Another Bedding Question - Sorry!!

[J_sarahd]

I have about 8-10 bags of wood pellets left but obviously with the price they’ve shot up to, I’m now having to rethink what to put Nova on this winter once they’re used up.

I want something as cost effective as possible but I’m not entirely sure yet whether she’s messy/wet/tidy etc. So it’s proving quite tricky.

I’ll most likely buy a pallet as it often works out slightly cheaper. I know it’s not going to be super cheap and that the cheapest option is straw - but I cannot get on with straw for the life of me!

Any suggestions? I’ve looked at Beddown’s new cheaper range, Heavenly Bedding, Easibed and Sun-e-bed but only Beddown have a price that I can easily see without contacting the brand!

 

[Annagain]

I'd have a look at miscnathus pellets and/or straw pellets. Now that wood pellets have gone up so much in price they're about the same price - if not slightly cheaper and they're supposed to be much more absorbent so you should technically need to top up less often. I've stocked up on a mixture of both (what the place I bought them from recommended - because the straw fluffs up better but the miscanthus is much more absorbent) after reading about some positive experiences on here. I haven't used it myself yet as they're still out.

 

[J&S]

I was using Easi bed but it went up considerably. Now have Burley Bed, which is miscanthus, seems good to me but they are not sleeping shut in yet.

 

[HelenBack]

I'd have a look at miscnathus pellets and/or straw pellets. Now that wood pellets have gone up so much in price they're about the same price - if not slightly cheaper and they're supposed to be much more absorbent so you should technically need to top up less often. I've stocked up on a mixture of both (what the place I bought them from recommended - because the straw fluffs up better but the miscanthus is much more absorbent) after reading about some positive experiences on here. I haven't used it myself yet as they're still out.

Do you mind me asking where you got the pellets from? Just wondering because you're local to me and my new horse is very wet so I'm thinking I might have to re-consider my options.

 

[Polos Mum]

I looked at lots of alternatives a month or so ago. But pellets suit my storage (not massive for a winters worth of shavings) and muck heap (don't want an enormous straw pile that needs clearing all winter) so I just sucked up the cost of wood pellets.
Straw pellets were the same price so I stuck with what I knew my horses and management style liked.

 

[Birker2020]

I have about 8-10 bags of wood pellets left but obviously with the price they’ve shot up to, I’m now having to rethink what to put Nova on this winter once they’re used up.

I want something as cost effective as possible but I’m not entirely sure yet whether she’s messy/wet/tidy etc. So it’s proving quite tricky.

I’ll most likely buy a pallet as it often works out slightly cheaper. I know it’s not going to be super cheap and that the cheapest option is straw - but I cannot get on with straw for the life of me!

Any suggestions? I’ve looked at Beddown’s new cheaper range, Heavenly Bedding, Easibed and Sun-e-bed but only Beddown have a price that I can easily see without contacting the brand!

I use pellets, they are £6 a bag by us but not sure what weight they are. I am currently using one bag a fortnight but was using one every three weeks. When Lari comes in overnight it will probably be one every week.

I use them thinly spread but I also have a thick bed of shavings on top. I find this tends to make them last longer.

 

[ponynutz]

I was on a stud farm once and they used to use wood pellets sparingly as almost a 'deep litter' bed and then shavings on top. They'd then move the shavings out of the way and muck out the wood pellet bit underneath and replace any they needed to and repeat. It meant they used a lot lot less wood pellets (therefore saving on cost) as well as less shavings because it wasn't getting soaking either.

 

[Annagain]

Do you mind me asking where you got the pellets from? Just wondering because you're local to me and my new horse is very wet so I'm thinking I might have to re-consider my options.

From a company called agri-pellets. They're not local, we got a pallet of straw and a pallet of miscanthus to share amongst a few of us on the yard. Delivered quickly and the guy I spoke to was really helpful.

 

[Otherwise]

I've started using miscanthus pellets, horse eats straw pellets so I've just been adding them to what's left of the wood pellet bed. So far I like them although they haven't trully been tested yet as he's only in for a few hours during the day until the clocks change.

 

[mini-eventer]

Im going to give these a go I think: www.cavierabedding.co.uk has any one tried it?

 

[J_sarahd]

Im going to give these a go I think: www.cavierabedding.co.uk has any one tried it?

I’ve had a look at those too as they’re local to me. But yes would be good to get others opinions if anyone else has tried

 

[eggs]

I’ve had a look at those too as they’re local to me. But yes would be good to get others opinions if anyone else has tried

I've used both the Raviera and Cavianthus in the past and found them easy to use and less effort than wood pellets to dig out - I skip out during the week and dig the wet out at the weekend.

I now use chopped rape straw and chopped miscanthus from a local supplier as it works out cheaper.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

My two have been on wood pellets for 4 years but as in winter I tend to use two a week each it just isn’t economical any more. I’ve got about 20 bags left. One is quite tidy the other is a mucky sod. I’ve left the wood pellet beds in and been adding rape straw to them to build it up for winter. I’ve only tested it with them in for the day but it seems quite good. Tomorrow night they’re in at night until end of March as dictated by the yard manager so then it’ll get properly tested. It’s about £8.90 a bale (Rapasorb) but they’re big and I’m hoping I’ll only need one each a week and continue to put a sprinkling of pellets in the wet patch. I usually only dig out the wet patch once every 5-7 days.

I’ve tried a fair few other types of bedding in the past but never found anything better than wood pellets for economy and ease of mucking out so it’s a pita!

 

[minesadouble]

We make and sell a lot of chopped rape straw bedding, I don't use it myself as I love good old fashioned straw but many yards local to us have switched to it.

 

[mariew]

I'm about to head back into horse ownership hopefully and am just going to go cheapest that works. I loved woodpellets but not for £700 / pallet! I'm guessing straw and maybe something to soak up the worst of it underneath.

 

[dreamcometrue]

I’ve used Raviera and really liked it. Chopped rapestraw is my preferred bedding.

 

[spacefaer]

I've used chopped rape straw for years and love it. I can't get on with pellets with our big draughts - the beds and rugs are disgusting.
I've just moved to a different supplier as my local one has stopped providing it. The new people are called Unibed - they deliver a pallet for free and it's £245 for a whole pallet of 36 x 20kg bags. (£6.83 a bale)

It's nice stuff and the people are easy to deal with

And their bags are 100% recyclable which is brilliant)

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I'm about to head back into horse ownership hopefully and am just going to go cheapest that works. I loved woodpellets but not for £700 / pallet! I'm guessing straw and maybe something to soak up the worst of it underneath.

I .over back to straw after being on pellets. I deep litter during the week and do a full muck out at the weekend. I have 2 horses. It costs me £4 a week to do it that way, so £20 a month as opposed to £150 a month in pellets and that was before the price rise!! I also find straw a lot less dusty compared to pellets.

 

[HelenBack]

What do people who have used both find more absorbant out of chopped rape straw and shavings?

 

[spacefaer]

What do people who have used both find more absorbant out of chopped rape straw and shavings?

Chopped rape straw without a doubt. It's also heavier so doesn't get kicked about as much as shavings, so I find it tidier to deep litter

 

[vmac66]

I'm using Bliss bedding at the moment which is chopped rape straw. Super absorbent, take the wet out once a,week