisture & ammonia – how to keep the stable climate pleasant
🍂 End of the grazing season for horses in autumn – transition feeding gently from grass to hay
