Saw dust?

[Frankstown]

I have rubber stable mats, can I use saw dust for bedding on them?
It's hard wood saw dust if that makes any difference.

 

[AmyMay]

I wouldn't - I would only use proper shavings. I find the stuff you pick up from the mill just too dusty.

 

[spaniel]

Way to dusty and they can get into eyes and noses very easily, causing lung problems. Shavings are much safer.

 

[zizz]

personally i wouldn't because my gelding suffers from a reccurring cough, but i have friends who use it with great success. they have huge airy 12x14 stables any way and they put it down first thing in the morning after the horses are turned out. They dampen it slightly as well. this gives it 8 hours to settle down before the horses come back in.

 

[StrawberryFish]

I used to use saw dust straight from a mill (for free) and put that underneath more expensice shavings.
Really spread the cost - the dust is covered up and I found it soaked up the wet much quicker and held it better.

 

[Ecila]

It's dusty but if its absorbant then i see no reason why not on rubber beds. They are nasty when they get really wet!!!

 

[ru-fi-do]

I have got bags and bags of the stuff that i'm trying to hide on the muckheap! My dad's friend owns a mill and said they have got plenty of 'shavings'. I have mats down and thought it would be great but it is bloody horrible everything in my stable was covered in dust, horse, rugs, walls buckets etc.... I'd come home and be coughing and sneezing, it really really isn't healthy. I now use Bliss and the stable environment is lovely and fresh. They are fantastic for absorbing but don't do horses/ponies any good at all.

 

[Frankstown]

Thanks, I thought it would be a no no, but would just check, no harm in asking

 

[ru-fi-do]

No no harm at all, i thought it would be OK to use but really wasn't nice at all.

 

[skye123]

at the livery yard i used to be at the owner mixed saw dust free from the mill with shavings for the riding school ponies.

very very dusty and you didnt know what you would find in there. paper, mars bars wrappers and even once a twisted bit of sharp metal which if we hadnt found i wouldnt like to think of the damage it could have done.

 

[Clodagh]

I use willow sawdust for the pone and hes fine on it. Its quite sappy, so not very dusty.
Parents hunters, years ago, were on it all the time and they were OK.

 

[Marnie]

Our yard uses willow sawdust as well and it is fine, I think that it is damper due to the nature of the wood than most sawdust so doesn't cause loads of dust. I use it on rubber mats and find that it is absorbent and makes a good bed.