Squeak
Well-Known Member
You could try Straw pellets instead as they don’t need soaking like the wood pellets. They breakdown over a couple of days.
Dirty horse v clean horse bedding dilemma
- Thread starter Blondiecopper
- Start date
You could try Straw pellets instead as they don’t need soaking like the wood pellets. They breakdown over a couple of days.
Brownmare
Well-Known Member
When I set up a new pellet bed I put the pellets in unsoaked then add water using a watering can with a sprinkler head. Any pellets added afterwards go in unsoaked but stirred into the existing bed.
rextherobber
Well-Known Member
I discovered in one of my stables, the stink was coming from a secret urine lake under the matting. Obviously the floor isn't dead level, so I've had to remove the mats and just have a good deep bed. My back won't stand moving the mats on a daily basis.
Trouper
Well-Known Member
Miscanthus pellets are the most absorbent so I would use those as a good base layer and then whatever you prefer on top.
cauda equina
Well-Known Member
Chopped rape straw is very absorbent too and is easy to much out with a reasonably clean horse
I haven't tried it for a stirrer though
I haven't tried it for a stirrer though
Roasted Chestnuts
Well-Known Member
I would try deep littering if he ends up eating the straw.
I love straw as a bedding. I put a big builders bag in a week to my boy. He is fairly clean though. I tend to put dirty horses in strata as it’s cheaper and you can deep litter to make it easier and it tend to look cleaner once the deep litter is established
I love straw as a bedding. I put a big builders bag in a week to my boy. He is fairly clean though. I tend to put dirty horses in strata as it’s cheaper and you can deep litter to make it easier and it tend to look cleaner once the deep litter is established
Shoei
Well-Known Member
My preference for ease of mucking out is auboise, however I live on an arable farm and get free straw so that is what is use.
I find conversely, the bigger the bed, the cleaner the horse.
I find conversely, the bigger the bed, the cleaner the horse.
sport horse
Well-Known Member
I hate rubber mats! Yes they are in some ways safer for the horse but they are not porous. Concrete is porous. Hence such wet beds with rubber matting.
I have had my stables for many years. First with concrete floors, then at great expense fitted with rubber mats. Same bedding, same management, ghastly beds. Gradually removing rubber mats and hey presto, back to cleaner beds.
I have had my stables for many years. First with concrete floors, then at great expense fitted with rubber mats. Same bedding, same management, ghastly beds. Gradually removing rubber mats and hey presto, back to cleaner beds.
Squeak
Well-Known Member
I've not heard of miscanthus pellets. Have you tried straw pellets too and if so how did they compare to the straw ones?
Sussexbythesea
Well-Known Member
No it takes less than 10 minutes to muck out and then I put 2 bags in my wheelbarrow fill it with water from the hose then leave in stable until either after I ride or when I come back for evening stables then tip out and spread. That’s generally to start a new bed or to top up
The fluffy upper layer. For wet patches I usually put in dry and cover with the already expanded bed.
CanteringCarrot
Well-Known Member
I typically don't water the pellets. If I were starting a new bed, maybe I would initially. My horse doesn't take interest in eating the straw pellets, thankfully.
I, however, cannot do this "leave the wet in" thing. Cannot. How do you do it? Isn't it so much wet to take out after awhile? Even if it doesn't smell, I know it's there. I have a mental block about it. I also turn the bed fairly frequently and like to keep it fluffed up and fresh.
I, however, cannot do this "leave the wet in" thing. Cannot. How do you do it? Isn't it so much wet to take out after awhile? Even if it doesn't smell, I know it's there. I have a mental block about it. I also turn the bed fairly frequently and like to keep it fluffed up and fresh.
Sussexbythesea
Well-Known Member
Because I’m not obsessed with unnecessary cleanliness and have a life? Horse just pees and poops as soon as he goes in and one follows his pee and poo by giving it a good stir. Both my horses are happy and healthy.
Blondiecopper
Well-Known Member
I have to agree with you. There were no rubber mats back in my day. I would hate for him to knock his joints around though and he's on livery midweek. If I were to do him daily I'd make sure his bed was deep enough so that he didn't hurt himself. At present it's full matted so I could possibly take a couple out so the pee can drain away, or even drill holes in for drainage?
im swaying towards a straw bed but with pellets for a base to soak up the worst of it
Blondiecopper
Well-Known Member
He's prone to thrush so sadly it's a full muck out ?
Blondiecopper
Well-Known Member
Or mine.. like moving a dead body!
TPO
Well-Known Member
Painting hooves with Sole Paint or Field Paste helped my thrush prone horse who was kept in the cleanest of stables possible. Left to his own devices he was a grot so the Red Horse stuff helped alongside stable management
Trouper
Well-Known Member
Sorry - late replying to your query. Miscanthus is just another type of grass - the huge stuff you sometimes see in farmers' fields these days. Our supplier offered both types of pellets and the Miscanthus ones were definitely harder to start with and remained more absorbent than the simple straw pellets. You just water them in in the same way. For a wet horse that is definitely the way I would go.