shavings or straw?

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kcgibson

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i have always had my horse on straw, however, i am moving to a new yard and wondering whether to put him on shavings as i know it is quicker to muck/skip out on shavings than straw. What is the price difference between shavings and straw (i know this can vary between areas - i am moving to berkshire if that helps!) and will it make it a lot easier on shavings? I dont think i need to worry about changing him over from the point of view that he has always been on straw cos he doesnt lay down on the straw in the stable anyway. And when we bought him 8 years ago, he was on shavings. Anyone got any advice?
 
I personally prefer a nice straw bed for my ponies....although I put either a bale of shavings or hemcore down to soak up the wet, meaning I only have to lift 'dirty' straw when I muck out. I pay £1.75/bale of straw, and use about a bale per pony per week. Shavings here fluctuate between £4.50-£7 a bale....as I don't use them as my main bedding I can't help with how much you'd need for top ups etc.

Hope that helps
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I have recently just changed my horse over to shavings due to him having emphysema. He used to be really dirty on straw but he is proving loads cleaner on shavings!
 
In really like straw and find it takes the same amount of time to muck out as shavings. It is generally cheaper and horses prefer it, though I do think that shavings are easier with dirty horses.
 
we have to have shavings at our yard. I prefered straw, but have got used to shavings now. As my horse is very dirty, i deep litter or else it would have cost a fortune.
 
My boy has developed an allergy to wheat, rye and grass pollen which is very handy. Anyway I've had to take him off wheat straw and have put him on chopped rape straw. The bed is similar to a shavings bed in terms of ease of mucking out, soaks up the wet really well, isn't that palatable and best of all it's £3.50 a bale so alot cheaper than shavings
 
Atm Rocks is on easibed (i HATE it with a passion but have no choice as its what the whole yard is on) but thats ok as hes out 24/7 anyway so only in to eat his breaky and dinner.

However when I move yards to go to uni, and he is in overnight, he will be put on dust extracted straw - this is because he box walks if he doesnt have straw - but dust extracted so it doesn't agrivate his COPD. Luckily the YO of the yard i'm going to makes it herself which is handy! It's £3.50 a bale so more expensive than normal straw but less expensive than shavings
 
think im gonna have to stick to straw from the cost point of view. shavings would be much easier though. Ive been mucking out straw stables for years and years, but if anyone has any quick mucking out tips - bring them them way please! I currently do a full muck out daily as i do not see the point in putting clean straw on a wet bed as they just trample it in to the wet bedding and then its all wet! But if anyone has any tip, they will be greatly appreciated!
 
The YO organises for pallets to be delivered to the yard. She's slowly converting all the liveries onto using it as it's so easy to muck out. I think it's relatively easy to get hold of. Try asking your supplier of hay if they offer it or can advise you who does.
 
I stopped using straw a few years ago as my old pony coughed badly and good quality straw was hard to find so converted to shavings which still caused a problem. Now I use paper with rubber mats.

The biggest problem in this area (Hants/berks border) is finding straw in small bales. A livery yard is different as they can buy from the big suppliers and still keep costs down and quality up.

I prefer straw to shavings.
 
ive done both and love straw now im converted, gosh easier to muck out, looks sssoooo much more comfy and when i used shavings, unless i spent a bomb on a deep bed the pony didnt lay down. on straw its cheaper to keep a deeper bed therefore more inviting for for the pony to lay down. the two things you need to check is a. they dont eat it b. they dont couhg. shavings are roughly 5 per bale and straw is 2 per bale. i know its not all about money but i would rather my pony had a deep comfy bed cos i can afford the best rather than a slim shavings bed cos i cant. i was moving to a yard that uses only aubiose, does anyone use this? expensive but meant to be very cost effective in the long run? not convinced as of yet but thoughts welcome.
 
missed the bit about how much to use of shavings, at least 5 - 7 bales to start with and depending on how much your horse lives in and his/her wet habits, at the very least 1 bale per week if not 2 imo. but i am sure others have other advice.
 
My stables have fitted rubber mats and I use shavings, its the best thing I ever did saves a fortune in bedding. My fresian would not lay down on straw but he lays flat out on the rubber mats, and my welsh girl is so much cleaner. They do all they have to on the shavings. The intial cost was high but I have made that back in 6 months of having them down.
 
i prefer shavings, horse seems to prefer straw. but since i have to use them on this yard there no option.
also, i makes sense economically, shavings are 6-7+ pounds here and straw is a quid, i could use a bale a day and still be laughing
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read an article by some uni bods who were doing a study on horse bedding, and when given several options of bedding to choose, most of the test horses chose the straw
 
Cant beat good clean straw, its about £1.00 a bale and average horse would use about 3 a week, and 3 bales to start off, where you need about 7 shavings at £6 per bale to start off, plus 2 bales min a week to top up. The best way to buy it is in the large bales, i pay between 10 and 15 for one of these and they last for ages!! Shavings are easier to muck out though!
 
Shavings, defo!
It doesn't smell as bad as straw, and lasts longer if you do it carefully haha. (I guess that would depend on the horses' clean/unclean habits too- maybe I am lucky there?)

But, it is easier to muck out as it doesnt get all tangled up like straw therefore takes less time to do and you don't smell as bad by the end of it!

Obviously it is better for the respiratory system in ways and is good for horses who tend to be that bit more greedy ;-)

Shavings - 10
Straw - 0 haha
 
I find straw alot easier to muck out, although both mine are on shavings. Coblet eats it, and is FAR too messy on it...we went through one winter where I was lierally putting a new bed down every day, and tother neddy is allergic to it, although she was very neat on straw, both are messy but they only poo in on spot on the back wall so I'm not going to complain!
 
Shavings all the way! Cant stand straw it stinks and then i stink! Not nice. And it isnt always practicall for a Welsh (fatty) pony.
My pony is super dooper clean and so shavings suit me. £6 a week i can cope with. The front of her box has two rubber mats so i guess technically its only half a box. Go with some rubber mats at least whatever bedding you chose. Warmer in the winter and no capped hocks.
 
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