Is there such a thing

[Mosh]

Is there such a bedding that is super absorbant, low dust/dust free that doesn't cost the earth?

My mare has cushings so is slightly wetter than average (newly diagnosed so finding the right dosage currently)

We used to be on wood pellets with shavings on top and then when we had some breathing problems we moved onto pure bed.

I'm struggling to get on with pure bed and I'm not sure my mare is particularly fond of it either. We are on rubber mats too.

We aren't allowed cardboard or paper so has to be straw/shavings/pure bed etc

I dont mind deep littering or mucking out daily.

I've had bedmax suggested but just wondered if anyone had other ideas because my mind is blown by choice and I don't know where to begin.

 

[phizz4]

We used Aubiose for a long time. Initially expensive but super absorbent, easy to muck out and frugal in it's use, so it worked out no more expensive than Bliss. However, I'm not up to date with prices and it comes from France. We used to pay £11 a bale.

 

[asmp]

I was going to suggest Laysoft but it looks similar to Pure Bed. I buy it by the pallet load direct from the manufacture and it works out at a good price.

 

[Britestar]

Megazorb? Or too much like cardboard/ paper?

 

[Melody Grey]

It’s years since I used aubiose, so no idea on cost but it is absorbent. When I did bed on shavings, Bedmax was my preference- seemed to go further, last longer and less dusty.

 

[TPO]

I've been using Nedz Pro and did rate it very highly.

One of the horses has mild asthma so dust free is the highest priority. It has been really absorbent and the Pro version is designed for semi deep litter. So only a full muck out once a week.

I had been loving it until this batch. I've had 4 seperate bales all have "stuff" in them. This has ranged from shredded pink twin to a whole collection of various hard blue plastic pieces thought it all (not great considering I found one bit embedded in a frog and that the muckheap gets spread and now it's full of plastic pieces) and finally found a sharp coiled piece of rusty wire.

To date it's the most dust free bedding I've tried and is very absorbent.

So I found a new type of bedding via instagram called Uni-bed. Its chopped rape straw too but looks very different from Nedz.

They have sent me a sample bale so I laid it tonight and not an iota of noticeable dust. The horses are in during the day so going to give it 48hrs to test the absorbancy and ease of mucking out. So far so good.

The company were very helpful. The problem is I'm in Scotland so I need to make a minimum order of 150, hence the need to test it first. However including delivery that's only £9 a bale so a bargain I think. I think people in England can get smaller orders because the delivery is easier. I just emailed for a quote and they were extremely helpful

 

[spacefaer]

I use chopped rape straw. Very absorbent, rots down very quickly and is dust extracted. It's £4.70/bale plus delivery nationwide.
I can send you my supplier's details if you are interested.

 

[GSD Woman]

Can you get sugar cane byproduct? It is popular in some areas of the US from what I've read, absorbent, not dusty and horses aren't attracted to it as food.

 

[Jellymoon]

Chopped rape straw. I use Sundowner.

 

[Red-1]

We are on chopped rape straw too. Ours is Raviera. I like the ones that are harder, more like little wood chips, as this seems to stay cleaner as it is draining as well as absorbent, and the pieces don't break down and make mush.

 

[Mosh]

Thank you for all the suggestions. Going to start doing investigating and contacting people.

The pure bed is easy to muck out but isn't absorbant enough for a wet mare anyway who is now weeing extra ?

 

[Melody Grey]

@Mosh if your mare is really wet, is it worth trying something like wood pellets under something less dusty/ nicer on top?

ETA: you already tried that! Just re-read! ?‍

 

[Kat]

I didn't find bedmax very absorbent but find laysoft great for my messy mare.

 

[Mosh]

@Mosh if your mare is really wet, is it worth trying something like wood pellets under something less dusty/ nicer on top?

ETA: you already tried that! Just re-read! ?‍

Haha, I loved the wood pellets underneath so if I could find something less dusty on top that would be great!

 

[Tarragon]

We used to be on wood pellets with shavings on top and then when we had some breathing problems we moved onto pure bed.

Did you try just wood pellets?

 

[Mosh]

Did you try just wood pellets?

I haven't yet. I was interested in the idea but lots of people said they can get dusty quite quickly and at the time, her breathing was poor/she was poorly and was worried it would make her worse.

I've seen some lovely wood pellets beds as well so will do some research into wood pellets alone

 

[Poingsettia]

Can you get sugar cane byproduct? It is popular in some areas of the US from what I've read, absorbent, not dusty and horses aren't attracted to it as food.

Not in the UK, as our sugar is made from beet, a bit like a turnip! I used to live in South Africa, and horses loved getting sugar cane as a treat.

