Miscanthus (burleybed) review - really messy dirty horse.

Wagtail

Wagtail

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I promised to put up a thread on this bedding once I had given it a few weeks to assess. My little mare is absolutely filthy in her stable. She poos and wees anywhere and then digs up the bed and rolls many times whilst she is in. She's a very itchy horse and does it in the field and arena too (if allowed). I have tried megazorb, shavings, straw and wood pellets. All of these ended up looking manky within days unless she had a bag in every single day. Finally, with the miscanthus, she has a lovely looking bed which is dry and stays a nice colour.

Pros:

You don't need many bales to set up a decent bed. Four bales is enough on matting.
It looks lovely
It makes the best banks of any bedding I have tried. They are sturdy and effective from day one (essential with a roller).
It is heavy and so doesn't get kicked about too much.
It is absorbent and the wet goes to the bottom leaving the top dry.
It is not in the slightest bit dusty.

Cons:

It is more time consuming than pellets to muck out.
It's not as cheap as pellets.

So it's a keeper for my mare and any other messy horses I get in. The rest are still on pellets because they are cheaper and quicker to muck out.
 
What is it, if you don't mind me asking, and have you any bed pics???

I have settled on pellets/shavings mix (but only at back of stable over mats) for my filthy box walking tb mare, and it works OK but certainly isn't bright and white unless shavings just added...

Fiona
 
I've just stared using similar (Bliss bedding, which looks like the pictures i've found of Miscanthus bedding) its great for my really messy mare - for the first time i've put her on a big bed and i'm leaving some wet underneath because shes not dragging it all to the top and everyday after muching out the bed looks clean and 'white' where as with shavings and pellets after a day or two it always looks minging!
 
Ooh, interesting!

Can I ask Wagtail, have you ever used Aubiose? Would you say the BurleyBed is better than Aubiose? My gelding is really wet, although not that messy, but he lays down a lot and the wet just seems to come up through and it goes all brown and revolting. I'm now looking for an alternative but this is the most absorbent I've found so far, unless Burleybed trumps it...
 
this is chopped miscanthus? or pellets?

I am a fan of chopped miscanthus-I have a very mucky gelding!After trying straw and miscanthus pellets I tried aunoise, which would be bed of preference but I can't get it. I then used cavianthus, then chopped rape, now chopped miscanthus again. its good for bedding waterfowl on too-if it can cope with that it can cope with anything!
 
I used Easypack miscanthus last winter as I had used up my old Comfybed stock from over the previous years (shame its not about) and found it easy to use, settled well, no dust to speak of.
Farmer happy that it rotted down quick & its ok for him to muck spead, as well mixed in with field droppings on muck heap.
V impressed with it :)
 
LeannePip said:
I've just stared using similar (Bliss bedding, which looks like the pictures i've found of Miscanthus bedding) its great for my really messy mare - for the first time i've put her on a big bed and i'm leaving some wet underneath because shes not dragging it all to the top and everyday after muching out the bed looks clean and 'white' where as with shavings and pellets after a day or two it always looks minging!
Click to expand...

Although they may look similar in pics having used both they are quite different, bliss being chopped rape straw instead of miscanthus. The miscathus, is chunkier, moves around less, more fibrous and more absorbent IME though it sounds like the bliss is working for you :)

wagtail when using bliss/miscanthus I have always used a small bag of wood pellets under in the wee spot, bashed flat, which tends to lock the wet in :)
 
Fiona said:
What is it, if you don't mind me asking, and have you any bed pics???

I have settled on pellets/shavings mix (but only at back of stable over mats) for my filthy box walking tb mare, and it works OK but certainly isn't bright and white unless shavings just added...

Fiona
Click to expand...

ElleSkywalker said:
I was about to ask for pics too :D
Click to expand...

I do have some pictures of when the bed was first laid. It has stayed pretty much the same since then once it's mucked out. I have been having trouble with photobucket though this afternoon and then have been so busy with the horses until now. I'll see if I can upload one in a bit.

