FIELD SHELTERS - bedding

[Rudolph's Red Nose]

Just looking for some suggestions...

Have a large horse field shelter for my 2 horses who live out 24/7 and use their shelter quite a lot...

I have a plastic matting as the base (square mats that clip together, the type used as walkways at county shows, work well as they have little holes and are raised above the ground so no drainage problems)

I have used shavings in the past but as the horses dont wipe their feet before entering so the shavings just end up disappearing under mud and wet and costing me a fortune.

I am putting straw in at the moment but they keep eating that ....

Does anyone use anything different or have any bright ideas...

 

[surreyhorsechick]

I don't use any bedding in my shelter - mine are out 24/7 and the only time they go in the shelter is to eat their hay (I have two hay bars in there) so I've put my rubber stable mats (the thick 18mm ones) down as a base - works for me and I just sweep it out every day.

 

[andrewandthehorse]

Have you tried Bliss? It has a bitter agent added so they don't eat it. Mine isn't in a shelter though!

 

[FairyLights]

I think you need to ask yourself why they are eating the staw. They sound hungry to me. Try feeding them more hay.

 

[Rudolph's Red Nose]

I honestly dont think it is hunger, as they sometimes leave hay in the shelter or field and go back to eat it at a later time - I think my older gelding is the culprit, he used to do it when he was stabled ...

Just want to give them a warm comfy place to shelter from the nasty weather if they choose too....

 

[hobo]

I use Obiose in mine and it works out really good it dries it's selfout and i just pick any poo's off if they poo in there.