Bedding

[Annagain]

I'm going to run out of bedding before the end of the winter. I won't need much extra though so I thought it might be an opportunity to experiment with something new before buying in bulk for next winter.

I've been using wood pellets for the last few years but the price has shot up so tried straw and miscanthus pellets this winter. They're ok but I don't love them. They're very dark, I don't think they're more absorbent like they claim to be and I find they smell more than wood pellets. If I have to spend more on wood pellets so be it but does anybody have any recommendations for anything else?

Both boys are wet but don't tend to disturb their beds much. Arch was on shavings before the wood pellets which was ok but he seems to do fewer huge wees rather than little and often so there was just too much wee and it would run off before the shavings could absorb it all.

 

[QuantockHills]

I absolutely loved straw pellets after the wood pellet price rocketed... unfortunately so did my horse and he's given himself aspiration pneumonia from sniffing through them looking through the whole ones... he's very very ill... I've gone on to big wood shavings now... my little rescue is on a thin layer of straw pellets with shavings on top....

 

[Annagain]

I absolutely loved straw pellets after the wood pellet price rocketed... unfortunately so did my horse and he's given himself aspiration pneumonia from sniffing through them looking through the whole ones... he's very very ill... I've gone on to big wood shavings now... my little rescue is on a thin layer of straw pellets with shavings on top....

Oh dear, sending lots of get well soon wishes.

 

[Surbie]

Mine ate a fair amount of expanded straw pellets a couple of weeks ago which totally ruined my day off, as I had to spend it on 'does he have colic' watch.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I must admit I've always been wary of straw pellets and thought that some horses would try and eat them, and thought the outcome could be serious if they ever did.

I'm sorry for those of you that have had ill horses because of them, they should come with a bit of a warning I feel.

 

[HelenBack]

I've been using the Concord straw pellets with a layer of shavings over the top for five or six weeks now and I'm quite liking this system so far. They're lighter coloured than the other straw pellets I've seen and touch wood I haven't had any problems with the horses eating them. They seem to break down pretty quickly whether I give them a soak or not.

I haven't ever used wood pellets so can't compare but I definitely find them more absorbant than shavings and the poo tends to sit on top more. I do wonder if they'll be a bit dusty in the summer but don't know yet. And I don't think I'd like them without the shavings on top. One of my horses is stinky though and this is the best solution I've found for him so far.

If you want to get them to try by us Jenkinsons have them for £6.99 a bag and always seem to have plenty in stock. You can get a pallet either from them or the suppliers and then they work out at £6 a bag. Most weeks I put in one bag and occasionally have chucked in one extra if the bed is looking a bit thin.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I was on wood pellets for several years but due to the price hike I changed to chopped rape straw and really like it. I have some wood pellets left over so have added some to start the bed off to make it more stable. I moved stables and started a new bed put 5 rape straw and 2 pellets. Then added a couple more pellets bags and 1 straw a week or so later and then have just used one bag of rape straw a week since. I was using 2 pellets a week and at current prices that would be around £20 a week the rape straw is £8.90 a week.

 

[Chianti]

Dr. David Marlin has a Facebook page. He's done research into different types of bedding, looking at absorbency etc. You have to be a member of the group to see the results but you can join for just one month. I was surprised how poorly some of the well known brands performed.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Have you tried just sawdust?BB is very wet and its the only thing that works for him

 

[spotty_pony]

Mine are ok good old traditional straw with straw pellets underneath (the bed max ones) - I only replace the straw pellets when they have absorbed everything and turned a dark red colour and keep it well topped up with straw. They are great and mean I can have big straw beds without the ammonia smell!

 

[Pinkvboots]

I've been using the Concord straw pellets with a layer of shavings over the top for five or six weeks now and I'm quite liking this system so far. They're lighter coloured than the other straw pellets I've seen and touch wood I haven't had any problems with the horses eating them. They seem to break down pretty quickly whether I give them a soak or not.

I haven't ever used wood pellets so can't compare but I definitely find them more absorbant than shavings and the poo tends to sit on top more. I do wonder if they'll be a bit dusty in the summer but don't know yet. And I don't think I'd like them without the shavings on top. One of my horses is stinky though and this is the best solution I've found for him so far.

If you want to get them to try by us Jenkinsons have them for £6.99 a bag and always seem to have plenty in stock. You can get a pallet either from them or the suppliers and then they work out at £6 a bag. Most weeks I put in one bag and occasionally have chucked in one extra if the bed is looking a bit thin.

I use the wood pellets under shavings I just sprinkle a stubbs scoop full on where they wee, it saves shavings and I only lift the wet 2 or 3 times a week and it never soaks through.

 

[Annagain]

I've been using the Concord straw pellets with a layer of shavings over the top for five or six weeks now and I'm quite liking this system so far. They're lighter coloured than the other straw pellets I've seen and touch wood I haven't had any problems with the horses eating them. They seem to break down pretty quickly whether I give them a soak or not.

