Bedding for shelter

[3OldPonies]

The boys new home only has a field shelter with a bare earth floor. Am thinking of putting some bedding down to make it a bit more appealing to them. What does everyone think, and what would you use? Shavings would be the easiest to purchase.

 

[Cortez]

I have pea gravel in my shelter; pee drains away and the poop is easy to lift with a shavings fork. They tend not to lie down in there, but I have seen one or two taking a nap from time to time.

 

[milliepops]

tbh i find dirt floors work well in my shelters. the ones that live out don't tend to sleep in theirs anyway but the dirt is quite soft so it would be fine if they wanted to.

 

[hobo]

I use aubiose I use the second hand stuff from my stables when I do a pre winter cleanup but also use fresh if I have to. It complements bare earth floors really well but it is not cheap but requires very little topping up.
NH had his first night out and i was pleased to see bedding on his rug which means he as at the very least had a roll in the shelter and hopefully a snooze.

 

[J&S]

I had a field shelter in my previous rented accommodation. It had dividers, 2 x ponies 1 x storage. The base was hard core. I put some rubber matting down towards the front and covered the back area with shavings. I hardly ever had to change the bedding. They did use the shelters for naps and the odd sit down and I put the hay nets inside in bad weather. It worked really well because the shelter had been erected in the optimum place for the local winds. Its no good if the prevailing wind blows rain in.

 

[dorsetladette]

We get free sawdust from a sawmill/log splitter person (in exchange for eggs and sometimes cider) which we use for bedding for the chickens and sheep. What is left over is put in the shelter for the horses. We bank it up at the back and then pull a bit down/forward at a time. It tends to just disappear over time as you muck out/poo pick, but in the summer I clear the whole lot out as it can get a bit dusty in really dry weather.

 

[Goldenstar]

I have shavings in mine we muck out the droppings and dig out any higher bits over the winter and give a good sort in the summer .

 

[Tarragon]

If I had a shelter I would make best use of any natural drainage I could and if it needed a bit on top I would use wood pellets and really only poo pick. It settles down into nice firm bed and doesn't move about.

 

[PurBee]

I’ve used large wood chip in the past In an oitdoor area, nice deep bed of at least 8 inches. It’s long-lasting, Many months use... Drains well....Cushioning enough they’ll lay on it if they want a snooze. Easy to lift poops of the top.

Find a local tree surgeon as they usually have loads of woodchip they often pay to get rid of If they cant chip and dispose on site.
Make sure its from ‘safe species’ of trees though - no holly, oak,walnut etc.
Firs, willow, birch is fine.

 

[tda]

I put straw around the 3 sides, like banks, I can tell if they've been in there as it's disturbed,
Take poo out and throw straw back-up. They mainly wee in there tho ?

 

[3OldPonies]

Thanks everyone. The floor is quite soft, not hard, so I think I might give the wood pellets a go.

 

[fidleyspromise]

I got sand delivered a couple weeks ago as the middle of my shelter had dipped down. I've not put mats on top and a smattering of shavings. My friends has mats too but uses straw. I find my ponies like their shelter and will have a lie down snooze in it especially in fowl weather.

 

[ponynutz]

Seen people use sand to supplement the dirt and make it a bit warmer and comfier; easy to get droppings off too (not sure how they handled wee though, maybe it soaked into the ground? not too sure)

 

[cauda equina]

An earth/grass floor is fine until it gets worn; mine ended up being like a dust bath and being in a flinty area there were loose stones in it too
I now bed or mat for that reason. They do seem to lie down more too, if there's bedding

 

[3OldPonies]

An earth/grass floor is fine until it gets worn; mine ended up being like a dust bath and being in a flinty area there were loose stones in it too
I now bed or mat for that reason. They do seem to lie down more too, if there's bedding

That's exactly what mine is like! I think I'm going to get shavings to put down. Quite awkward to get sand across the field in enough quantity!

 

[Fransurrey]

I find shavings hard to muck out, because my boy is a dirty oik. He pees a lot in the shelter, then walks it around. For that reason I now use Snowflake softchip, as it packs down nicely. I used to not bother with bedding at all, but said oik still pees in there and it started to smell and look disgusting.

 

[sjdress]

i have rubber matting and shavings in my shelter. Works well.

 

[jnb]

A good thick shavings bed, my cob has about 6 sleeps a day!

 

[MagicMelon]

I have my open stables (which they can come in and out of 24/7) on a hardcore base which is great as its so free draining - pee or wet just drains away so they're nice and dry to stand in. If I put them in properly (for a show or something) they I'll pop some straw down on top of it but for day to day when they come and go with muddy feet or dripping coats then hardcore or some sort of stone is good.

 

[HollyWoozle]

We have shavings but I now wonder about trying wood pellets!

 

[Brownmare]

I use wood pellets in mine. The base settles down to be quite solid and stable and if it gets dusty in summer a quick sprinkle with a watering can settles it down again. My horses lie down in there most nights