New Yard Bedding

[Mahoganybay]

Im moving my mare to a new yard and the only options of bedding are straw and chopped straw.

it’s been years since I’ve used straw, but do remember how I quite liked the look of a big comfy straw bed but found it not very absorbent and smelly.

I have never used chopped straw though, the yard supplies these:

https://www.millbryhill.co.uk/eques...MI_62ek8K07wIVCp7tCh0RxAz6EAQYASABEgKyjfD_BwE

Anyone any experience of using this type of bedding, pros and cons?

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I know it sounds odd, but I found it a bit like bedding on chaff.. much easier to muck out that normal straw and way less waste. About the same in terms of absorbency and smell.

 

[poiuytrewq]

We use it at one of the yards I work at and I will use it over summer for my dust allergy horse.
Not really a huge fan though tbh

 

[holeymoley]

I’ve never used that particular one but I’ve used Nedzbedz which I’m sure is chopped straw (?) it was more absorbent than shavings but I found it quite heavy to work with. I now use just straw which seems to get a bad name for smells but if you keep it clean it’s absolutely fine. I use pellets in the base to soak up pee which really helps. Maybe you could use straw and use some of that raviera on the base?

 

[ihatework]

Chopped rape or miscanthus is generally my choice if using bagged bedding. It’s pretty similar to shavings to manage except a bit more absorbent and economical. You can either fill muck out or semi deep litter.

 

[dogatemysalad]

I used straw and chopped straw in the past and straw gets my vote. Straw only smells when it isn't mucked out properly, just as with shavings beds. Studies have shown that horses are more settled and content on a fresh bed of straw over all other options.

 

[TPO]

I'm a convert to Neds Pro and I love it.

Dust free, which is my highest priority, absorbants and easy to muck out.

I tried miscanthus as it was advertised as the same with low dust plus a much lower price. It was the dustiest bedding out of anything I've ever used in my life. It may just have been that brand but it was unbelievably bad and gave us all bad coughs just mucking it out. Had to let it settle a good few hours before beining horses in.

I've not tried other brands of chopped straw but nedz pro has been literally life changing!

 

[PapaverFollis]

Chopped rape straw is my favourite bedding but I'm also a recent convert to a nice big, deep straw bed!

Can you use a base of the rape straw with a good thick bed of normal straw over the top? That would be a lovely bed.

 

[Identityincrisis]

I have always used shavings until I saw a friend's MASSIVE straw bed, it looked so inviting. I deep litter during the week, it is so cosy and much cleaner than a shavings bed, plenty of straw is the key, they are rank when people don't use much

 

[littleshetland]

The more straw you put down, the easier it is to keep clean....and in my opinion makes the loveliest bed.

 

[eggs]

I swapped my very wet horse from straw to chopped rape straw last summer and have to say I find it much easier. With the straw bed I had to do a full muck out every day but with the chopped rape straw I skip out during the week and dig the wet out at the weekend.

 

[MollyFell]

I'm on shavings out of necessity but give me a big straw bed any day - the bigger the better, and cleaner. I've tried chopped rape in the past and wasn't keen, found it very dusty. It might be a better option if you deep litter but I like to do a full muck out daily and it took me ages.

 

[[135546]]

I used straw and chopped straw in the past and straw gets my vote. Straw only smells when it isn't mucked out properly, just as with shavings beds. Studies have shown that horses are more settled and content on a fresh bed of straw over all other options.

Do you have a link to studies please, would love read more into this. Thank you.

 

[Mahoganybay]

Thanks everyone, think I will go with the chopped straw as a base and then a big straw bed. Will save me some money and I always do a full muck out every day anyway so hopefully not smelly.

 

[Sossigpoker]

Chopped straw is far more absorbent than normal straw. Mine is living in at the moment and I use 2 bales a week maintaining a big , deep bed. I take out the wet every day and no it doesn't smell.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Finding nice straw is almost impossible now. Modern Combines thrash it to a dusty pulp, unlike a few years ago when the older Combines left lovely long straw.

I gave up with straw a few years ago, too dusty, harvest mites and too large a muck heap. I have one on chopped straw with a layer of pellets underneath, no dust, economical, easy to keep clean and most importantly does not move when a very big horse gets up and down on it.

 

[Quigleyandme]

I’ve used milled straw on rubber mats since I moved to Ireland and I love it. It is very absorbent but also palatable so I put the fresh stuff under the older stuff to discourage them from eating it.

 

[spotty_pony]

If it was me with that option I would put some chopped straw down underneath the straw to help soak up the wee and make
it more absorbent. I also love a straw bed, but use wood pellets under mine for this very reason.

 

[skint1]

Chopped straw is great, you'll love it. It can be pretty soft too, so you can still get the fluffiness there.

 

[SEL]

I've got 3 who can't bed on straw (one eats it, feather mites and allergies) but the chopped rape straw has been great this winter. I've been using probed because it's supplied locally.

Much, much quicker to muck out than straw, smaller muck heap, can deep litter & i didn't have a mite problem. I also found the mucking out smell didn't cling to me so much as straw