How can I stop my horse eating his bed?

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GT_02

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Hi, my horse is currently bedded down on really nice, good quality straw. So nice, in fact, that he'd rather eat that than the net of haylage I provide for him (also good quality!) Does anybody know of anything I can treat the straw with to make it less tasty? I wouldn't mind so much, but haylage is included in my livery bill and straw is not so it's getting a bit expensive to keep replacing his bed! Due to sourcing and disposal issues at my yard, finding an alternative bedding isn't really an option.

Thanks in advance!
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MM, my problem too. Tried spraying with jeyes fluid that didnt work, i now have a ponio with very clean insides. I was lucky it didnt make him ill. Even went to the vets, all they would say is shavings are cheaper than a call out and treatment for an impaction colic.
Let me know if you find a 'cure' as its costing me £40 quid a month in shavings!
Il be destitute by xmas!
 
It's lovely, soft oat straw! He's moved onto straw from shavings at my last yard so I'm hoping it's just novelty value at the moment. I don't think it's doing him any harm so I may have to just put up with it. At least I only pay a couple of pounds a bale!
 
AAAAAAH.... well there's your problem. Oat straw is very, very tasty and used in a lot of chaffs and pelleted feeds for this reason. The only suggestions I can make is to find a supplier who can sell you wheat straw, or barley if you can't get wheat. That, or try paper or cardboard bedding. Maybe those would be cheaper than the shavings' option? That said, oat straw won't hurt him although stuffing loads will bloat him out rather
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