Change of bedding = filled legs?

_MizElz_

_MizElz_

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Ellie has been on straw for pretty much the entire time I have owned her. She's always had a massive bed - 18 inches minimum in the middle, with 3'6 banks, and I've never deep littered her - she's always mucked out properly each day.

Last Sunday, I moved her onto Bedrap - chopped rape straw. Our YO wants everyone to move onto it eventually, and I wanted to get her new bed established before going back to work. I really, really like the bedding - it's taken me 10 bales to start her off, but she now has about 8 inches on the floor and 3ft high banks. I'm also following the manufacturer's guidance and deep littering - as much as it goes against all my principles - and it seems to be working, as her bed is staying beautifully clean. All the wet seems to sink and solidify at the bottom, unlike shavings where you find it gets churned into the clean stuff.

The only problem is, her legs seem to fill a lot more when she is stood in on this bedding. On straw, I've never had a problem, not even when she was in 24/7 over the winter. They're not filling massively - and a 15 minute walk out is enough to reduce the swelling completely - but I just wondered whether this is a common problem, and if there is anything I could do to reduce it?
 
I've not met filled legs as a result of changing bedding but one thing occurs: Have you had to make the base of your banks much wider than it used to be thereby giving her less space to move around and/or lie down in?
 
jemima_too said:
I've not met filled legs as a result of changing bedding but one thing occurs: Have you had to make the base of your banks much wider than it used to be thereby giving her less space to move around and/or lie down in?
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Nope - the opposite in fact! I would say she actually has more floor space now! I've found this new stuff a lot easier to bank up than I had expected, with the result being that she actually has a lot more room - the stable looks much bigger! The only thing I have done is not covered the rubber mat at the front of the box with bedding, so the bed stops about 3ft into the box, whereas I used to bring the straw right to the front.
 
How very strange!- I've actually had my horses on Bedrap in the past, and when they were on it and they didn't suffer any filled legs or anything!, so can't give an answer!


Hope you get to the bottom of what's causing it!
 
Ah well, that blows my theory out of the water!

Mind you, is she lying down as much as she used to? I have a Welsh (well it would be a Welsh wouldn't it!) who is scared of new bedding. First time I put him in with shavings he wouldn't walk on them at all, then he accepted that he could walk on them but wouldn't wee or poo on them - or in his stable at all. He used to be absolutely bursting when I let him out poor boy. I actually had to chuck a bucket of dirty shavings in for him to decide to use them at all.

So, after long waffle, is she behaving the same in all other ways?
 
jemima_too said:
Ah well, that blows my theory out of the water!

Mind you, is she lying down as much as she used to? I have a Welsh (well it would be a Welsh wouldn't it!) who is scared of new bedding. First time I put him in with shavings he wouldn't walk on them at all, then he accepted that he could walk on them but wouldn't wee or poo on them - or in his stable at all. He used to be absolutely bursting when I let him out poor boy. I actually had to chuck a bucket of dirty shavings in for him to decide to use them at all.

So, after long waffle, is she behaving the same in all other ways?
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I would say she perhaps isnt lying down as much as she would normally do on straw. She has lay down in it - the state of her rug proves that - and I have also seen her roll myself. However, often she will lay down a lot during the day and I have not seen evidence of this since changing onto Bedrap. So maybe she is just getting used to it? She's going to the loo as normal - no problems there!

Initially I worried that it was because I was deep littering, but that is how you are meant to use this bedding, so I'm sure that's not the problem! I mucked it out properly for the first two days she was on it and her legs filled then, too.

She's been on shavings before for a very short time, and I dont recall her legs filling then! Very strange.
 
There is a theory that shavings "draw the feet" which would imply liquid moving downwards. There's also a theory that that's an old wives' tale.

Sorry, I'll give up making unhelpful suggestions now!:cool:
 
jemima_too said:
There is a theory that shavings "draw the feet" which would imply liquid moving downwards. There's also a theory that that's an old wives' tale.

Sorry, I'll give up making unhelpful suggestions now!:cool:
Click to expand...

LOL :D

We were warned by another lady who has been using this stuff since the beginning of the year that it dries the feet out, so to make sure we oil them everyday. Maybe it could be the 'drawing' effect - who knows! Hopefully it will settle down; she's not one for suffering from blown legs so I hope it isnt going to be an issue!

Thanks for your suggestions
 
Hi, My horse has had filled legs recently but is still out, so I have put it down to the grass still being fairly lush. Could it possibly be a coincidence that you changed bedding just as the grass came through again??
 
My horse is on bedrap too, I haven't had any problems with his legs but I have noticed that the deep littering creates quite a lot of extra heat in the stable. Maybe this is the cause?
 
_MizElz_ said:
Nope - the opposite in fact! I would say she actually has more floor space now! I've found this new stuff a lot easier to bank up than I had expected, with the result being that she actually has a lot more room - the stable looks much bigger! The only thing I have done is not covered the rubber mat at the front of the box with bedding, so the bed stops about 3ft into the box, whereas I used to bring the straw right to the front.
Click to expand...

Is this possibly the problem? Is the filling in the front legs only?
If she is standing looking out of the door and not bedded to the door then her front end is lower than her backend and her posture will be changed.....
 
Enduro Rider - the filling is all round, if anything more in her hind legs...that could be an issue I guess - maybe I could try bedding up right to the door then? Thank you :)

wipeout - I did worry about the deep littering, as it isnt something I've ever done before. But I spent the first two days mucking out fully, and her legs were filled then, too. So I dont think that is necessarily the problem - although it was my first thought and worry!

Charlie007 - I see what you're saying! Again, it has to be another possibility, although she comes in from the field with stone cold, normal legs, so if it was the grass quality I'd expect them to be up all the time...but again, it could be an option, and the grass here has definitely 'lushed up' this week!

Thanks for all your ideas :) I dont think it is a huge problem - she isnt stiff or lame and the filling goes down very quickly - but it always helps to chat to others who may be in the same boat :)
 
Could it just be all the jumping again maybe and just filling up a bit overnight possibly?

That said, my lads leg flared up a bit yesterday when I bought him in...he's always prone to a touch of mild cellulitis since we moved here, so I just stick him on anti bitiotics for a week if it flares up, keep his legs disinfected and just put a bit of barrier cream on and work him as normal and keep him turned out much as I can. :)
 
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