Non-absorbent wood chip / bark?

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MagicMelon

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Can anyone suggest what sort of stuff I'm looking for please! Basically someone suggested I put down chunky wood pieces (like you find in some arena's / paths / play areas) in my hardcore-based stables. It needs to be free draining so pee just passes through and drains away underneath, I dont want chip which just absorbs it. I'm not sure what I should be searching for online to find it locally, "wood chip" brings up the really shredded stuff and then there's bark, but it mentions different types of tree (no idea what I should be looking for, I assume a hard wood?).
 
MagicMelon said:
Can anyone suggest what sort of stuff I'm looking for please! Basically someone suggested I put down chunky wood pieces (like you find in some arena's / paths / play areas) in my hardcore-based stables. It needs to be free draining so pee just passes through and drains away underneath, I dont want chip which just absorbs it. I'm not sure what I should be searching for online to find it locally, "wood chip" brings up the really shredded stuff and then there's bark, but it mentions different types of tree (no idea what I should be looking for, I assume a hard wood?).
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I am told that splinters can be a big issue with wood chips and horses .
A few years ago I filled the paddock where my field shelter is with coarse compost .
When the green waste goes in for recycling it's processed through machines getting finer each time I saw various grades and picked one that looked about right .
It got dumped and we raked it out it worked very very well .
The downsides are it contained some rubbish mainly bits of plastic bags which I picked out however I believe the machines they use now are much better at dealing with this blowing out rubbish as the waste is processed and using magnets to attract any metal ,when I got my load they where doing it by hand .
The other downside was it had a strange smell , but it did not last long.
I got this for free, delivered it free of charge as they had empty tractors and trailers coming back and forwards along the road I live on . It costs them money to process it through to the stage it's ready to go into a bag so they where happy to give it way part processed, they are paid by the ton to take it in .
I also looked at bark which I liked better but that was not free so I went for compost
It's now rotted down and the grass has grown over the paddock now but it remains much better draining than it was .
 
So maybe bark would be better as that's not going to be such a splinter risk? Mine don't tend to lie down in the stables - I just leave the doors open directly into their field so they come in and out all day for a doze. So I would assume the risk would be the same as using wood chip in an arena since all their doing is walking about on it. I rarely close them in properly. I need stuff that takes a while to rot down (hence bigger chunks the better and good for drainage). I know I'll have to pay for it, I don't mind that if it lasts ages.
 
hardwood chip-if you have a local sawmill they should have it. Champfleurie Estate in Linlithgow have it -I know they are too far away from you but it might give you an idea what you are looking for.
 
"Hardwood" covers a multitude of species of timber ,a fair number of which are toxic to varying degrees. Personally I would not even consider using it .
 
I guess I must be one of the "not clued up" sawmill owners then because I cant think of any hardwood that we mill that I would consider safe.
 
well, people sell it as such-we aren't talking about using it as bedding, are you saying all the hardwood chip sold as surfacing is toxic to horses? what should we avoid?

I've not yet bought any but have looked into it a bit-mostly for poultry use but also for an arena. Several suppliers up here market a horse friendly chip-be good to know if it is actually horse friendly.
 
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Using chip on an outdoor surface is slightly different .The OP is planning to use it as bedding.Tropical hardwood is an absolute NO .It amazes me that some people will use sawdust and shavings containing this. Oak is bad for horses feet, Beech dust is a proven carcinogen .I have a list in my office of various timbers and their hazards and toxicity to sawmill operators .And this does not include various additional hazards to horses. Best just to steer clear of hardwood for bedding .
 
Mike007 - can you let me know why oak is bad for horses feet? I was told by several people that they used wood chip in their stables with great success (the only one who I know the type of wood of is willow which they use but I know that breaks down quite quickly). How is normal shavings made safe for horses? I wanted free-draining stables which is why I chose a hardcore floor and not concrete, because the horses come and go several times a day with wet rugs dripping on the floor etc. normal bedding wouldn't last 2 seconds. You said using it on outside would be different, my stables are wide open at all times and the horses just come and go (they dont stay in) so maybe it would be ok? I can't think of any other bedding that would be suitable for this other than chunky wood chip :(
 
MM I have used Easibed with success on hardcore floored stables used as field shelters. It doesnt blow about, move too much and is free draining (its a bit of a sod to dig out eventually though). I've just started using auboise at a different property as I want to move away from wood products-it works in the same way.
 
MagicMelon said:
Mike007 - can you let me know why oak is bad for horses feet? I was told by several people that they used wood chip in their stables with great success (the only one who I know the type of wood of is willow which they use but I know that breaks down quite quickly). How is normal shavings made safe for horses? I wanted free-draining stables which is why I chose a hardcore floor and not concrete, because the horses come and go several times a day with wet rugs dripping on the floor etc. normal bedding wouldn't last 2 seconds. You said using it on outside would be different, my stables are wide open at all times and the horses just come and go (they dont stay in) so maybe it would be ok? I can't think of any other bedding that would be suitable for this other than chunky wood chip :(
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The reason that Oak is not good ,is the amount of tannic acid. Oak bark has been used for centurys to tan leather.It does this by reacting with the proteins in the raw leather. Hoof is also a protein and Tannic acid will react equally well with it too. Clearly this is not a good idea. Oak shavings and Oak chip are just as rich as the bark ,in Tannic acid. Normal shavings are generaly pine or Fir and it is the choice of species that is important. Trees survive by defending themselves against Fungal and Insect attack .They do this by producing various toxic substances.Unfortunately some of these are harmful to us too.Find some nice Douglas Fir wood chip . That will not rot down quickly and is relatively harmless.
 
Giffords, West Bromwich, West Midlands. They deliver. I have earth floors, scalpings and then 18 inches of wood chip in the top (cushion bed). I never disturb the bed, it stays dry.

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