LeannePip said:
I've just stared using similar (Bliss bedding, which looks like the pictures i've found of Miscanthus bedding) its great for my really messy mare - for the first time i've put her on a big bed and i'm leaving some wet underneath because shes not dragging it all to the top and everyday after muching out the bed looks clean and 'white' where as with shavings and pellets after a day or two it always looks minging!
Click to expand...

I haven't tried Bliss but it was going to be the next one I tried.

PercyMum said:
Ooh, interesting!

Can I ask Wagtail, have you ever used Aubiose? Would you say the BurleyBed is better than Aubiose? My gelding is really wet, although not that messy, but he lays down a lot and the wet just seems to come up through and it goes all brown and revolting. I'm now looking for an alternative but this is the most absorbent I've found so far, unless Burleybed trumps it...
Click to expand...

I haven't tried ambiose although I am tempted for a very wet gelding I have here. Apparently it is very absorbent but doesn't work well for horses that are messy. The gelding that is very wet is very tidy so I think it would work well for him. It is quite expensive though. But now having read your post, it may not be so good. I don't think miscanthus is so absorbent as ambiose, but the colour stays very nice.

MotherOfChickens said:
this is chopped miscanthus? or pellets?

I am a fan of chopped miscanthus-I have a very mucky gelding!After trying straw and miscanthus pellets I tried aunoise, which would be bed of preference but I can't get it. I then used cavianthus, then chopped rape, now chopped miscanthus again. its good for bedding waterfowl on too-if it can cope with that it can cope with anything!
Click to expand...

I tried the pelleted version of miscanthus a couple of years ago and didn't like it. But I like the chopped miscanthus.

The Fuzzy Furry said:
I used Easypack miscanthus last winter as I had used up my old Comfybed stock from over the previous years (shame its not about) and found it easy to use, settled well, no dust to speak of.
Farmer happy that it rotted down quick & its ok for him to muck spead, as well mixed in with field droppings on muck heap.
V impressed with it :)
Click to expand...

Thanks, sounds good. What are you using now?

ester said:
Although they may look similar in pics having used both they are quite different, bliss being chopped rape straw instead of miscanthus. The miscathus, is chunkier, moves around less, more fibrous and more absorbent IME though it sounds like the bliss is working for you :)

wagtail when using bliss/miscanthus I have always used a small bag of wood pellets under in the wee spot, bashed flat, which tends to lock the wet in :)
Click to expand...

Good tip. Thank you.
 
I use EasyPack miscanthus for my incredibly wet gelding for the past two year and I wouldn't dare switch. It stays put and is so absorbent. I only take the wet out once a week. It means only skipping out Monday to Friday which is a godsend to get to work on time.
 
I seem to be only person who doesn't like this bedding. Agree lots in bale but really heavy & not absorbant. Finished last bale last week & switching back to flax
 
Im still using the Easy pack miscanthus Wagtail, was so impressed last winter with it for a very grubby oik.
Like another poster above, i could just take out droppings on work days and rake level, then remove wet at a weekend. It was (and still is) well under £7 a pack :)
 
Interesting. They are changing our bedding and the yard and this is one of the options. I've opted for wood pellets for now and see how we go.
 
I'm thinking of changing bedding as my boy is really messy and I'm getting through about 3 bales of shavings a week at the moment which at £7 a bale is becoming very expensive.

How does everyone get hold of the miscanthus bedding Ive looked on a couple of websites but don't see any local stockists. What sort prices are they and for what quantity/ weight?

Many thanks.
 
I have miscanthus beds on concrete floors (no mats) and it makes a nice bright bed that stays put. My ponies like to roll themselves dry in it if they've got soaked in the rain (Weshie could barely contain herself to get through the door before turning upside down).

