Best bedding for a wild weanling

[iliosborn]

Hi everyone,

Looking to get an Exmoor youngster this year and wondering what the best choice for bedding will be.

We currently use burlybed for our Dartmoor mare and have never had a problem with her eating it, but she wasn't but on it until she was around 2 years old, and spent her first year with us on straw.

I suppose my main concern is, being a feral youngster, he or she might be more inclined to try eating burlybed? Should I buy a bale of straw instead for the first winter?

Thanks!

 

[SantaVera]

I always bed my youngsters on straw.

 

[twiggy2]

Grass, Ixeally not jn a stable at all

 

[ycbm]

Does it have to be kept in, it's not ideal in a horse of that age? If you still have the yearling cob can't the weanling stay out with him?

I know that's not the answer you're looking for, sorry.
.

 

[iliosborn]

Does it have to be kept in, it's not ideal in a horse of that age? If you still have the yearling cob can't the weanling stay out with him?

I know that's not the answer you're looking for, sorry.
.

Hi,

Rusty (the cob) had a very severe bout of colic a couple of months back and is unfortunately not about anymore.

I know it's not ideal for him to be in, but where we are it's a requirement to bring in over nights through the winter. It was the same when we had our Dartmoor, who will be stabled next to him. She was always on straw as it was all we had access to at the time; I'm just looking to see whether a more economical bedding would be better this time around or whether it's best to stick to straw again

 

[ycbm]

I'm very sorry about your cob that must have been a horrible shock.

You don't really need a weanling to be with you, though, do you? You can't do much with it, and a young stock grass livery somewhere would cost less than livery and buying food and bedding.

I do understand that this isn't what you're asking, and this response is annoying, but 6 months is terribly young for any pony to be stabled on its own for two thirds of the day
.

 

[honetpot]

If the boxes are 12x12, I would try putting them in together. If they are on straw there will be no food to fight over, and just stick piles of hay along a wall. The bed will be trashed but, I think it's more likely to stay sane, if it's feral its going to need a buddy. I do this with colts/geldings, if I can not leave them out, which is my preferred option. They do everything with the buddy, and then get turned out together in a group, and then separated, and buddied up with something else in the group.
I am collecting a highland foal in a couple of weeks, it will live out as much as possible a Welsh A, but if they come in they will be housed together.