Horse Manure Volume Calculator

Average Horse Output

A 1,000-pound horse produces roughly 50 pounds of manure per day, or about 9 to 12 gallons of volume, depending on water content and feed. This works out to approximately 1 to 1.2 cubic feet of raw manure per day. Smaller horses and ponies produce proportionally less.

Bedding Adds Significantly

Stall waste is a combination of manure and soiled bedding. The bedding volume can exceed the manure volume depending on stall size and management practice. Shavings at deep-bedding (replacing the top layer daily): roughly 0.3 to 0.5 cubic feet of waste per day. Full stall cleaning: 1 to 2 cubic feet of shavings waste per day. Straw: bulkier, with 1.5 to 3 cubic feet per day in a standard stall. Pellet bedding (compressed wood pellets that expand when wet): produces less volume waste at 0.2 to 0.4 cubic feet per day.

Compost Pile Sizing

Composting reduces volume by about 50 to 60% from raw to finished compost. A properly managed pile needs to be at least 3 feet x 3 feet x 3 feet (about 1 cubic yard minimum) to generate enough heat to kill parasites and weed seeds. For a 2-horse operation composting on a 12-week cycle, budget roughly 6 to 8 cubic yards of active pile capacity.

Practical Notes

One full-size pickup truck bed holds about 1 to 1.5 cubic yards of bedded manure. A standard manure spreader holds 50 to 200 cubic feet depending on size. Monthly volume estimates here help with planning disposal schedules and compost bay sizing.