Field shelter bedding

samlf

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Possibility of moving to a rented field with a big shelter. Would be sectioned into 24x12 for 2 horses.

I really want a more permanent bedding, that will not get wet and make them thrushy when shut in at night (so straw/shavings etc out of question).
Preferably something that can be poopicked, not mucked out as such.

Any ideas?
I do have rubber mats that could be put down but I dont think thats enough for them to lay on and want to do their business.
 
Hi, I have a large field shelter with a concrete floor and rubber matting for my two and put a bed down for them in one third of it in the winter, I have found Easy Bed to be the best but it does have to be mucked out as they do wee in there. Sorry cant think of anything that would just need skipping out.
 
I have a shelter which has grass mat type matting at the bottom (I got them free, originally pathways inside marquees at county show) then a deep layer of shavings with straw mixed in and it has been fine for the past two winters as I keep it deep littered, just poo pick and pull down shavings / straw from banks - I did have guttering put on which helped majorly with the churning at the front of the shelter inside and out.

Hope that helps.

:)
 
I have a field shelter and I suppose it depends where its sited mine is a double and the hemcore etc has always stayed bone dry! Its on earth as dry as a bone!

Its no different to a concrete stable. I did have an overhang at the front and so the rain doesnt get into it & guttering etc.
 
I've got rubber mats in my field shelter and then had shavings on top but when it was very wet they absorbed a lot of water. I have since been using straw as it is less absorbent.
My local tack shop are selling bark chips for use as bedding in field shelters but I haven't tried them yet.
 
Thanks wood chippings sounds like a possibility. The other possibility is sand, but apparently that absorbs the wee and smells?
 
Overhang & guttering help go a long long way to keeping the inside of a shelter much more dry :)
My 2 fixed ones have dirt floors (sides are on slabs) & Eco Comfy Bed inside, mostly this is the clean from banks of stables when I am clearing the boxes out after the winter. I only ever skip these shelters out, not taken any wet out for a long long time.... (sounds horrid, but honestly its not)
Never had a 'soggy' problem in either of those 2 shelters, even with a wet gelding who likes to use one as his personal convenience! :)

Now, the mobile one.... water 'can' get in from the sides & that can get soggy inside if the weather is really very wet when its sited in one particular paddock....
 
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