Liverpool Wood Pellets?

[Charlie77]

Sorry not very it literate, im sure I could search this some how!

Any way this bedding looks good to me but for those that use it, I don’t understand the spray with water part? Will this not make the bed damp? And how do you go about adding fresh? Etc sorry if this is really dumb!

Many Thanks!

 

[Maesfen]

No, you don't wet it enough to make a soggy mess but to break down the pellets after which the horse moving on them will break them down better; this in turn makes them more absorbent than if they were left dry when the water would just run off them. That probably doesn't make much sense but it's easier when you start using them.
When adding more to a bed, I just tip the new on top and rake them smooth, I don't wet them then as they break down nicely when the horse moves over them and they work into the old bed. A lot of people do wet new bags but I find they last better if you don't.
The one tip I'll say is always rake out any hay in the bed each day; for some reason it seems to mat and makes the bed heavier and damper than it should be if you leave hay mixed up in it.
It's all trial and error, I never thought I'd like them but tried them because of their price (with 6/7 in, any help is welcome!) I wouldn't go back to anything else now unless I went down to one horse when I'd be on nice barley or oat straw but I'd never touch shavings again, they're far too much of a faff.

 

[Oberon]

Agree with Maesfen.

Wetting the pellets breaks them down from a wooden peg to a soft sand.

Starting up a new bed in autumn, I put 13 bags down in a pile and throw a couple of buckets of water over. It doesn't break them all down but it makes it a bit softer to stand on at first.

Then, once a week, I add a new bag and mix it straight in. No more wetting required.

They break down nicely when the horse stands on them.

After mucking out and while laying the bed back down, I dig the sides, shake and mix with the middle. This keeps the bed from going flat and thin and it keeps it all dry but not overdry.

 

[appylass]

Agree with Maesfen, exactly the same for me. If money was no object I would use Megazorb but wood pellets are great too. I am on my first lot of Liverpool ones - had a more expensive 'make' before - and have to say they are just as good.

 

[mcnaughty]

I would only add to the above that you do really need mats with this type of bedding IMO. I really like the pellets - megga cheap and very quick to muck out - I only have the back half of the stable bedded (whole stable matted) and the bed is not very thick.

I only started the bed 2 weeks ago with 8 bags - added another 2 after 1 week and poured water into an x split bag - this works pretty well and is pretty dramatic as you see the bedding start to expand and pour out over the edges of the bags. Next time though I will try just adding the pellets to the already made up bed.