Hmm..are shavings really quicker than straw..ponderings

[Hippona]

I had my 3 on shavings for speed of mucking out on a morning...I have an hour to turn out and muck out 3 horses...some of the fields are a bit of a trek away which takes up the time...

2 were mega-messy poo-monsters and it financially wasn't a good option so they are back on straw....my horse is fairly clean and he had a big bed so I kept him on shavings.

I have noticed though....that it takes longer to pick hay out and sift through for poo, then rake it over and sweep up...than it does to skip the straw beds out. Plus I still have to get all the beds up on a weekend to get the wet out.

So I'm off back to straw.....pointless post really, but I've worked out i'll be about £50 a month better off ......

****wanders off to do some on-line shopping***

 

[Colline]

Good for you. Think what else you could spend that £50 on or if you are really good you could save it

 

[JoBo]

See I have one on straw and one on shavings at the moment, but I’m seriously thinking of having them both on straw as it just so much cheaper. They are both quite clean so takes the same time, can do both stables, hay and water in half an hour. Once the shavings are used up I’m moving Bodey over to straw.

 

[chickeninabun]

I'm all for straw. We had a poorly one on shavings for a few months and it was a nightmare to keep the bed and the horse clean, always covered in poo stains, etc, but on straw, no probs. It's quick, clean and looks so snuggly and warm on cold winter nights!

 

[camilla4]

I'm the same - I've always preferred straw: smells yummy, nicer to work with and better value IMO

 

[Divasmum]

A new straw bed always looks so cosy. Mine is on Bedmax though!

 

[Skippydo]

Two of mine are on shavings and one on straw.

There is no way on this planet i would have nutty chestnut on shaving, i've tried it but he just trashes his poo into millions of pieces and it takes forever to muck out.
The other two on shavings are very kind animals and leave their poos where they land so dead quick to muck out. One gets wee taken out once a week, the other twice a week.

So in answer to the question, shavings are quicker for us but ultimately it depends on the pooer

Edit to say, one on shavings is lami prone and the other is a pig! So have no choice really

but if i could have them on straw i would

 

[Persephone]

I find straw masses quicker.

 

[Geraldine]

I tried Bob on shavings, cost a fortune to get a bed down and was a DISASTER!!!

Filthy, dirty boy just trashed it ALL overnight. The only clean shavings were at the bottom of the banks.

Very expensive waste of time.

 

[Chico Mio]

My shavings/sawdust are free and FB eats a straw bed - poo and all! So no contest for me. Shavings are not easier or quicker to muck out, but I deep litter and have half beds and half mats. I have a nifty shavings fork that I can sieve poo with and I suppose two stables cleaned, swept and re-watered in about half an hour.

 

[katie_and_toto]

We've just switched Toto onto shavings, little monster was eating all his straw when he was on his summer diet, he left his soaked haynet and munched on his bed instead

Although shavings do take a little longer to muck out, the bed is softer, smells cleaner, is much more absorbant, doesn't get kicked around the stable/dug up/trashed, he can't eat it and at only £2 a bag it's a bit of a no-brainer

 

[Horseback Rider]

Have you thought about using shavings with rubber matting. You don't generall need half the amount of shavings or even straw ?? It may be a lot to shell out for in the beginning but it generally does save you time every day and will probably end u saving you cash

 

[Nickijem]

I wish i could go back to straw but my friend's horse really suffers if she is on straw and my horses stable is next to hers so we have to have both of them on shavings.
And on haylage rather than hay - all more expensive!

 

[Hippona]

Had thought yes....new stable block is being built and I'm not doing anything until I move....will possibly put matting down then....

 

[Gingerwitch]

I have two on savings and one on straw.

I cannot do my straw bed before work as i smell of wee all day, so do that last on a night. No. 1 horse on shavings takes about 3 mins to do - 5 poos all at the front and occasionally one at the back. No 2 horse - takes at least 20 mins a day and longer when i lift on a weekend. But he lies down every night and is a big boy and i worry about the straw moving as he gets down - ok he is on rubber matting as well and his shaving bed is about 6" thick where he lies.