How to use Liverpool Wood Pellets

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Have just taken delivery of some Liverpool Wood Pellets and want all your expert opinions on how to use them properly.

We were told to spread them out on the stable floor and then get a watering can (with rose on) and soak them and then wait half an hour. Is this the best way to start a new bed off?

Then on a day to day basis - how do we muck out. We always muck out daily (banking all the bed up each day) and want to continue doing this. So presumably we take out the muck and the wet, but then how do we replace what we've taken out? Do we have to put another bag down and water that, or mix it up in a bin outside or what? I don't want to be in the position of about to put a bed down, when the heavens open up and I'm still waiting for the bedding to pulp up and dry.

Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
when starting bed off you water, but often once bed established you do not need to water and you certaintly dont need to take the wet out more than once a week (that is defeating the object of the bedding). It seems bizarre until you get used to it, but you won't believe how absorbent it is, cleaner and alot less smelly until you use it. Each day when you muck out, take out the poo and mix the wet areas in with the dry (hence no watering needed after initial start).

We tend to put between half a bag to a bag down a week (depending on horse), and just mix the pellets with the fork into the bed.

To start bed, put about 4 bags down (depends on size of area) water well, leave for a bit, and then add 2 more bags and mix in. Bed goes to a crumb like mixture.

Hope that's clear. Takes abit of getting used to, but once you get the knack of it it is fab stuff
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would never use anything else again now.
 
I agree that if you take the wet out every day, you're missing the point of the bedding and it's going to get very expensive! We use it at work and we have to keep it very clean and white... silly IMO as we put a new bag in every two or three days (more for messy horses). But hey ho, it's someone else's yard and I have to do it how she wants it! I went to a yard recently where they actually use Aquamax (same as LWP) how it is supposed to be used. The beds were brown, yes, but they were clean and deep and apparently very cheap and economical.
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Thanks for the responses. Am about to give it a go later on today and will leave the stable empty until I know the result of it - just in case! I think it will work well for a few horses but really don't think we would have the time to do a whole yard of horses like it. Much easier just opening a bale of shavings up and putting down, or a bale of straw. By the time we've watered it and mixed it, we could have had another couple of beds done on other stuff. Is it time consuming or am I finding problems before I try it?
 
You are finding probelms that aren't there!! Yes to set them up they take a bit of time - the other way to do it is to open a bag of pellets in a wheelbarrow and water in there - leave for 15/20 mins to expand and then dump on stable - whilst you are soaking the next bag you can be arranging the bedding to your taste. I have both of mine on them - one really clean (doesn't wee in her stable) and one complete minger (3-4 wheelbarrows a day when on straw) - it takes 15 mins to muck them both out - 'proper' muck out and top up at weekends as needed.

Another one who won't use anything else!!
 
It's the easiest bedding ever!
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I activate the pellets by putting two bags into a big skip bucket and adding enough water to cover the pellets (like you're making sugar beet) - Whilst you're mucking out the pellets break down and fluff up - You could either do this to start your bed off or put the pellets on the floor and sprinkle as suggested already
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You may decide not to continue throwing the bedding up every day and leave the bed in situ so that it settles - I scrape back the top dry layer and take out heavy wet patches daily to ensure the bed doesn't become too heavy - I add 2 bags a week to the bed but tend to put the used bedding into the bankings and lay the fresh 2 bags on the floor - (I find this bedding hard to use if you don't have rubber matting).

My beds are always clean and bone dry - I love the stuff!
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Kate x
 
ditto others, you may think it's time consuming initially but it is so much easier, quicker to muck out, and there is less waste (muck heap size reduced, wheelbarrow not full as quick etc). AND it works out so much cheaper!
 
I love them and wouldn't go back to straw or shavings from choice and have just taken delivery of four tonne which will hopefully keep mine until the end of the winter although mine aren't LWP, my feed merchant has found a good source so I'm quids in too! Last year it was the cheapest, easiest bedding I could source and it saved me over an hour when mucking out which is a lot when you have a bad back!
Like the others, I only wet the first bed using 8 bags to a box, after that, any new pellets were raked in dry. I only took the very wettest out once a week and topped up with 2 bags a week so still a lot less than a bale of shavings although I do admit, they go the colour of dark sand which takes some getting used to after white shavings but if you put your hand into the bed it's as dry as a bone. The horses seemed to like it too as it gives a very sure footing and a nice dry bed. I have rubber down, I don't know what it would be like onto concrete but can't see a problem either way. Give it a whirl, you might be pleasantly surprised!
 
Well we've given it a go and are still debating on whether its worth it for us or not. Definitely don't have the time to put a whole yard on it.

We did one stable by spreading the pellets all over the floor (rubber matting underneath) and then sprinkled/soaked until the pellets were covered. Must have put too much water though, because hours later it was still damp but we still have pellets which hadn't broken down. This meant that when the horse came into the stable and had an immediate roll in it, he was covered in the stuff and then we had to waste more time, by going in and brushing him off totally.

We did the other stable by putting pellets into a couple of empty dustbins, watering them and when dry, tipping them out into the stable (but bins weighed a ton by then).

We skipped out this evening and must admit, it was just muck we picked up, no wastage of bedding which would make the muck heap very small.

Will give it a week or so to see what we think. Thanks everyone for your responses though - at least you are all on the same wavelength as how to work with them.
 
We have it down to a fine art now!

We poke a hole in the top of the bag stick hose in & fill to top, then leave a few mins poke holes in bottom to drain & thats usally enough. We use it with rubber mats and love it. Will never go bck to anything else.
 
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