TL;DR
Sort the leather before anything else, because a serviceable saddle can be worth more than the entire cost of the cleanout and a hauler cannot tell one from a dry-rotted one. After the gear, the two problems are spoiled feed drawing rodents and stall bedding, which is agricultural waste rather than junk removal material.
Tack rooms and stables clear out when a horse leaves, a property sells, or a barn changes use. The gear has value, the feed has consequences, and the bedding has its own disposal path.
Triage the Tack First
Quality leather tack holds value for decades if it was kept oiled and dry. A well-maintained saddle from a known maker can be worth a significant sum, and bridles, harness, and saddle pads have a steady resale market.
Check three things on every leather piece: the billets or latigo straps, the stitching at stress points, and the flexibility of the leather. Leather that cracks when you bend it has lost its oils and is no longer safe under load, regardless of how the surface looks.
A cracked tree in a saddle is a structural failure. Press the pommel and cantle and look for movement or a creaking sound. A broken tree makes the saddle unsafe and drops it to decorative value.
Route the good gear before you route anything else. Consignment shops, tack sales, 4H and Pony Club programs, therapeutic riding centers, and rescue operations all take usable gear, and several will pick up. Our framework for donate, sell, or haul applies directly here, with the caveat that unsafe tack should never be passed on for use.
Blankets, Pads, and Textiles
Turnout blankets, coolers, and saddle pads are the bulk textile category and they are usually filthy.
Blankets in good repair with working surcingles and no tears launder and resell. Rescue operations take them in quantity, particularly heavyweight turnouts.
Anything torn, mildewed, or with a failed waterproof coating is disposal. Blanket shells are nylon or polyester with fill, and they are not accepted in ordinary textile recycling because of the mixed materials and the contamination.
Feed Is the Rodent Problem
Old feed is the item that turns a routine cleanout into a bigger job.
Grain and pelleted feed left in bins or bags draws rodents, and a tack room that has held feed for a season without use will have an established population. Look for droppings along the wall base, chewed bag corners, and nesting material inside stored blankets and boots.
Moldy feed is a genuine hazard rather than an aesthetic problem. Do not feed it to anything, and bag it sealed rather than spreading it. Handle it with a respirator, since disturbing moldy grain releases spores in quantity.
If the rodent situation is established, sequence the cleanout after a treatment rather than before, for the same reason described in pest treatment cleanouts. Pulling material out first scatters the population into the rest of the building.
Bedding, Manure, and Stall Debris
This is the category most people expect a junk removal crew to handle, and generally they do not.
Manure and used bedding are agricultural waste. They are managed through manure spreading, composting, or an agricultural hauler, and they are not accepted in a standard junk removal load. Volume alone rules it out: a single stall generates a substantial amount weekly.
Clean unused shavings and straw are a different matter and can go with a general load or into a yard debris stream depending on local rules. Yard waste removal costs covers how organic debris prices out.
Old rubber stall mats are the heavy item. A single mat can weigh 75 to 120 pounds, and a stall holds several. They are bulky, they do not fold, and they are usually disposal unless they are in good condition, in which case they resell readily.
Rotted stall boards, broken feeders, and old bucket hardware are ordinary debris and go with the load. What haulers generally will and will not take is covered in what junk haulers take.
Medications, Chemicals, and Sharps
Tack rooms hold a small pharmacy, and it needs separate handling.
Veterinary medications, dewormers, liniments, and topicals are not household waste. Many communities run medication take-back programs, and unused veterinary products are generally accepted the same way human medications are.
Needles and syringes are sharps and must go into an approved sharps container, never into a bag or a general load. Fly spray concentrate, disinfectants, and hoof products are household hazardous waste.
Empty and rinsed containers are usually ordinary waste. Set all of this aside before the crew arrives so nothing has to be sorted on the day.
What a Tack Room and Stable Cleanout Costs
Industry Baseline Range
| Scope | Industry baseline range |
|---|---|
| Junk removal per load (not cleanout-specific) | $150 to $350 |
Source: HomeGuide, "Junk Removal Prices" national cost guide.
These are industry baseline ranges for planning only and may not reflect Otesse's price. Otesse pricing is calculated for your specific home and ZIP code, so enter your ZIP in the price box on this page for your instant price.
Current Market Reality
Stall mats and feed bins drive the disposal weight more than anything else in a stable. Rubber is dense, and tipping fees are charged by the ton.
Access is usually favorable, since barns have wide doors and truck access at the main aisle. That keeps labor time reasonable. Manure and used bedding are handled outside the quote entirely and are a separate arrangement, which is worth clarifying up front so nobody is surprised.
How stable cleanouts compare with one another:
| Scope | Relative cost (lower to higher) |
|---|---|
| Tack room only, gear and shelving | Lower |
| Tack room plus stall debris and mats | Middle |
| Full stable clear with equipment and fixtures | Higher |
Every job is different, so the real number depends on the details above. Enter your ZIP in the price box on this page to see your instant price.
Sequencing the Job
Do the gear triage on its own day. It is the only part of the job that requires judgment, and it is the part that recovers value.
Then handle the medications and chemicals, then the feed, then the bedding through its own channel, and only then bring in a hauling crew for the debris and fixtures.
FAQ
Is old leather tack worth selling?
Often, yes. Quality saddles, bridles, and harness that were kept oiled hold value for decades. Check the tree for movement, the stitching at stress points, and whether the leather flexes without cracking. Unsafe tack should never be sold for use.
Will a junk removal crew haul manure and used bedding?
Generally no. Manure and soiled bedding are agricultural waste handled through spreading, composting, or an agricultural hauler. Clean unused shavings and straw can usually go with a standard load or into a yard debris stream.
What do I do with old horse feed?
Bag it sealed and dispose of it rather than spreading it, particularly if it is moldy. Wear a respirator when handling it, since disturbing spoiled grain releases spores. Expect rodents wherever feed has been sitting unused.
How heavy are rubber stall mats?
A single mat commonly runs 75 to 120 pounds and a stall holds several. They are dense, they do not fold, and they drive the disposal weight of a stable clear. Mats in good condition have resale value and are worth offering first.
Where can I donate usable horse gear?
Therapeutic riding centers, equine rescues, 4H and Pony Club programs, and tack consignment shops all take serviceable gear, and some will collect it. Confirm the safety condition of anything you pass on, since gear failure under a rider is a real risk.
Getting the Stable Cleared
Triage the leather, route the medications, arrange the bedding separately, and the mats, fixtures, and debris are what is left for a hauler. See junk removal for the next step.
Tell us the stall count and how many mats are going out, then get a quote.
