Help - pony eating straw pellets!

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Grumpyfell

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Have finally given up on straw after many years. Where I live now I struggle to buy it, transport it, dispose of it.

After much research (here and elsewhere) I thought straw pellets would be the answer. Last night I put the mare's bed down, she chewed a few so I gave extra hay plus some barley straw to keep her occupied. Was greatly relieved this morning to find she did not have colic. However when I mucked out the gelding strolled in to investigate and started eating the pellets like pony nuts.

Should I dampen them? Spray with something? Layer of straw on top?

I have had the old monster 18 years now, need him to survive. I also do not want to give away a pallet full of expensive pellets.

Anyone else had this problem?
 
I had same issue... After all they look like pony nuts and toast like tasty straw! I sprayed fly repellent on them to put her off until they had broke down and she was no longer interested!
 
I'd give the supplier a call - when I enquired about straw pellets and asked about palatability I was told horses eating the pellets was rare but they did have a spray they could supply me with if needed. In the meantime would a sprinkling of disinfectant work?
 
I trialled straw pellets with two of mine who both ignored them. Bought 1000 kg only to discover that three of the other horses just viewd them as an all you can eat buffet. I was worried about colic but as I keep the horses at home I was able to turn them out overnight. I tried spraying with Jeyes Fliud but that didn't deter them. As you probably know the advantage of straw over wood pellets is that you don't soak them before putting them in the stable.

I finally used up the 1000 kg on the horses that didn't scoff them but had to replace the beds of those that did eat them with wood pellets. I now use 5 Star wood pellets for all the horses and am very pleased with them.
 
My horse has a tendency to eat his bedding as well, soaking the pellets helps to make it fluffy AND spraying fly repellent or disinfectant stops them eating it!
 
Thanks for all your comments. I dampened the mare's bed and the pellets have broken down nicely, she does not seem interested in eating her bed. I find mucking out a doddle, so little to remove and no digging around in disgusting slimy, smelly straw. Cannot wait to get the gelding off straw. Tomorrow I will make him a dampened bed but they can swop stables for a few days as her's already resembles a bed rather than a huge bowl of pony nuts.

The chickens are not impressed, they will miss the straw when they help me to muck out!
 
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