Can anyone recommend a bedding thats not straw or shavings???

[Scarlett]

I have a manky mare who has to be stabled at night and by morning her stable resembles a muck heap, she is on straw as we are not allowed shavings on the yard due to disposal issues but I'm getting fed up of her having such a smelly stable and would like to put her on a shavings-like alternative as I think she may be easier to keep clean.... We are allowed Aubiose, Medi-bed etc, anything hemp based as it can go in the muck heap...

Can anyone recommend which is best for a very wet mare? Also how many bags would I need to set a bed up and how much do you pay per bag?

Thanks!!!

 

[the watcher]

Not sure how available it is near you, I use Bedrap which is chopped rape straw. It is dust free, handles just like shavings but is more absorbant, breaks down in the much heap really quickly and isn't slippery underfoot like hemp.

I pay about £6.50 per bag, I use mine with rubber mats so I only use a little. Quantity wise you would need the same as shavings so 5-6 bags to start off depending on the size of the stable but then only 1 per week to top up

Abbot and Co Bedrap

 

[Scarlett]

That sounds ideal.... will give them a call and see if any stockists near me....

Thanks!

 

[Maesfen]

What about Sundown Yellow? http://www.sundownproducts.co.uk/equine.html

Have you got rubber mats or not? If you have that will help a lot. I have a filly similar to yours; she's a real mucky woman in that she doesn't boxwalk as such but if she moves from one corner to another,say from manger to hayrack (both on the back wall) she always does a circle, never straight across scattering everything in her path and mushing it up if that makes sense. I used to use about a quarter a bale of shavings or more a day just scattered about and even then it would all have to go out the next morning (very quick though!) changed over onto this stuff and actually started putting a proper bed down again for her. A normal horse would have been fine, in fact all my others are great on it; it's just her, the ratbag; whatever bed she has, she trashes too quickly simply by her walking a track through it so she has gone back to a large dollop in the centre of the box which believe it or not stay relatively clean and dry and a bale of Sundown goes a lot further than a bale of shavings, usually lasts her six days. For the others, I started their beds with five bales (it fluffs up better than shavings) and top up with a bale a week (I semi deep litter) the beds seem much dryer with this and I pay £4.50 a bale so cheaper than shavings too. Might be worth a try. It also smells nicely of eucalyptus, an added bonus!

 

[mrussell]

I use rape straw bedding with (optional) added eucalyptus. Its in bales about the same size as a shavings bale but costs £4.70 as opposed to £6+ a bale. Its hugely more absorbant than shavings and I only skip out daily and take out 1 tub of wet at the weekend. Its much easier to sweep and less wasteful than shavings. I have 2 mares and 2 geldings on it and I started the bed with 5 bales and maintain them at 1 bale a week (but I like full beds and banks).

Ive also used shredded card which was ok for the girls (same principles as rape straw) but the boys always tiddled in the same place so it was always soaked every morning and was very wasteful.

 

[rubyred]

Ecobed, very absorbent and decomposes well. Haven't found hemp based the greatest with very dirty horses as it stirs in too easily in my experience

 

[mrussell]

I agree - couldnt get on with hemp or easibed at all...didnt want to knit at all.

Ecobed was a devil to sweep....grrrr.....

and I stopped using them when they sold out and doubled their price over night (3 years ago now). I used Newslitter cardboard shred instead but happy with rape straw now.

 

[Scarlett]

looks like rape straw has potential...

going to feed shop tomorrow to see what they ahve and how much....

Thanks.

 

[welshiewhiskers]

I use aubiose! i find this works well with rubber matting and is easy to muck out!

 

[mrussell]

I tried this - nice but it was twice the price.

 

[Scarlett]

I used Aubiose previoulsy, it was good but very expensive.... I dont have rubber matting either so makes it even more pricey....

 

[cellie]

I use megazorb for a base .It absorbs all the wet and doesnt smell .Its made from hemp so is good on the muck heap.My boy is so dirty that I use beddown on top for a comfy bed and because he likes to lay down.The megazorb works really well on its own as well our mare isnt so dirty so she has a megazorb bed.You need about 8 bags initially then add one per week or when you take out the wet .Its like a deep litter without all the mess or hard work at the end of the winter.

 

[meandmyself]

Equisorb- I love the stuff!

 

[dainewell]

I love this bedding called "Bliss" Its really easy to muck out, light, biodegradable and not ridiculously expensive either. They have a website too.

 

[clairencappelli]

Im another equisorb user and LOVE it.

Its doesnt move about but is sort unlike some other beddings and the poos get coated and not mushed in ( i have a dirty minx mare too! )

Its a flax based product so rots down but you also throw much less away too.

 

[shelly018]

Woodypet. Looks like feed pellets. Put down 6 (I think!) bags then water it - expands to full bed. Hold the wet in a really small area. You take out the poo and the main clump of wet - throw the rest up the back wall and it drys - you then rotate the bank into the bed.

Here is the link - my Son is sponsored by them - I think they guy will come out and set up a bed for you to try before your buy.

www.woodpet.co.uk

 

[TURBOBERT]

Hemcore - its fabulous - highly absorbant and not dusty. I have rubber mats and it is ideal with those. Only use two bales a week.

 

[Amazingchloe]

We use FLAX which is about 4-5 times more absorbent then shavings and about 6-8 times more than straw and its actually really easy to muck out! costs about 4.40 before tax x

 

[shellyshocker]

I use aquamax its very good it arrives in pellet form I put down six bags watered it left it. It breaks and is fine on the muck heap. I pay £4.95 a bag and only put 2 bags a month in a month to top up