Rubber mats with sprinkle of shavings?

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IMO this practise is quite revolting TBH! The horses dont like it, and for them to be breathing and sleeping in all that ammonia is so toxic. Also makes their feet so thrushy not to mention really yukky rugs.

A full bed of shavings or straw every time for me am afraid.

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Hmm dont agree with this one. So long as the 'wee patch' is actualy big enough to wee on and the stables are well drained there should not be a prob.

Having said that when mine are in they have a 1/2 bed, of about 2 inches. I take all wet and poo out, throw the easibed into a corner and slosh the night time water over the 'wee patch' and sweep it away. Once a week I wash the whole floor areas over with disinfectant. I can quite safely say my stables are never smelly asnd have had no probs with thrush. Mine only wear lightwight quilts or fleeces (if anything)so if they get dirty I pop them in the wash.
 
I use a sprinkle of equisorb and then paper. It has saved me a fortune and alot of time. I've tried my horse on straw, shavings and equisorb beds and no mater what I do he just turns it over and trashes it.

I personally would love a nice big bed for my horse but I was using 3 bags of bedding a week and spending 30mins a day, plus 1hour 30mins at weekends to muck this out.

Although his beds doesn't look overly inviting, he lays down everynight and when his rugs start to smell I'll get them washed and use spares.
 
My pony has rubber mats in his stable. He doesn't really have a bed but he has open acess to a field all the time so it is more of a shelter than a stable. When he was stabled over night he had rubber mats and a full bed of straw. He has never had any problems.. thrush ect.
 
agree to disagree on this one. The practice of giving a full bed, doesnt really justify the need for rubber mats??!! - lol, however good for hocks admittedly.

I use a deep sprinkle (say couple of inches) round circle in the middle of the stable for them to pee on. I dont get smelly rugs, they DO lie down, but tend to avoid the pee!! or do it in the morning.

The whole lot comes out each night, fresh stable each night too, far better than stagnant half piddled shavings or damp straw left in.

My stables dont stink at all and with good management and regular disinfectant they shouldnt. As for amonia, you need to see where pee goes, if it drains out of stable great, if it doesnt, leave shavings to soak up where pee is going, no amonia....!

It saves a fortune and lets face it if they lived in the wild, I cant see anyone preparing a nice bed for them each night!
 
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