Ammonia is a pungent smelling, highly flammable gas. Even low levels of ammonia can cause upper respiratory problems, putting the horse at risk of serious illnesses. Foals are particularly susceptible to illness said to be related to ammonia fumes as well as horses recovering from illness or injury.  Stabled horses tend to suffer respiratory problems more than pastured horses because in open air, the urine is not trapped, hence preventing the production of ammonia that the horse breathes in from a small space.

Ammonia fumes are detrimental to good respiratory health as they can irritate the airways. Extended exposure to ammonia can cause irritation, chronic inflammation of bronchi, airway hyperactivity and chronic irritation of eye membranes and mucus membranes.

In order to improve the air quality in the stable:

• Keep horses outside where possible. In open air, urine isn’t trapped and horses don’t breathe in high concentrations of ammonia.
• Muck out fully, each day. If the horse is stabled all the time, skip out in between full muck outs.
• Remove the horse from his stable when mucking out – ideally turn him out, but putting him in another stable also works if that isn’t possible.
• Wear a face mask when you muck out to help protect yourself.
•  Use quality bedding material and add materials to the bedding, known for soaking up urine and neutralising the odours. Some bedding has natural properties that act on ammonia too.
• Keep stable and barn doors and windows open whenever possible for ventilation purposes and to encourage good air circulation.