Bedding recommendations

[Follysmum]

I use straw at the moment but it’s so messy and smelly I am
Considering changing. I did think I would try wood pellets but there seems to be a shortage at the moment . Can anyone suggest any make of shavings etc that would be suitable.

 

[Shay]

Unless you have a horse with respiratory issues pretty much anything designed for the equine market will be fine. Some are more particulate and some more fluffy - which you choose will depend on how wet your horse is and how deep you like your bed. I have one on snowflake because he's messy and needs the extra absorption and the others on the generic supplied by the feed company. You do hear nightmare stories about metallic inclusions in bales not intended for the equine market but I've not had any in almost 18 years of shavings bedded horses. I'm found more rubbish in my hay to be honest.

I grew up using straw. And there is something wonderful about coming home in the dark, wet and cold and bedding them in belly deep warm sweet smelling straw. But not so nice in the morning. These days - a decent quality rug and shavings is far easier!

 

[Pinkvboots]

I used to use hunter shavings but have now switched to mega spread which are made by hunter but the flakes are bigger in comparison, they are not the cheapest out there but the bales seem bigger than the cheaper shavings and they make a much nicer bed in my opinion I have tried cheaper ones but always end up going back to these..

 

[Birker2020]

I use straw at the moment but it’s so messy and smelly I am
Considering changing. I did think I would try wood pellets but there seems to be a shortage at the moment . Can anyone suggest any make of shavings etc that would be suitable.

Edwards Buildbase (think they are now just Buildbase) have stores up and down the country and they sell shavings although I've only ever got them from the base in Coventry so assume all the big Buildbase yards have them. They are 22.5KG and work out circa £6.97 if you buy in bulk i.e. pallet load of 24 or 36 with free delivery within 20 miles.They are called MetsaWood Stable Choice shavings - they are premium quality, kiln dried, white soft wood shavings, and are screened to remove fine dust particles, then compressed into 120 litres gusseted bale bags which creates 160 litres of spreadable product.

The approximate dimensions, 81cms X 48cms X 35 cms, approximate spread and depth, 1sqm X 17cms.

There are are about five of us that have a regular delivery, the bloke off loads them from the lorry with a grabber thing and they are then easy enough to transfer if you have one of those wheely cart things. They are dust free and go a long way. You can't see them on the website though so need to ring up and ask.

They are the cheapest that I can find per volume.I tend to mix them into my horses bed which had an effect of drying the bed out anyway. If I leave them on top they can cause her to cough, but that's just her, they don't do that with other horses.

 

[Nuttymanxmare]

I have just switched from Shavings to Sorbeo wood pellets. They sell them at one of our local tack shops and I do believe they also deliver direct.

They are supposed to be very absorbent and easy to manage which is what I need as my boy is really wet and also likes to splash water round his stable.

 

[lamlyn2012]

I changed from shavings to cardboard years ago as I found shavings got very dusty.
There's no dust with cardboard and its very absorbent and easy to muck out. Doesn't get stuck in tails either!