Dust free, small muck heap bedding

[HopOnTrot]

Talk to me about bedding. I need it to be dust free and easily compostable. Two tidy mares.
I keep deciding on a bedding and then discovering I can't get it locally, but my ideas so far are:
-Hemp
-Flax
-Rape straw

I'm pretty sure I can get at least one of these locally, are they all fairly comparable?

All reviews welcome, any advise in mucking them out? I've only used hemp before and that was for chickens!

 

[chaps89]

I don't like flax, I find it slippery and it sticks to everything.
I am a total rape straw convert though. I take the droppings out in the week, very little wastage just half a barrow of poo each day. Then full muck out at the weekend, which for a very wet mare is 2 barrows.
I was taking 2 barrows out daily when on straw and 2 barrows twice a week for a twice a week full muck out on wood pellets. It makes a big difference to the muck heap!

 

[eggs]

I have one of flax and another on chopped rape straw and like both.

The flax was slippery when I first put it down but now is very stable. I semi deep litter it, taking out the droppings daily and removing any wet that comes to the surface.

The horse that is now on chopped rape straw was previously on straw. He is very wet and I had to do a full muck out each day but now I take the droppings out daily and dig the wet out at the weekend.

 

[gryff]

We all use chopped rape on our yard. The difference it's made to the muck heap is amazing.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Aubiose. No dust, isn’t as sharp and prickly as flax and very very absorbent. It composts beautifully.

 

[dreamcometrue]

Chopped rape straw is a good contender. I have used it for years and prefer it to every other bedding.

 

[Mari]

Bear in mind there’s going to be dust everywhere so dust free bedding doesn’t mean there’s no dust. I use chopped rape straw & works well for me.

 

[paddi22]

rape seed shavings all the way! very little dust and my muck heap is half the size is was with shavings. It also seems to work out better for removing wetpatches so has saved me money

 

[rabatsa]

Chopped cardboard. https://walmsleypremierbed.co.uk/premierbed-card.html
There may be other suppliers.

 

[HopOnTrot]

Won't cardboard take ages to rot down? I've only ever used it for a gelding post surgery on recommendation from the vets and I wasn't keen as it seemed very wet.

 

[HopOnTrot]

Could I mix and match hemp/rape/flax, depending on which stockist I'm driving past?

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

A friend’s vet recommended cardboard for her asthmatic horse, said it’s the least likely to be dusty, but I think some yos don’t allow it due to the slow degrading nature.

 

[Nicnac]

Concord straw pellets. Remove wet once a week and top up. Tiny muck heap and very low dust as you don't disturb the bed much. One horse no longer coughs since I changed from shavings. No smell either. Won't need muck heap removed this year (or maybe every again) so saving quite a bit of money. I have 3 on the pellets.

 

[Britestar]

A friend’s vet recommended cardboard for her asthmatic horse, said it’s the least likely to be dusty, but I think some yos don’t allow it due to the slow degrading nature.

I don't understand this. Shavings take for ever to rot down. Cardboard goes to mush really quickly. I have 8 on it, and my muck heap is the smallest its ever been. Have you ever left a bit of cardboard outside? It soon disappears.
Speaking to a farmer the other day who spread shavings on a field more than 2 years ago, said he still finds whole bits even now!

 

[SEL]

I'm using pro bed which is chopped rape straw for the one who had the wind op and it's great. So much less to muck out so better on my back too

 

[holeymoley]

Wood or straw pellets. There’s hardly any waste do you’re rotting down poop mainly.

 

[HopOnTrot]

I think Rape Seed Straw may be the winner, plus it looks like it's the easiest to buy "off the shelf".

Thank you for your advise!

 

[HopOnTrot]

What's the best fork to use for mucking out rape straw?

Just been reading that it only takes 2-3 months to rot down which is brilliant!

 

[chaps89]

I use a metal fynalite/shavings type fork.
I wouldn't make the bed too thick, I find it very hard to turn over if I have it too deep!

 

[Hallo2012]

cardboard. rots away to nothing, i only empty muckheap every 2 years.

nice warm bed for dry and tidy types-i semi deep litter.