Do you put bedding down in your field shelters?

[3Beasties]

What do you do with your field shelter? Bedding down or leave o'natural?

I can't decide whether to put bedding down in the main field shelter. It currently has a nice firm, earth floor which I don't think will get churned up so it doesn't need it as such but the horses will be out 24/7 for as long as possible so I'm thinking they may like to have a deep bed to lie in.

Thoughts please!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

The mobile shelter has nothing, its currently a lovely hard dusty patch that TF likes to have a kip on.

The other 2 have a floor of comfy bed each, tho this is what has come out of the stables at the end of the winter. (clean from banks etc)
I just top them up each year, havent put any fresh bedding in either of them for around 3 or 4 years.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I have rubber mats on concrete in mine. I'm too tight to have bedding in as well, but they are perfectly happy to lie down in the field for a proper kip and stand dozing on the mats for the rest of the time.

If the weather is really foul I bring them in to their stables overnight anyway, though officially they live out 24/7.

 

[ladyt25]

We have rubber mats in half of ours and put straw in that bit. My youngster (now 4) is out with two oldies over night and he has decided that is his bed! He has done it since I got him at 15mths and I think he lies flat out as the poo stains are the evidence!!

I don't think the others lie down on it but they do like to stand I there and I guess the rubber and straw makes it a bit nicer.

 

[kerrieberry2]

I have a small area of straw at the mo, for when I have to shut them in on the morning of the shoot! they tend to just poop on it though!

 

[Adopter]

I use my stables as field shelter so have shavingsbeds down, just top up when needed.
Ponies do go and lie down in them, particularly in bad weather, often both in one box. When it snowed all day just before Easter they spent most of the day lying down in the stable with door open!

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Ours lives out 24/7 and have a large field shelter...we put a straw bed down so its comfy for them but Ive never seen them lay down in it

 

[_HP_]

I have one with mats over concrete and one with a hard earth floor. I find if I put bedding down they just pee and poo in there more. Mine will roll and lie down in both regardless

 

[Clodagh]

A proper straw bed in mine as youngster likes to bury himself for a proper snoozle. They never wee or poo in it but I do muck it out every month or so as it gets damp from underneath.

 

[Mariposa]

We put shavings in ours, the ponies love going for a kip in there ( and there is also a fox that sleeps in there!)