DUST FREE bedding for VERY WET/MESSY mare?!

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el_Snowflakes

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Iv been on straw which is hopeless, bedmax and littlemax. Had the most success with littelmax in terms of absorbancy but it took me forever to muck out as shes so messy (tried deep littering but very hard when stable is soaking & she kickes/buries her poo all over the shop!) also its quite expensive at £9 a bale. I really need about 2 a week and already pay livery where straw is included.........any suggestions??
 
I've just started on wood pellets for my dirty gelding and I'm amazed. The wet is totally absorbed, you kind of sieve out the poo and I can get even the tiny bits out (slightly OCD!) people tell me it can be dusty in summer but you just chuck some water on it or mix the wet back in. For me, it's been a revelation. Straw and shavings are just not absorbent enough and he stank and the floor was always wet. :(
 
Try Comfybed, I've changed to it and find it much better & cheaper, I also tried bedmax & littlemax, hunters, LWP's, beddown, straw in fact most types you can think of but am very happy with Comfybed, you do need to start of with at least 6 bags to get a deep bed of 6 inches or so(I have rubber matting) then I take poo out daily and wet out once a week, the wet will sink to bottom of bed leaving dry on top and then just 1 bag a week to maintain depth of bed, heres a link, they will deliver a pallet load, 30 bales, at £6.30 a bale to just about anywhere in the country,
http://www.ecocomfybed.co.uk/horse_bedding_comfybed.html

hope that helps
 
Another vote for wood pellets!
I have a pony with a bad dust allergy and as long as I water them in dry weather he is just fine :-)
I water with a green gloop solution which serves to freshen the pellets & kill any ammonia smell which also helps with his breathing.
 
Milkmaid what is the stuff you use to freshen them with, I am on day one of wood pellets have a disgusting gelding ive tried everything before hunters, bedmax littlemax straw, deep bed hardly any bed and it's all been horrid. Was very pleased this morning as it had hardly moved he box walks as well and all poo was easy to remove.
 
Another BIG vote for Eco Comfybed - brilliant stuff - have kept 2 very mucky mares on this, its also fab for the field shelters too as doesn't get dusty over time.
Make sure you have enough in there to start with.
Bales are under £7, even less if brought in bulk :)
 
I used comfy bed and it is good for messy horses, however I found it quite dusty, and depending on how particular you are when mucking out it's heavy when mucking out. My stable isn't very 'airry' though.

I have a messy horse with a mild dust allergy and really a big beg of plospan shavings is all I've found that works for us!

Pellets might be worth a go though. they do seem to have alot of sucess with messy horses.
 
stargirl88 said:
I used comfy bed and it is good for messy horses, however I found it quite dusty, and depending on how particular you are when mucking out it's heavy when mucking out. My stable isn't very 'airry' though.

I have a messy horse with a mild dust allergy and really a big beg of plospan shavings is all I've found that works for us!

Pellets might be worth a go though. they do seem to have alot of sucess with messy horses.
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Hmm, I've not found it dusty :confused:
 
Thanks so much guys, that's given me food for thought.glad there's some light at the end of the tunnel as I was beginning to lose hope! Lol :)

Also what is the green gloop u use to freshen the wood pellets? Sounds great as ammonia is also a big concern of mine.
 
I've tried everything with my pissy box walker and wood pellets are definitely the best bedding as its the most absorbant and easiest to sift the poo out of.
 
elsazzo said:
Sounds great as ammonia is also a big concern of mine.
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My horse stinks, I was ashamed when a friend was in my stable last week but this week, zero smell.

You could try sourcing locally before buying a pallet full. I found pellets (Dodson and Horrel) to start with then un branded ones nearby. So far (day four) the bed has just expanded! I can't see me adding more bags for another week or so.

There are tons of brands, LIverpool Wood Pellets are cheapest that I found, about £3.50 per 15kg. Verdo, Blue Ribbon, White Horse, Puffin, search wood pellets on here, there's a massive thread.

Here's one good thread: http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=552548&highlight=Wood+pellets

Liverpool ones: http://www.liverpoolwoodpellets.co.uk/ourshop/cat_624047--001-Premium-Wood-Pellets.html
 
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cinnamontoast said:
My horse stinks, I was ashamed when a friend was in my stable last week but this week, zero smell.

You could try sourcing locally before buying a pallet full. I found pellets (Dodson and Horrel) to start with then un branded ones nearby. So far (day four) the bed has just expanded! I can't see me adding more bags for another week or so.