 

[Goldenstar]

I would try chopped rape straw .

 

[Fjord]

I've been using wood pellets and they are fab to muck out but yes, very dusty. Before I order another pallet for winter I want to try something else so am thinking about chopped rape straw. Is it palatable? My girl tried to eat straw pellets last time I tried them so I'm wary!

 

[Frumpoon]

I use chopped rape straw. Very absorbent, rots down very quickly and is dust extracted. It's £4.70/bale plus delivery nationwide.
I can send you my supplier's details if you are interested.

Can I have also please?

 

[Keira 8888]

Can I have also please?

Please may I also have them? Thank you!! Xx

 

[AFB]

I was going to suggest Laysoft but it looks similar to Pure Bed. I buy it by the pallet load direct from the manufacture and it works out at a good price.

Do you have contact details for your supplier you could share? I loved Laysoft but can't get hold of it any more and had no response when I tried RonHull (albeit the winter before last).

 

[asmp]

Do you have contact details for your supplier you could share? I loved Laysoft but can't get hold of it any more and had no response when I tried RonHull (albeit the winter before last).

I’ve been buying them direct from Ron Hull, the manufacturers for some years and haven’t had any problems dealing with them. Sometimes the lady who takes the orders isn‘t around but it’s never taken long to get hold of her. The last time I ordered I think it was about £6.70 a bale including delivery (Pallet load)

 

[atropa]

Chopped rape straw is very absorbent BUT not great for very tidy horses as it does eventually start getting dusty if there's not a large turnover of bedding.

Bedmax is non-dusty but definitely not absorbent.

I'd probably try a mix of chopped rape straw and Bedmax on top or dry pellets underneath with chopped rape straw on top.

 

[Wishfilly]

I use the miscanthus version of this stuff: https://www.burlybed.co.uk/ which seems pretty absorbant and is relatively low dust- my pony had a cough on straw and nothing on this stuff. I half-litter (remove droppings in the week, and dig out at weekends). When I put new in, I mix new and used to reduce the dustiness.

 

[Fjord]

Chopped rape straw is very absorbent BUT not great for very tidy horses as it does eventually start getting dusty if there's not a large turnover of bedding.

That's interesting to hear, my mare is very tidy so I only need to muck out her toilet area. I use some of her bed to replace the toilet bedding and top up the bed with fresh. It might be worth a try though, especially if it works out cheaper than pellets. Is it easy to muck out?

 

[atropa]

That's interesting to hear, my mare is very tidy so I only need to muck out her toilet area. I use some of her bed to replace the toilet bedding and top up the bed with fresh. It might be worth a try though, especially if it works out cheaper than pellets. Is it easy to muck out?

Yep definitely easy to muck out, the clean falls easily through the tines so there is little waste. I like it a lot for my very wet large mare but I had to move my native off it as there was soo little turnover of bedding. That could be the way I manage my beds though, YMMV

 

[TPO]

I use the miscanthus version of this stuff: https://www.burlybed.co.uk/ which seems pretty absorbant and is relatively low dust- my pony had a cough on straw and nothing on this stuff. I half-litter (remove droppings in the week, and dig out at weekends). When I put new in, I mix new and used to reduce the dustiness.

I used this and it was the dustiest bed ever. It choked me just laying the bale. Awful, awful stuff.

You could see clouds of dust and it hung in the air for over an hour. I bought it solwly because of its advertised dust free properties

It wasnt anywhere near as absorbent of nedz pro either. I only swapped because it was 1.50 cheaper a bale and it made all the same promises.

Dad and I had to muck out using dust masks and ensure stables were done am to give it a good 8hrs to settle.

 

[Sossigpoker]

I find Bedmax to be noticeably less dusty than any other dust extracted bedding ibe tried. First time I opened a bale i was taken aback as there was just no dust.
So for dust sensitivity I'd recommend that but I also like to have a layer of wood pellets underneath to keep all the wet together

 

[Wishfilly]

I used this and it was the dustiest bed ever. It choked me just laying the bale. Awful, awful stuff.

You could see clouds of dust and it hung in the air for over an hour. I bought it solwly because of its advertised dust free properties

It wasnt anywhere near as absorbent of nedz pro either. I only swapped because it was 1.50 cheaper a bale and it made all the same promises.

Dad and I had to muck out using dust masks and ensure stables were done am to give it a good 8hrs to settle.

I'm really surprised you found it that dusty! It can definitely be a bit dusty to lay a new bale, but when mixed with some of the old bed, there is no dust in the stable (for me anyway).

That said, some people at the yard have said that you can occasionally get bad batches that are extremely dusty, so possibly there's an issue with consistency?