Neither of mine are exceptionally messy so can't really comment on that.
We order ours a pallet-load at a time from our local agricultural suppliers. We have big beds covering the whole stable so can't say whether or not it's more economical than other beddings - we use 3-4 bales per week on 2 beds. they are skipped out regularly, raked over daily and banks set fair and the whole lot dug out to the floor once a week. Judging by the amount of chippings in manes and tails each morning the ponies have a jolly good snooze overnight so must fine it comfortable.

Mine have had a nibble especially of any new bedding but they don't seem to bother for long.
 
MotherOfChickens said:
ime they try at first and then give up. I have an Exmoor and he'll try and eat most things!
Click to expand...

Thank you - mine is mainly hippo breeding with a hint of Appy and generally considers herself starved of food. Waistline would disagree.

She also turns shavings beds upside down, inside out and then buries her poo. So I'm looking for another option!
 
SEL said:
Thank you - mine is mainly hippo breeding with a hint of Appy and generally considers herself starved of food. Waistline would disagree.

She also turns shavings beds upside down, inside out and then buries her poo. So I'm looking for another option!
Click to expand...

ha ha. well, I stopped using Nedzbedz (the chopped wheat straw one) for that particular pony because he liked it even covered in tea tree oil but I then found another Caviera supplier. Nedzbedz Pro is chopped rape and thats quite good. All the chopped straws rot down very well but dont blow about like long straw-easier to muck out than shavings too.
 
Quick question - where do you all buy it from? I've had a quick google and everywhere says local collection/delivery only and none near me. Thanks.
 
It's like a pale chopped straw but a bit more coarse. This is the first bed I laid in one of my wooden stables. This was three bales in a 12 x 12 stable. It needed one more really which I put in just before the horse went in.

WP_20160917_15_53_54_Pro_zpsic8ibomx.jpg
 
SEL said:
Do the horses eat it at all? Sounds an option for my messy mare, but not if she's going to try and eat her bed ...
Click to expand...

Tiny Fuzzy who would like to be as round as she is tall, is disgusted - set to in trying to scoff it last winter and gave me a filthy look - yuk! FLF (a prone-to-being-rotund large native) wintered on it from 15/16 and into summer also was digusted, she is a confirmed bed scoffer, though didn't scoff this. This was for the Easy Pack Miscanthus.

I get mine from local feed merchant, its a staple of theirs :)
 
How edible is it? Mine is a real mess like yours, but also a bed eater, whatever the bed is...

Currently on a manky straw bed just as the straw is the least harmful thing for him to eat! Very willing to try something that will look nice and not harm him too much if he has a nibble on it!

Just read through- sounds like it's not tasty so might be a goer!
 
Last edited:
PaulnasherryRocky said:
How edible is it? Mine is a real mess like yours, but also a bed eater, whatever the bed is...

Currently on a manky straw bed just as the straw is the least harmful thing for him to eat! Very willing to try something that will look nice and not harm him too much if he has a nibble on it!

Just read through- sounds like it's not tasty so might be a goer!
Click to expand...

I used it for the banks in all of the stables, even the ones on pellets because it makes such nice banks. None of them have touched it.
 
Are you still using BurleyBed? I am about to change from straw to BurleyBed for my disgusting, messy, wet mare. All these years later are you still happy with it?
 
Charrose77 said:
Are you still using BurleyBed? I am about to change from straw to BurleyBed for my disgusting, messy, wet mare. All these years later are you still happy with it?
Click to expand...

I HATED it.

It was so dusty, you couldn't muck out without coughing up a lung.

My highest priority for bedding is that it is dust free. As I'm an idiot I ordered 40 bales of it (via a merchant) so coulwnt return it.

We had to allow at least 3hrs after mucking out for thr air to settle. There was a thick cloud of dust/spores while putting down new bedding.

As soon ad I could I swapped back to Nedz Pro. I'd tried Burley Bed because it was a lot cheaper and miscanthus had a good reputation for being absorbent as well as hoe they promoted the dust free aspect.

If you are looking for bedding recommendations I highly rate Nedz Pro. Dust free, absorbent and good value for money
 
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