I haven't ever used wood pellets so can't compare but I definitely find them more absorbant than shavings and the poo tends to sit on top more. I do wonder if they'll be a bit dusty in the summer but don't know yet. And I don't think I'd like them without the shavings on top. One of my horses is stinky though and this is the best solution I've found for him so far.

If you want to get them to try by us Jenkinsons have them for £6.99 a bag and always seem to have plenty in stock. You can get a pallet either from them or the suppliers and then they work out at £6 a bag. Most weeks I put in one bag and occasionally have chucked in one extra if the bed is looking a bit thin.

Thanks - I'll pop to get a few bags at the weekend. £6 a bag is a fair bit more than I paid for the straw pellets I bought at the start of winter (I think I paid about £4.50 a bag) but maybe they're better quality. I find as long as you have enough bedding, it doesn't get stinky as the wet sinks to the bottom and the top stays dry. it definitely smells more than wood though.

 

[TPO]

I was using chopped straw from Caviera. It was really good for asborbancy, value for money and low dust. I bulk bought 44-48 bales at a time and even with delivery to Scotland they were a good price.

I've just moved to Little Max from a localish supplier. I ordered 44ish and including delivery works out £8.60 a bale. Cheaper than collecting from 5mins down the road and less hassle.

Low dust is my main priority and Little Max has been as dust free as I have found.

 

[Reacher]

Shaving are around £10 - 11 near me! part of the problem of living in the back of beyond I suspect (little max is 10.50)

 

[HelenBack]

Thanks - I'll pop to get a few bags at the weekend. £6 a bag is a fair bit more than I paid for the straw pellets I bought at the start of winter (I think I paid about £4.50 a bag) but maybe they're better quality. I find as long as you have enough bedding, it doesn't get stinky as the wet sinks to the bottom and the top stays dry. it definitely smells more than wood though.

I have got a friend who gets her straw pellets from a local farm and they're cheaper I think so I could get the number for you if you like? I didn't fancy them because they're very dark and didn't look very pleasant to muck out but my friend is happy with them I think.

I tend to take a small bit of wet out of the dirty horse's stable most days with the Concord pellets and occasionally I do get a bit of a whiff of pee. This horse is unpleasant though and even Aubiose was no match for him so I think the issue is with him and not the bedding! I don't have any problems with it for the other horse but he's very clean.

 

[Annagain]

I have got a friend who gets her straw pellets from a local farm and they're cheaper I think so I could get the number for you if you like? I didn't fancy them because they're very dark and didn't look very pleasant to muck out but my friend is happy with them I think.

I tend to take a small bit of wet out of the dirty horse's stable most days with the Concord pellets and occasionally I do get a bit of a whiff of pee. This horse is unpleasant though and even Aubiose was no match for him so I think the issue is with him and not the bedding! I don't have any problems with it for the other horse but he's very clean.

I think I'd prefer the lighter stuff so i'll pop to Jenkins thanks

 

[Pinkvboots]

Shaving are around £10 - 11 near me! ☹ part of the problem of living in the back of beyond I suspect (little max is 10.50)

They are £11.50 the decent ones I'm in Hertfordshire!

 

[Tarragon]

Is the preference for lighter coloured bedding just a visual thing? I assume that darker bedding will work in just the same way.

 

[Fransurrey]

I don't use a lot of bedding these days, but my all time favourite for both cost and ease of use is Snowflake Softchip. I still use it for the chickens and it seems to rot down better than shavings, too.

 

[willowblack]

I’ve used concord pellets for about 3 years now and love them!

 

[Nudibranch]

I like Easibed or chopped rape straw but the price these days...
The field shelter is rubber mats with boring but cheap straw, so I just take out the wet/muck each day. Not quite the same as a stable though! I use Snowflake in the actual stables though they're only really used to bring in before a ride, and for the poultry, purely because round here it's the cheapest. A bale does seem to go a lot further than the above though.
My lot would definitely eat straw pellets so I daren't buy them. And apparently goat urine soaked old straw is as tasty as good hay

 

[Bob notacob]

Hi. Bob notacob here. I had my manservant Mike install a shavings mill some 12 years ago . It takes a 160 kw generator just to get it moving before switching to the mains(and not blow ll the lights in the district) He had high hopes of making a business of it but that didn,t work out. Yet in 12 years just doing my slumberland ,it has recouped the installation cost . Bedding is the single biggest cost of keeping a horse . Crazy!

 

[Annagain]

Is the preference for lighter coloured bedding just a visual thing? I assume that darker bedding will work in just the same way.

It is but the ones I have are really dark and look manky. I'm not particularly precious about the way a bed looks but it even bothers me!

 

[Bluewaves]

I’ve used straw pellets for cat litter sometimes when I couldn’t get wood pellets. It definitely smelled worse than wood pellets when the cat pee hit it.

 

[MuddyMonster]

Is the preference for lighter coloured bedding just a visual thing? I assume that darker bedding will work in just the same way.

I think so.

I'm on quite dark straw pellets and notice no difference in terms of absorbency or time taken to muck out but a few people have commented how they couldn't use them as it doesn't look clean and fluffy.