California Riding Magazine • June, 2010

PermaStall-Wash
Fighting flies and health threats at a
fraction of conventional costs.

Well known for its rice-hull stall bedding, San Diego-based PermaStall-Plus expands its line of effective, economical and environmentally friendly horse keeping products with PermaStall-Wash.

“This is a cross-over product between a total disinfectant and a fly repellant,” says company president Ross McArthur. “It’s the first product of its kind on the market.” PermaStall-Wash’s main ingredients include peppermint, garlic, rosemary, cinnamon and thyme. The all-natural product meets standards set forth by the Natural Organic Program and thus it can be used without fear of exposing people, horses or the environment to harmful toxins.

McArthur is a longtime horseman and formerly an active show jumper who competed around the world. In his travels, he learned about the use of enzymes to contain odor in various livestock environments, a concept that was later a key in the development of PermaStall-Plus bedding.

PermaStall-Wash goes two steps further. “We knew people were already spraying for odor control,” McArthur recounts of PermaStall-Wash’s evolution. “We discovered we could disinfect the stall for mold, fungus, e-coli, salmonella and bacteria. When we combined that with the ability to break the cycle of the fly larvae, it became very exciting.”

Test farms have responded with rave reviews. “The results were phenomenal,” says McArthur. “Even from farms with a huge fly issue. They still get transient flies, but nothing like they had before.”

The product’s effectiveness depends on a thorough application to any place in the barn where flies can breed. The process starts with spraying down a clean, empty stall, including walls, floors, ceilings, stall door grills, etc. The bedding should be sprayed, along with everything else. “Fly masks, garbage containers, the muck heap and all stall cleaning implements and the trailer,” McArthur explains. A proper application will normally break the cycle of flies within 30 days.

PermaStall-Wash is sold in a 64-ounce container of concentrate that makes five-and-a-half gallons of product. One gallon will typically take care of a 15-20 stall barn for up to a month, McArthur reports. Priced at $29.95, one bottle can last through an entire fly season if used correctly. The product can be ordered through the website and is available in tack stores.

Win-Win Product

The reality that environmentally friendly products and methods are often also extremely cost effective is migrating from the housekeeping world to the horsekeeping world. McArthur is excited to have his company poised at the forefront of this trend. “It’s dramatic what can be done with all natural, organic products. We are pleased to be showing horse owners how they can lower their bedding and disposal costs while having a much healthier environment for horses, workers, owners, etc.“

PermaStall’s line also includes PermaStall-FlyAway, a cost-effective, all natural, organic concentrate designed for overhead spray systems. Accessories include PermaStall-Guard, a brush threshold that holds bedding in the stall, and the fine-tined PermaFork pitchfork.
In the near future, McArthur plans to expand further with like-minded horse care products. These all natural, all organic topical wound creams and ointments will soon be available under the Premiere Equine Products banner.

For more information, visit www.permastallplus.com or call Ross McArthur at 760-274-4325.