How many bales of shavings?

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acw295

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Approx how many bales of shavings would you need to do set up generously deep bed in a stable that measure approx 10ftx20ft and bed would be at least 10ftx12ft possibly more?

Pony diagnosed today with fractured splint and likely to need surgery. Either way a spell of box rest is inevitable :(

Currently on straw which I really like using generally as she is not messy on straw and easy to muck out - but I think for longish term box rest with mucking out twice a day I'd be better off with something absorbant so it is less work for me twice a day and less smell!

Just trying to work out if the additional costs (as we have very cheap straw) is worth the labour and smell saving?

I can pick up a large quantity in the lorry and would probably do a deep litter system until off box rest then dig the whole lot out and go back to straw after.
 
acw295 said:
Approx how many bales of shavings would you need to do set up generously deep bed in a stable that measure approx 10ftx20ft and bed would be at least 10ftx12ft possibly more?

Pony diagnosed today with fractured splint and likely to need surgery. Either way a spell of box rest is inevitable :(

Currently on straw which I really like using generally as she is not messy on straw and easy to muck out - but I think for longish term box rest with mucking out twice a day I'd be better off with something absorbant so it is less work for me twice a day and less smell!

Just trying to work out if the additional costs (as we have very cheap straw) is worth the labour and smell saving?



I can pick up a large quantity in the lorry and would probably do a deep litter system until off box rest then dig the whole lot out and go back to straw after.
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Depends on what shavings you buy but as a guess 8 or 9 .
 
Hi I have recently put down a new shavings bed in a stable approx. same size and I used 5 bales for the new bed, I am topping it up with one a week. I have found mixing the small flake and larger flake shavings together is working well, the small flake is more absorbent but the big flakes help the bed stay in shape because they are heavier they help keep it in the right place.

Hope your horse's recovery goes well.
 
I used 3 bales of small flake to set up a 6' x 12' bed, if that's any help.

Saw your other post in veterinary, sorry to hear it's bad news. Friend was with NFU and when her horse needed box rest, they paid for the additional bedding and feed costs :eek: so might be worth checking your policy?

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
 
Aubiose is very easy to deal with, doesn't move much when they get restless and is excellent for the garden !

It is slightly more expensive than standard shavings but might just do the short term job you are after, it is very very absorbent.
 
Thanks all - I think I'll get 12 bales to start with and that should give me a couple of spare to top up with.

I'm normally a huge fan of straw and have done short stints on box rest with it but the last time nearly killed me with my busy job on top (yard totally DIY so can't even pay someone to help) so I think this time, given I know it will be a long-ish spell in, it makes sense to change to absorbent bedding and just take the poo out and tidy it up and let a base form. I do hope my OCD doesn't get the better of me though, always avoided deep litter as it just doesn't feel right to me and my desire to sweep floors clean daily! :o

Will have to manage as I am until the weekend though when I can get the shavings and have the time to empty bed out and start again. Oh joy.
 
Depends on whether you want to cover the whole floor. I used 5 bales to start my girl's bed off on rubber mats, covering just over 50% of floor

Hope your pony makes a quick recovery :)
 
Thanks all

Just to complete the thread in case it is of use to anyone at a later date - I have put in 8 so far (Woodpecker), which seemed deep enough (without banks) I bought 12 though and I think will top up with another 2 when she gets back from surgery.
 
Whilst obviouly all cases are different....
before you go and put down a huge bed have a word with your vet! My TB fractured his leg last year and facing a long long box rest to keep him "comfy" i put down a huge bed.
A few days later he was significantly worse as he'd been lying down and trying to roll. The vet advised taking much of the bed back out as this was the very last thing we wanted! Also he pointed out that it was far easier for my horse to move around slightly with minimum bedding (he had to be put in a tiny stable 10X10 if that) He needed to reach water/hay etc but movement needed to be as limited as possible (think walking in deep sand!)

Like i say your case may be totally different but i was gutted throwing barrows of fresh bed away!

Hope he makes a good recovery x
 
Some of it i did, but I didnt have waterproof storage though at my old yard- i collected bedding in my car as and when needed. Much of what i saved i gave away to other liveries as it got damp and yuck!
 
Hi, thanks, our situation sounds quite different I think.

The new shavings bed is to keep her stable clean on deep litter to minimise the mucking out for me, not really for her, she'd rather have straw so she can eat it! She is vile on a small bed as very wet in season and keeping a straw bed clean 24/7 was seriously hard work on my back and also never smelt really clean - she is fine on straw when it is swept up and aired daily but this isn't possible on box rest.

I have rubber mats and the bed I've put down is about 6-8 inches deep, so not as deep as the straw bed I originally had - it is "big" in the sense that her stable is big, not particularly deep now it has bedded in.

This was it originally (now far grubbier lol)
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...0817704485849.395348.557680848&type=3&theater

It's only a splint bone fracture and the fractured bone is being removed this week, she doesn't have to be kept still, she is still allowed walks inhand until the operation and will be able to walk around again fairly soon after it too - she's not even lame with it tbh. It sounds like your horse had a more serious fracture? I hope they recovered well :)
 
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