Bedding advice!

[Harri Green]

Hi guys,

Having just got some rubber matting, I'm looking at alternatives to straw for bedding, for my poor mare on box rest for the foreseeable future.
The bedding has to be cost effective, I currently put a huge deep straw bed in and I spend about £2 per week! But I hate the smell of horse urine on straw so I want something non-smelly. I've considered the Bliss eucalyptus bedding but I hear its a fortune.
Any guidelines on how much bedding costs per week (full time stabling) would be sooo handy too.

Thanks xx

 

[MudMudGloriousMud]

To me, when having a horse on BR you can't beat shavings (Especially Bedmax) as it provides such a comfortable, supportive surface for them.
Putting a base of Cushion Bed or Easibed and then the shavings over the top can work out more cost effective.

Hope that helps

Mel x

 

[express_75]

As Harri Green says, easibed with shaving on top is great but Bliss is also brill at soaking up the pee, the bales aren't cheap but I'm using far less then when I had the wet one on easibed. I'm converted to bliss

 

[BethanT]

I also second shavings. Anything other than straw - most of the time - you are looking at at least £4/5+

Shavings currently cost me £7.50 a bale but I use 1 bale every 9 days at the moment. Plus it doesn't smell and is lovely to keep clean.

Another option would be to put a base of miscanthus under the straw which is super absorbant and doesnt leave a smell at all.

Another little tip is to look at the size of bales and how tightly packed they are if getting shavings, as I've noticed some stores charge much less for a bale but there is considreably less shavings, so its not always a case of cheapest is best.

Hope this helps

 

[Wagtail]

I find the most cost effective and non smelly bedding to be wood pellet. But for a horse on box rest, I would expect to start with 12 15kg bags and use three a week to keep the bed nice and deep and dry. You could get away with less, but the bed will not look as nice. If you buy by the pallet load, that should cost you around £10 a week using three bags.

 

[jenni999]

Definitely wood pellets. Shavings are not nearly as supportive and, depending on why your horse is on box rest, you may want something to support their feet/legs. My vet told me wood pellets are the best for laminitics.