Anyone Use Straw bedding?

ShowJumperBeckii

ShowJumperBeckii

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*Sorry for another bedding post*
Liverys gone up, moneys getting tight
as no one turns there horses out in really bad rain ebs cant go out cause she wont stay out alone :rolleyes:
So im going to end up using at least 2-3 bedmaxs a week and at £7 each [thats £21 a week:eek:] its just not going to happen, so i suggest to my mum straw?
just wondering how many bails [little ones] do you use a week?
cause even if i used 3 a week its the same as ONE bag of bedmax :rolleyes:
i think the stables about 14x12 roughly so how many do i need to use to start off a straw bed? i was thinking 3/4? :confused:

thanks alot (: x
grapes for anyone that reads [not great but healthy? :p]
 
I use straw for my own horses, and also at work on the stud. The old ways are always the best IMO ;)
I would say about 3-4 bales to lay the bed.
And about the same per week, depending on how dirty your horse is.
I do recommend a semi deep litter with straw though, it really does save on bedding, and you get a good base down which is more comfortable.
 
i use straw, but we use the big bales and use one of them a week between six horses, not sure on the small bales how much you would use a week, would say you may need about six to lay a bed down as they are small :s and probs about three or four a week depending on how much clean bedding you put in everyday, if you have a clean horse on straw, it makes life easier as you obv dont take as much out as you would a dirty horse, im lucky if i get half a wheelbarrow, and thats a full muckout to the floor everyday
 
With our 14.2hh mare in a 12x12 stable we use prob 5 bales to make bed and then put in 1 a week. But we also put 2-3 bales of shavings down underneath to soak up wet and then just remove droppings daily and wet probably every 2-3 weeks, it works brilliantly. She has a very thick bed as she's 37yrs.

Wish we could have the new boy on straw but he'd pig it so shavings it is xx
 
Thank You
Would it be ok to leave a small lot of leftover shavings at the bottem, like when her bed nexts gets fin start with straw so them shavings aint wasted or do does it need to be emty from all shavings?
im not sure i could do a semi deep bed with straw just getting to terms with a normal straw bed ;) lol
 
I agree with the above. Cost wise I've been paying £2.50 for the small bales, so if I use 4 a week that's £10. Don't forget the additional transport money if you have it delivered (£10 when mine comes).
 
i used to use straw and only used 2 to start a bed in a 12x14 and used one to two a week with a very wet horse. i never deep littered it as he just used to mash it in together. i cant use it now as my mare eats it and she is large enough! straw round her is £5 a bale though!
 
Yes i use straw. I buy the big bales. Skip droppings out daily and take wet out at the weekend. Usually then put 2 sections in to top bed up. The banks are big and the base is thick. I am lucky as Beanie is very tidy and doesnt eat it. She does however always have plenty of hay so no need for her to want to eat it. If you are on shavings I would just put the straw on top and use them as a base. It would save you money by doing this.
 
BSJAShowjumper123 said:
Thank You
Would it be ok to leave a small lot of leftover shavings at the bottem, like when her bed nexts gets fin start with straw so them shavings aint wasted or do does it need to be emty from all shavings?
im not sure i could do a semi deep bed with straw just getting to terms with a normal straw bed ;) lol
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I don't see why it would be a problem to leave old shavings down and put straw on top. Your other option would be to do what we've done with the boy which is rubber matting with 1/2 bed of shavings. Big cost initially but then saves on bedding - hopefully - we are only four days in!!
 
is it dangerous to eat? like if she ate loads
say if she nibbled on it, i wouldt mind as shee needs more bulk the better but if its dangerous ill get worried :/
£3 ish around here at the moment i think
but livery is getting so much aswell x
 
Sorry if this looks dodgy usuing my blackberry to post, yes I use straw and love it! Recently moved back on to it from shavings for financial reasons, I have large bales as works out cheaper, been on straw 3 weeks today, I put clean in every other day and so far I'm not even half way through 1 bale.
 
Supertrooper said:
I don't see why it would be a problem to leave old shavings down and put straw on top. Your other option would be to do what we've done with the boy which is rubber matting with 1/2 bed of shavings. Big cost initially but then saves on bedding - hopefully - we are only four days in!!
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was thinking of that, but its my mum that has to pay for all this so i thought straw would be a good opinion? x
 
I use straw :D

For 3 horses, 2 are on rubber mats and I used a bale every 3 days with a small top up inbetween for all of them. I prefer barley straw as it puffs up nicely but alot of horses will scoff the bed, luckily mine dont.
 
PurplePickle said:
I use straw :D

For 3 horses, 2 are on rubber mats and I used a bale every 3 days with a small top up inbetween for all of them. I prefer barley straw as it puffs up nicely but alot of horses will scoff the bed, luckily mine dont.
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either way straw its going to end up alot cheaper and by the sounds of it people seem to love it?
i dont have any choice at yard :rolleyes:
 
were just about to move to shavings, although i have to pay for it! :( but straw is def alot cheaper :) just hate mucking it out so much!! takes me about 20 mins to so a straw bed where as i could do a shavings bed in about 5!
 
bigboyrocky said:
were just about to move to shavings, although i have to pay for it! :( but straw is def alot cheaper :) just hate mucking it out so much!! takes me about 20 mins to so a straw bed where as i could do a shavings bed in about 5!
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I much prefer straw bedding!! Once you get used to it I think it's much easier :)
I am the other way around, it seems to take me 20 mins to much out shavings, but 5 mins to muck out a straw bed!!!

Having the leftover shavings underneath the straw bed I think would be ideal. Especially if your mare is quite wet it will soak up a lot of the wet :)
 
i worked at the yard and perfured the straw [wasnt my horse tho]
as the poo stayed together and with shavings thee horses seems to roll it everywhere
if i was paying then maybed id stay but its not fair on my parents x
 
I moved from shavings to straw when I moved yard, and straw is great. There's something so nice about seeing them in a knee deep straw bed. It's a bit frustrating the next morning though when she's eaten it all though, and left the hay......

It mucks out fine, but I find it can be a bit dusty, but do can shavings. I know a few people who put straw on top of shavings and it works fine.
 
bigboyrocky said:
were just about to move to shavings, although i have to pay for it! :( but straw is def alot cheaper :) just hate mucking it out so much!! takes me about 20 mins to so a straw bed where as i could do a shavings bed in about 5!
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Funny what you get used to. I can muck out a straw bed properly in under ten minutes. Shavings would have me still there at teatime and pulling out my hair! Needless to add we use straw!
 
I have a box walker so he is on straw, he has about 4 bales to start the bed in summer then i add another 1 to bank it (only on 2 sides) in winter, but in the week i would get through about 2-3 bales. He does have a good deep bed and i prefer straw now as i think it is a softer bed for them!! Plus with him i just have to go in and take out the middle then every weekend i alternate banks.
 
I have straw on rubber mats. The mats are there mainly as my horses, no matter how thick the bed, dig down to the floor.
I started with 2 bales, and top up with 1 - 2 bales a week
 
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