Ideas for a New Winter Bedding

aran

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Hello
I'm thinking of changing my bedding for this winter as I have changed jobs and now need to be super quick in the mornings!
I have a truely disguisting TB (aka the equine cement mixer) - he has been on everything but is always messy and you have to remove most of the bed everyday, and a quite clean but will definately lie-in-it, connie. The are on full straw beds (with a sprinkling of megasorb underneath to aid absorption and reduce smell!).
(Rubber matting is not an option)
I was thinking of going onto a semi-deep litter wood pellet bedding?
What are everyones thoughts on good, value for money bedding?
Are there any good companies that you get it from (we're Herts/Beds border)?

Thank you!
 
I've got a v messy boy who marches about and then lies in it (and is tri coloured so shows every stain) I tried wood pellet - didn't work for him on a semi deep litter - he just moved it all to the back of his box......

He has a 6"-8" bed of wood shavings from the local joiner - very fine, almost like sawdust - topped with a layer of straw. He doesn't move the bed at all and the straw helps prevent the red wood staining his white bits!

Dead cheap - huge bags I can barely shift for £2.50 plus a bale of straw a week for £2.50. Took 2 bags to make up the bed and I haven't added more for 2 weeks. Take out the solid wet patch and droppings daily - one half wheelbarrow/day! Delighted
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My boy is also disgusting - very wet! I tried wood pellet bedding (natures best) for the first time last year and i'll be sticking with it this year. Took out WAY less bedding and bed was mucked out in less than half the time. If you semi-deep litter it you dont use much bedding either as you dont remove much. Liverpool wood pellets are a cheaper version of the same thing.
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thanks for the reply - i don't know any mills around us - did you just looks yours up in the yellow pages or something?

i have a COPD horse next to me so i think i'd have to be careful that its not too dusty and affect her - how do you find it?
 
Im using elephant grass...fennington fibres or something its like £5.50 a bale i think....seems easy enough mare is a messing monster anyway so dreading the winter and long time in the box!!
 
Natures best is about £.5.50 a bag, liverpool wood pellets is much cheaper though if you buy a pallet (i dont have the storage
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) They recommend about 10 bags to start. Once the bed is down you only need to add a bag every 7-10 days. Its quite heavy when its down (although soft) so i dont find it moves around too much. I'd really recommend it for a messy horse. I was a fortune on shavings and WAY too dirty for straw!!

ETA both companies sell them in pallets if you want and deliver. You don't need the 'special fork' though! A shavings fork does the job just fine!
 
got the shavings from a man who makes kitchens - saw a sign on the roadside! It's a bit dusty when it goes down, but I spray it with water - as I would do with the wood pellets - and it's fine to use after that.
 
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