There are tons of brands, LIverpool Wood Pellets are cheapest that I found, about £3.50 per 15kg. Verdo, Blue Ribbon, White Horse, Puffin, search wood pellets on here, there's a massive thread.

Here's one good thread: http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=552548&highlight=Wood+pellets

Liverpool ones: http://www.liverpoolwoodpellets.co.uk/ourshop/cat_624047--001-Premium-Wood-Pellets.html
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thanks CT thats a big help....i will have a look at those........cheers again for all the info guys- you've made my life alot easier! l)
 
Another vote for pellets BUT straw pellets!! You don't need to soak them at all before you put them in the bed, they break down by themselves into dust and also the wood pellet beds I saw were absolutely solid! Although they weren't being maintained very well which definitely contributed to this, I've had the strawdust compact but never go solid like this was. Whichever pellets you choose though you will never EVER go back onto another bedding!
 
I have just started using Nature's Best and I'm very impressed with it. It is about £1 a bag dearer than the cheapest wood pellets, but I did a lot of research on various forums and Nature's Best always had very positive comments, so I decided to go for it.
http://www.naturesbedding.co.uk/ I bought a pallet of 50 bags at around £5 per bag and expect to use 1 bag per week. My mare was unsettled during her first couple of nights in and therefore very messy, but amazingly there was no ammonia smell from the wet bedding and all I had to do was work it back into the bed. You are supposed to remove the really saturated stuff, but so far the bed has been absorbing it all. It's great - because of the way this stuff works, I know I won't need to be too fussy about getting all the wet out. It's very thirsty - perfect for our damp winter climate! If you decide to go for pellets, my advice would be - don't try to make too big a bed too soon or it will be heavy to handle - just follow the seller's instructions and you will be fine.
 
I wouldn't recommend straw pellets for an animal with a dust allergy as they are very dusty by nature and can't be damped down like the wood.
 
So noone has had a problem with horse eating the wood pellets?? Mine eats anything! Even that cut up cardboard which was very annoying as other horse is happy and clean and dry on it. Mare is a whirlwind in her bed and also eats it and yes I do feed her enough! I know the pellets are soaked first but even so I reckon she'd still have a go ! Anyone else???!!
 
Just switched to Miscanthus. Semi deep litter my wet but not messy mare. Bed stays put and just flick poo off top of bed with speed skip. It's a doodle to do but bed needs to be about 5 in deep so top couple inches stay dry. Is 6.90 a bale, started with 4 and topped up with 1 a week.
 
oldhat said:
So noone has had a problem with horse eating the wood pellets?? Mine eats anything! Even that cut up cardboard which was very annoying as other horse is happy and clean and dry on it. Mare is a whirlwind in her bed and also eats it and yes I do feed her enough! I know the pellets are soaked first but even so I reckon she'd still have a go ! Anyone else???!!
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My horse always eats a few mouthfuls of new bedding, but has not touched the pellet bed. Given that a friend's cob has started eating his rubber matting and is still not dead, reckon she might be ok!
 
Bumping for replies.....

ok so my next problem...... :( trying to get some delivered but they seem to only do them by the pallet load. I really only want around 10 x 15 Kg bags to try for just now. I was set on ordering the blue ribbon ones until I saw you need to order them in bulk.....:(
 
iv recently started using 'rape staw' it is inbetween staw and shavings but is small and absorbable. i get it for £5-6 per bale. 3 to start with then only add another every 1 or 2 weeks. really good stuff and also a pony down my yard has asma (dont know how to spell) but he has got on really well with it as it is dust free
 
Milkmaid said:
Another vote for wood pellets!
I have a pony with a bad dust allergy and as long as I water them in dry weather he is just fine :-)
I water with a green gloop solution which serves to freshen the pellets & kill any ammonia smell which also helps with his breathing.
Click to expand...

MM do you just mix the green gloop with water and pour on? how much do u use and how often do u do this.........think i'll order some :D
 
Oldhat - yes - the first thing my mare did was to start eating them which gave me a real fright. That was a few days before she came in at night, so I just had to make sure that she was tied up when in the stable (for tacking up etc) until I had dampened the pellets enough to break most of them down. However, since then she seems to have realised that they don't taste very nice and doesn't bother with them at all. For those who want to try without buying a pallett or half pallett, you can buy single bags: Eg 'Brites' - sold as fuel pellets are just the same as that used for equine bedding and can be bought from Plumb Centre stores - if you have one nearby. They might be around tenner a bag though.
 
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