Best bedding for messy horse who poos a lot and everywhere

[HelenBack]

As per the title really, my new horse is a complete pooing machine and just does it everywhere, and then lies in it treads in it and just makes a general mess really. He's not particularly wet and does tend to wee in one place most of the time but he is very heavy on his bed and seems to squash it flat. Mornings are now spent digging out the obvious poos and then going on the hunt for all the ones that seem to have disappeared!

I've been quite lucky to have clean and tidy horses so far and mucking this one out is taking a disproportionate amount of time and destroying both my soul and my body! What beddings have others found best in this situation? I can't stand traditional straw and did think of pellets but am put off by the price and I think he'd get even more poo all over him than he already does. Otherwise I think I can get hold of most of the other options from our local shop, although they've already said that some of the shavings will be tricky this winter.

 

[meleeka]

Pellets don’t move around like shavings do and are very absorbent. Aubiose is another one that just holds firm which makes it easier to muck out (although expensive).

A friend has a messy horse. She’s just putting as much shavings as necessary to soak up the wee and has thick EVA mats. She just sweeps the stable out each morning and it’s quick and easy.

 

[tda]

Definitely pellets, a good thick bed with a mix of dampened and dry pellets, the poo just sits on the top, and if mixed up, easy to sift poo out and pad back down

 

[HelenBack]

Thanks both. Do you not find pellets work out very expensive at the moment or do I need to forget about price for the sakes of my sanity?

 

[tda]

They have gone up, I'm still using a pallet load I bought last year!
If you have a scout around the forum you'll find threads discussing the best priced suppliers
Thinking going to try the miscanthus pellets next time

 

[HelenBack]

Thanks, I'll have a look. I think our shop has just started getting straw pellets in too and they're cheaper. I know some people don't like the colour of them but I honestly don't care if it means I don't end up crippled and exhausted!

 

[chaps89]

I’ve gone back to easibed which is currently quite cost effective at £7.35 a bale and I use one every fortnight (for a small pony in from 4pm-7.30/8am) it provides quite a stable base and I don’t get much wastage, even on days where his bed is obliterated, it’s easy to pick the muck out.

 

[honetpot]

Eva mats, and just bed down where they lay down and wee. If it likes to wander round and mix it in even pellets will struggle, as they work best when are not disturbed. I do not put any bedding where they stand to eat, where the water bucket is, and the hay is nearest to where they look out, so they are not going backwards and forwards to snatch hay.

 

[Sossigpoker]

How much hay does he have if he seems to be pooing loads and how much turn out ?

 

[SEL]

I've got one like that and I found with pellets and easibed she just mixed it all in. Aubiose has been best for her

 

[Barton Bounty]

I would say just sawdust, my horse used to be extremely messy, id put about 6 bales down in a 12 x 12 stable, a nice and thick bed.

 

[tyner]

My horse used to be very messy and I was constantly cleaning, but after I started him on probiotics, I noticed a huge difference. It helped so much. He doesn't need as much food now and the stable is so much cleaner. If you're already seeing a difference in this horse's waste output as compared to your others it might be something you can try.