Bedding question

[jesterfaerie]

I am moving my horse to a yard and we are not allowed any wood based bedding.
I have had him on straw and matting which he was fine with but he was extreamly wet and messy. 3 bales at £2.50 lasted me around 2 weeks (give or take).
But I am unsure whether to swop bedding on to one such a flax/hemp. I am sure they willl be very expensive in comparison but I am unsure if I will need more of it because he is so wet.
Plus even though he gets adlib hay I felt better knowing if he did run out he could munch on straw if he really wanted to.

Does anyone else use hemp/flax/etc as I never have done so I have no idea about the price and how much you would usualy get through in a week so any imput is apriciated.

 

[Nailed]

hemp is vry absorbent.
Flax not quite so.
Usually need two bales of flax a week to start this would work out about £14 a week..

Personally i would stick to straw but that because i cant aford anything else!

Lou x

 

[cellie]

I use megazorb because my horse is very wet and dirty and really like it.

 

[Blue-bear]

i have used flax and find it takes 3-4 bales to start a bed then usually 1-2 bales a week depending on how thick you like your bed etc etc

 

[Madasmaz]

You could try Bliss bedding..there are 2 varieties and they are very absorbent, best thing I have tried so far. And the bonus is, even the bag is biodegradable. Its chopped straw, treated with either citronella or eucalyptus, so unless your horse has very strange taste, it shouldn't eat either. Megasorb, unfortunately is wood based, and while very absorbent, having looked at my neighbours bed, I'm not that keen on it.

 

[kirinsam]

Echo that for bliss , I love it cos its so easy to work with and holds the wee at the bottom . Try not to take all the wet out every day and it wont work out any more than other bedding

 

[dun_in]

I moved to hemp from shavings and hated it -maybe due to being a compulsive daily full mucker outer. It takes ages getting all of the little bits out of the bed

It might work better on a deep litter/semi deep litter basis.

I found it more like walking on sand than a soft mattress and was getting through as much hemp as shavings. Partly as podge was eating it - however unpalatable most horses are meant to find it!!!!

Hemcore was £6.95 a bag, (with Aubiose slightly dearer at £7.95 a bag). Bags are 20kg each, and Aubiose is possibly meant to be softer/slightly more absorbant than Hemcore. It worked out at around the same price as Hunter shavings (£7.50).

Keep us updated if you find the perfect bedding

Bliss seems well recommended.

 

[jesterfaerie]

Hmmm I think I may stick with straw, I think it may be rather expensive to swop over

 

[BlackWhite381]

I love bliss as i have always found straw on rubber mats doesn't soak the pee up and it isn't nice but bliss always stay dry and smells nice!

 

[Damnation]

Cellie - I thought Megazorb was wood pulp?
Uhm.. what about something like aquamax unless that is wood based too? It does take alot to make a good bed out of it but its mega absorbant!

 

[blueberry23]

Cardboard floats my boat !!!