Bedding

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NooNoo59

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I am currently on straw for a wet mare, £6 per week ad lib so its very easy to muck out! She is a bit tubby so I am thinking I need to change the bedding to something else for the summer when she will be in during the day, I can get shavings for about £8 a bale but have to order a pallet or the yard supplies Burleybed for £9 a bale. What are peoples current choices, I am on a budget due to losing my job so dont want to spend too much money.
Thanks all
 
I actually like straw bedding for my podgy one, it means I know that even when he runs out of hay, he's still got something to nibble on if desperate.

If yours is tubby, I suspect that (unless she's literally scoffing the whole bed every day) it's not from eating straw. So if straw is otherwise working well for you I wouldn't be rushing to change it - I'd be looking for other ways to get weight off her, e.g. soaked hay, more exercise, check for Cushings or EMS.
 
Widgeon said:
I actually like straw bedding for my podgy one, it means I know that even when he runs out of hay, he's still got something to nibble on if desperate.

If yours is tubby, I suspect that (unless she's literally scoffing the whole bed every day) it's not from eating straw. So if straw is otherwise working well for you I wouldn't be rushing to change it - I'd be looking for other ways to get weight off her, e.g. soaked hay, more exercise, check for Cushings or EMS.
Click to expand...
Yes now weighing hay and soaking and double netting the main net she hates me!
 
You can't do cheaper than straw. Unless rubber mat on a slope with drainage (which sounds rank but is common at breeders round me).

My cleanest horse takes a bale of shavings and a bag of wood pellets a week, so £15 minimum although it is a lovely bed.

I can't use straw due to mites and the stink. I would if I could, cheap and easy and good for them to nibble on.

My fatty needed to lose weight this winter. Only really noticed it reducing late January. I gave 1% body weight soaked hay in trickle nets over 3 feeds plus a tub of straw chaff plus daytime grazing on huge but poor grazing. I'm sure she's hungry but it's the best I can do.
 
Can you spray your straw with something nasty tasting? And when you add clean bedding put it on the bottom of the bed not the top.
 
According to the label on my bottle, you can sprinkle some stable disinfectant on the bed apparently to stop them munching if needed.

gsequestrian.co.uk

Gold Label Stable Fresh

Pleasant smelling, safe pine disinfectant and re-odorant for general use around the yard. Can be sprinkled undiluted on beds to deter horses from eating straw.
gsequestrian.co.uk gsequestrian.co.uk

Nothing cheaper than straw. Straw pellets from mole valley specifically are under six quid which are good for deep littering but a lot of horses initially mistake them for pony nuts!
 
I use Aubiose, make a really deep bed, and just take the poo and wet patches out. It forms a lovely base and is super quick to do. Doesn't affect one with COPD. Rots down really quickly on the muckheap too. It's more expensive than other types to set up initially, but is then really economical .
 
I can't muck out straw. Haven't used it since 1987!

Lari is on his second bale of shavings (got half left)and it's three weeks tomorrow since he came back home.

There was already a little bit left of clean but used shavings so I mixed it in with the new bale to give it a bit of stability.

I usually put one bag of wet pellets down prior to pulling the shavings bed down but this time I used two. I reckon it will be fine until next Sunday. It's dry and warm.

He's dead easy to clean though, always was.

My horse I hack out is on Auboise.
 
animal said:
Straw pellets from mole valley specifically are under six quid which are good for deep littering but a lot of horses initially mistake them for pony nuts!
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I tried these, they're good value but one of mine was eating them. He's not a fatty and always has hay but even underneath a shaving bed I caught him digging them up and eating them. They're very dry and I was worried about colic.
 
Hands down, Sorbeo has been the biggest game changer for my disgustingly filthy wet mare! The initial pallet cost is a pain but it works out cheaper in the long run at just under £6 a bag and I only use 1, sometimes 2 a week if she’s been in more due to wet weather.

I’ve used shavings and burly bed and I wasted so much because of how wet she gets. I wish I changed to sorbeo a long time ago, I would have saved myself a lot of money!
 
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