Erm, horse now eating new bedding - help please!

[Snowy Celandine]

I put my new bedding down yesterday and one of my three ponies seems to think it makes a tasty snack I'm using Nedz Bed Advance which is pelleted straw so I don't think eating a tiny bit will hurt her, but obviously eating a lot of compressed straw isn't a good idea. She only got a mouthful before I chucked her back into the field, but I've had to mix shavings with it to make sure that she doesn't do it again. Is there anything I can safely spray on it to deter her snacking because I don't want to have to buy shavings as well?

 

[Fjord]

Have you sprinkled water on it to make the top fluff up a bit? Might make it less appetising?

 

[Snowy Celandine]

Have you sprinkled water on it to make the top fluff up a bit? Might make it less appetising?

It says on the bag not to water it so I’m not sure if I should ? She’s definitely interested in the whole pellets and not the fluffed up ones.

 

[TGM]

Mine ate it whether pelleted or soaked. I swapped back to wood pellets, didn't want to take the risk. You could try mixing in some soiled bedding with the pellets to make it less appetising I suppose.

 

[Squeak]

Did you see if she'd go back for more than one mouthful? I've had a couple that have delightedly nose dived in to grab a mouthful but they rarely take another. I think they just need to realise it's not actually a massive pile of pony nuts as they don't seem to like the taste of the straw pellets.

Of course there are always exceptions to the rule but I'd be tempted to see whether she decides to keep eating it.

 

[holeymoley]

Funnily enough mine had a nibble on straw pellets, in fact I think he tried to bite the bag open, but not wood pellets. I didn't bother with them after that. Maybe try and mix them through once she's done the toilet? Once they toilet on them they tend to not bother. But then you have the problem all over again when you add fresh.

 

[Snowy Celandine]

I've kept her shut out of the stable this morning, so I've not actually given her enough time to see if she returns for any more 'snacks', but I might give it another go tonight and see if she stops after the initial mouthful. It's not even as though she's hungry because she's out grazing all day at the moment. I have to keep the stables clean so I can't bear to mix in soiled bedding I'm afraid. My own floors are a health hazard, but like most of us horsey folk, my stables have to be kept immaculate

 

[Horseysheepy]

25 years ago when I worked on a yard we used to spray dilute Jeyes over fresh straw bedding to stop the nibblers.

Not sure if people do that anymore though!

 

[Snowy Celandine]

25 years ago when I worked on a yard we used to spray dilute Jeyes over fresh straw bedding to stop the nibblers.

Not sure if people do that anymore though!

I can remember that too, and I used to use it on my concrete years ago, but is it poisonous? It's very strong smelling, but quite nice in moderation!

 

[Horseysheepy]

Yes its quite a pleasant smell! But probably not ideal.
Good for scrubbing empty stable floors with!!.

 

[Midlifecrisis]

The powdered antiseptic powder for sanitising chicken runs/stables etc…sprinkle that over the bed…it’s not poisonous like Jeyes fluid is when wet.

 

[Snowy Celandine]

The powdered antiseptic powder for sanitising chicken runs/stables etc…sprinkle that over the bed…it’s not poisonous like Jeyes fluid is when wet.

Would Stalosan work? I’ve got a big bag of that which I sprinkle on the rubber matting when I take all the bedding out.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I keep a 1.5 litre spray bottle on the yard, about half a centimetre of jeyes in the bottom and filled to top with water, so very diluted.
A quick spray over fresh straw in a field shelter stopped little A in her tracks. She wasn't amused....
I use it periodically for damp patches on stable floors and in the yard drain.

I'll probably get told off now, but I've not (yet!) been poisoning fuzzies in many years.....

 

[DizzyDoughnut]

With my gutsy one I just put the new bed under the old stuff that was already in there so he couldn't see the tasty pellets, it had broken down by the morning and he wasn't interested in it then. It breaks down really quickly when they're standing and moving about on it.

 

[Horseysheepy]

I keep a 1.5 litre spray bottle on the yard, about half a centimetre of jeyes in the bottom and filled to top with water, so very diluted.
A quick spray over fresh straw in a field shelter stopped little A in her tracks. She wasn't amused....
I use it periodically for damp patches on stable floors and in the yard drain.

I'll probably get told off now, but I've not (yet!) been poisoning fuzzies in many years.....

I remember it was a cap full of Jeyes in an empty spray bottle, topped up with water, so it was very diluted. It certainly did the trick!
But it's probably not recommended to do so these days, there's probably safer alternatives.

 

[Snowy Celandine]

With my gutsy one I just put the new bed under the old stuff that was already in there so he couldn't see the tasty pellets, it had broken down by the morning and he wasn't interested in it then. It breaks down really quickly when they're standing and moving about on it.

Thanks, I'll try that approach tomorrow. I've sprinkled a thick layer of shavings over the bed again tonight to dissuade her from chowing down on it. If I can stop using shavings I think the new pellets will help me keep the volume of the muck heap down really well because I'm already taking far less out than I was with 100% shavings.

 

[DizzyDoughnut]

It worked perfectly for mine, by the morning they had broken down and mixed in with the old already fluffy pellets . I loved using them, they were so easy to muck out and hardly any waste.

Thanks, I'll try that approach tomorrow. I've sprinkled a thick layer of shavings over the bed again tonight to dissuade her from chowing down on it. If I can stop using shavings I think the new pellets will help me keep the volume of the muck heap down really well because I'm already taking far less out than I was with 100% shavings.

 

[HG95]

I recently moved to the straw pellets with a layer of chopped straw over the top. Horse actually went hunting for the straw pellets. I emailed nedz and they recommended spraying diluted Jaye's fluid. But said most horses don't find them that appertizing... I guess there's exceptions to everything ?