bedding opinions-mainly straw or shavings

clairefeekerry1

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i have a very messy gelding. he has rubber matting all over. last winter he had straw-i've always used straw. every single bit of straw would be covered in poo, mushed down or eaten, tried big beds and little beds. i prob used 2-3 bales a week. given that its prob going up to about 4 quid a bale this time round was thinking of changing to shavings. would this be better? how many would you use a week? i also like nice clean beds and cant spend another 40 mins mucking out his filthness this winter. would shavings be easier?

thanks
 
My Gelding was very messy. I tried everything. I tried Megazorb, but again he mushed it all in. I tried shavings, but they turned to a brown horrid mess the next day. Tried full rubber and little bed, but that just created a poo mush and stinky horse and rugs.

In the end the only thing that worked reasonably well was a thick bed of straw (and rubber matting) and I used to spray the straw so he wouldn't eat it. It still wasn't brilliant and I did use lots of straw, but straw was the cheaper alternative and was the best solution I found.

Thankfully my new mare is reasonably clean! :)
 
Has to be straw I'm afraid due to cost. Mine have 2 bales a week each, both have full rubber matts. One is spotless - god I love him, crosses his legs for a wee till he goes out in the morning, poos all round the edge - the other comes in only to wee and poo and doesnt give a wotsit if he lays in poo all night, spends the rest of his spare time pooing and turning round and round to see what fell out of him when he wasnt looking or burying himslef in his bed!!
With the scruffy git it is easier with a very very deep straw bed and just get the obvious (ha!!) lumps out over winter - then dread spring/summer!! I try and put a cotton sheet on top of stable rugs as I can wash that at home.
Shavings and Easibed type things look so vile with a scuffy git you just cant leave them alone, then you make it worse and it costs a damn fortune.
 
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