recommendations for bedding ...please!

T

tigger2

Member
Joined
29 July 2010
Messages
20
Visit site
Hi all,

Its that time of year again, unfortunately! My horse is usually on normal dust extracted shavings but wondering if there is anything better/more economical out there?? I tried aubiose for a month last year but did not get on with it as horse is too dirty not to pull bed up every day. Horse is very wet and poos everywhere so something very absorbant would be good.

Any recommendations much appreciated! :)
 
White horse wood pellets can work very well, but some people do not get on with them at all. If you feel need to pull bed up every day then would not recommend them. They seem to work best as a sort of deep litter sitting on top of rubber mats (not really that deep though) in which case they work out very cheap (about one bag a week top up), very quick to muck out with very little extra wastage.
 
I use Corley Biowood pellets. If you want a perfect virginal bed, pellets aren't for you. If you want to keep costs down, cut your mucking out time by 3 quarters and your muck heap size by at least half, they could be the perfect choice.
 
sem9999 said:
White horse wood pellets can work very well, but some people do not get on with them at all. If you feel need to pull bed up every day then would not recommend them. They seem to work best as a sort of deep litter sitting on top of rubber mats (not really that deep though) in which case they work out very cheap (about one bag a week top up), very quick to muck out with very little extra wastage.
Click to expand...

I just muck out the soiled bedding when I muck out. My stable is concrete flooring so I always lay my beds deep anyway.

Do you think I'd be better off with shavings or with White Horse Bedding? :confused:.
 
My mare is the most disgusting creature ever in a stable, she has rubber matting through out and then a square big enough to lie on and wee on in the corner, which most of is taken out in the morning. She is on straw, but you could still do shavings or something else as you don't use much.
She doesn't mind not having a full bed and lies in it all the time.

I love my big full beds and my gelding is so tidy don't think he even steps on his bed, so he has a huge bed, but she was costing a fortune.

Is she on dust free for a reason or just what you like to use currently, otherwise straw is the cheapest for the method of bedding above.

Don't use paper, horrible to use and alwful to much out if your horse is messy.
 
Tinker_Belle said:
I just muck out the soiled bedding when I muck out. My stable is concrete flooring so I always lay my beds deep anyway.

Do you think I'd be better off with shavings or with White Horse Bedding? :confused:.
Click to expand...

Personally would rather have a wood pellet bedding that shavings as it is denser so would feel it gives better protection, but never tried it without matting.
The thing I found with wood pellets is that you do not want to disturb the lower layer once it has settled, so you only muck out the surface (virtually just picking up just the poos as wood hardly stick). If horse always wees in the same place then occasionally you may want to remove further down in that area. If not do not bother to even look.
My only gripe (although technically it is not the bedding fault) is that the woodchip bed is so absorbent that if horse knocks over water bucket, the whole lot gets absorbed in the bed within a matter of minutes (does not get chance to drain away).
 
Spike is a rather dirty horse and we've had nightmares with his bed, it's in the haybarn at the back, slopes and has no drainage. I suggested to his owner to use Puffin Pellets, and our YM has just had a load in and lent us a bag. We've put it where he pees, with straw around it and the difference it has made is incredible! I was chucking out 1 or 1 and a half barrows every time I mucked out, but I only chucked out about a quarter if that with only one bag of pellets. I think they are about £5 a 20kg bag.
 
I used wood pellets on concrete last year - worked really well but to start the bed you need to use about 15 x 10kg bags (and a hose :) ) but you won't need to add anymore for weeks.....and once the bed settled - within a week - it never moved.

Practically dust free, smell free and so economical, even cheaper than straw as I only used 2 to 3 bags a fortnight @£2.20 a bag (straw was £3 a bale by the end of winter) and between December and the end of April I used 39 x 10kg bags inc setting up the bed despite the weather.

Those are the pros :) the cons...hmmm, not many.

It is a deep litter system - you may struggle if you are used to removing wheelbarrow loads a day and having a new fluffy bed each day.

It doesn't really "do" banks.

It certainly isn't pretty.

To get the best price (LWP IME) you have to buy in bulk.....but you can resell them fairly easily if you want to. I sold my spare ones on ebay ;)
 
I use shredded paper which I get free from my local hospital. They are happy for me to take it as they have to pay to have it removed :) It's not the little small bits like a domestic one, but chunkier strips as they use an industrial shredder. I work in a really small hospital but still manage to get more paper than I can actually use with 2 horses!

Look for the signs for the Estates department and ask them :)
 
horsimous said:
Rubber matting with Cardboard squares, very cost and time effective
Click to expand...

agreed. I tried wood pellet bedding for a good while because it seemed cheaper and was highly recommended, but i just cannot cope with how horribly dusty it is.
I've gone back to Ecobed cardboard and both the horses and I are all much much happier. Absorbent, super clean, warm, mulches easily, economical, easy to muck out. Can't beat it imho.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top