Horse manure volume.

Worked example

Two 1,000 lb horses stalled full time: manure is 35 to 50 lb a day each, so 70 to 100 lb a day total (up to 18.3 tons a year). With bedding, stall waste is 2 to 3 cubic feet a day each, so 4 to 6 cubic feet a day. Over 90 days that is 360 to 540 cubic feet, or 13.3 to 20.0 cubic yards.

How it works

Per 1,000 lb horse, E296: Agricultural Management Practices for Commercial Equine Operations (Rutgers NJAES) (Stall Waste Production and Characteristics) gives 35 to 50 lb of manure (feces and urine) a day, about nine tons a year, 15 to 20 lb of bedding a day, manure plus bedding of 2 to 3 cubic feet a day, and 60 to 70 lb of waste removed from a stalled horse a day. We scale manure by body weight, scale stall waste by the share of time stalled, and divide cubic feet by 27 for cubic yards. The scaling is ours, not the source’s. Bedding type, how often you pick stalls and compaction change real volumes.

Sources (opened 2026-10-08): E296: Agricultural Management Practices for Commercial Equine Operations (Rutgers NJAES).

FAQ

How much manure does a horse produce a day?

A 1,000 lb horse produces roughly 35 to 50 lb of manure, feces and urine, a day according to Rutgers extension, or about nine tons a year.

How many cubic feet of manure is that with bedding?

Manure plus bedding is about 2 to 3 cubic feet a day per stalled horse.

How much waste do I remove from a stall?

A stalled 1,000 lb horse needs 60 to 70 lb of waste removed a day, including soiled bedding.

How big should my manure storage be?

Multiply cubic feet a day by the days you must store. Check local rules for setbacks, covering and runoff.