Bedding for a horse thats too clean!

McNally

McNally

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Opposite problem of whats usually posted!

My horse is very very clean and i take so little bedding out each day that i rarely need to add new bales.
I'm not complaining- in the past i have struggled to afford enough bedding so its great but, I find that the bed gets dusty- he's on nice shavings which are dust extracted but i gave him a huge bed and take nothing out so even though i dig it over regularly its become dusty and very dry in my stable.
This defies the whole point of shavings which i use due to my own asthma not the horse but at the minute my daughters straw bed is less dusty than my own stable!
Recommend me something for a very very dry horse and stable (maybe one thats good to deep litter and not disturb would be better?)
 
Correct me if I'm wrong (I don't use it myself) but when you put Aubiose down as a bed don't you damp it down? This reduces dust - might be worth a look.
 
Aubiose you are supposed to wet it but I find it makes it less absorbant.
How about Aquamax, its pellets that you wet when you put it down and they end up turning to like a sawdust consistency. You need to put alot down initially but after that its good you only need a bag or so a week.

ETA: How are you doing with your boy by the way? Have you managed to ride him again?
 
I'd be a bit concerned as to why my horse was so clean, does he go to the toilet outside normally ? is his wee a normal colour, how many poo's does he do ?

When you say he's clean do you mean he doesn't mess his bed up but goes to the toilet normally or is he not going ?

Has he always had these toilet habit's ?
 
NOISYGIRL said:
I'd be a bit concerned as to why my horse was so clean, does he go to the toilet outside normally ? is his wee a normal colour, how many poo's does he do ?

When you say he's clean do you mean he doesn't mess his bed up but goes to the toilet normally or is he not going ?

Has he always had these toilet habit's ?
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Cant people just anwser the simple question, instead of making them selves sound like vets??
 
That was a little harsh OhCappaGino! One of the useful things about these forums is the opportunity to have other people look at your questions from a new perspective.

Plenty of horses don't like splashing themselves so don't go on a hard surface - be interesting to know why one wouldn't go in a stable...
 
Light watering can be helpful. If I am starting a new shavings bed I always water it and then pat it down firmly with the back of the shavings fork to get it to "bed in" quicker! if you find he is not peeing much in general perhaps do a check for a bean!
 
I have one horse that is very very clean too. She wees and poos as normal, but does it tidily and doesn't mash it all up. I wish they were all like her, but my others make up for her!

I find her much better on straw than shavings. (I too found shavings created loads of dust - particularly in dry weather..) I have more than one horse, so once a week I take out a barrow of her bed and put it into her nextdoor neighbour's bed, as he is a pig and whatever you put in comes out filthy the next day, whereas my mare never needs her bed topping up much (this way she still gets nice bright fresh straw twice a week!)
 
Regarding the shavings, we had a horse on these, and after doing the bed, we would get a small watering can, fill with water and just "water" the bed, like you would with flowers. Not loads, but just so it was damp.

Personally, if that was my horse, I would consider putting him on rubber matting with a patch of shavings/straw for him to lay/wee on. This way, if its a small enough amount, you could remove it all, and replace daily, therefore, you wouldn't get the dust issue.

Good luck, and lucky you for having a clean horse!!
 
Flax is about the most dust free bedding I have ever used. Out of all the straws the oat straw I get is very un dusty too (wheras the wheat straw seems to be more dust and mud than straw sometimes :p!)
 
I only water my Aubiose when I put a brand new bed down, if I'm just adding a bale I don't bother. It's very good for clean horses - Genie's wet for a week, her poo for a night and Titch's poo for a night fits into one level wheelbarrow. I can fit 4 muckouts into one wheelbarrow (orange B&Q one) and Genie's bed has never been dusty even in the driest of summers.
 
Will try and answer questions here!

He's been this clean in the time i've had him yes- he does wee but its a tiny bit- l scoop it up on one fork, he poo's about 4 times all neatly and some time not even on his bed, I can pick up the droppings and his bed is pristine- he gets shavings in his mane and tail so must lie down.
His wee seems normal to me yes.
I can use straw but it really depends on the straw at the time, my yard uses big bales so there is no choice sometimes its rubbish- then i cant use it. I do probably worry but ended up in hospital at the end of last year for a week so am cautious and scared of dust!

The sharing with another horse sounds good- in fact my friend used to have the same thing and it worked very well- her messy horse had couple of barrows a week off the clean one and that way a new bale could be fitted in the clean stable- I'd forgotten that! When we move yards both our horses will be on shavings- mind you the other one is very clean aswell tbh!

No i've not ridden him since- I am still unable to drive and although i can walk/hobble i struggle with anything that requires bendy legs! no way i could even get on a horse yet! I'm pretty much house bound during the day til my o/h gets home from work and drives me around! (bit like the queen!)
 
Oh and Aubiouse sounds good- will have a look
He already has mats but i personally prefer a fairly thick bed- or at least a thinner bad but with banks.

Thanks for the replies and ideas
 
My boy was very clean, all poo in one corner and wee in one place - lovely to muck out! I used Bed down excel or sundown red which are a mixture of straw and shavings with a really lovely smell added. I would skip out all week and then take the wet out weekends and turned the bed over then. It never got dusty or musty and turning it over would make it smell lovely and fresh again.
 
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