shavings - how many bales do you use

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charmaine

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My new loan horse seems to be extremely wet in the stable. So far I am finding that I am putting in about 3 bales a week which is very costly.

Does this seem excessive? How many do you use per week?
 
My mare is very clean and just wees in one place really. I pick up the poo on a daily basis and just take out the wee once a week - I get through one bale a week, then add another one about every 4 weeks - so probably 5 bales every 4 weeks.
 
1 or 2 per week between 2 very clean horses ( one small and one large stable) - occasionally i have really good clean out and build it back up again, but they generally stay very clean because both horses obligingly pee in the same place all the time.

Our other horse is the wettest, messiest horse i have ever ever known - we took her off shavings because it just wasn't cost effective, deep bedding wasn't an option because you just ended up with a very deep pile of really wet/mucky straw. Now she is on rubber matting and straw and has her stable emptied every day - its still the cheapest, quickest ,cleanest option for her.
 
I was using 3 bales a week over the winter with my horse.

I've put down rubber matting now, so am hoping to use less. I also encourage him to pee in a bucket!
 
At old yard I used to get through 3 a week, that was half a bed on rubber matting! But the grooms weren't terribly picky about what they took out! Now I have no idea, he's still on rubber but has a full bed and they just put it down as he needs it.
 
Ah yes! the old 'magic bucket' prolongs the cleanliness!!
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I am really nit-picky about getting all the poos/dropped haylage out and raking the bed over - i think that helps reduce waste also
 
5 per month using a deep litter system. The important thing about deep litter is not to be tempted to take any wet out for AGES. Leave it and it will compact and because of the warmth that builds up it will become quite dry and not at all smelly. Mine has been down for almost a year. I was going to take it all out last week but it was such a lovely thick, soft bed I left it. In view of the threatened shavings shortage I will probably be glad I did.
 
I skipped out every night but still used 3 a week each on big hunter and messy bottom Haffie mare.

Now they are on Aubiose its only 1 or 2 each :-) and much quicker.

The bed has been on rubber mats with both types.
 
2 a week, well actually one every 4 days. I muck out/skip out alternate days and top up the bed with a new bale on alternate muck outs. I can't bear dirty beds, mine are poo free (bucket/rubber glove technique) and all wet removed.
 
My beds are both on rubber mats and the Excel (shavings mixed with bits of straw) and I muck out every day taking every bit of poos and most of the wet as I can. I used 1 bale every 3 days in each stable.
 
when i had no matsd i put 12 bales in 12x12 box to start it off then added 1-2 bales per week.full muck out each day.
with mats i use 1 bale per week and start the bed off with 5 bales(half bed)wet out at weekends.
 
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