Shavings vs concord pellets

[Luclila]

Hi all, in desperate need of some advice. My mare has to come off straw as she eats it too much as it mixes with hay and I can’t decide whether I change her to shavings or concord straw pellets. Shavings are more expensive as I’d have to deep litter her however I’m worried about thrush with both choices and her laying down on the pellets. Has anyone tried either or got any advice - Thanks

 

[Char.barker]

Hi all, in desperate need of some advice. My mare has to come off straw as she eats it too much as it mixes with hay and I can’t decide whether I change her to shavings or concord straw pellets. Shavings are more expensive as I’d have to deep litter her however I’m worried about thrush with both choices and her laying down on the pellets. Has anyone tried either or got any advice - Thanks

I mix them. Pellets on the bottom of the bed then shavings on top. I deep litter during the week and fully muck out once a week. I use half a bag of sundown pellets a week and one bag of thoroughbred shavings a fortnight. My sundown pellets come in a bigger bag concord I think they are 20kgs.

 

[Bobthecob15]

Ours are on straw pellets, not sure the brand as YO gets them in. Some of the horses do eat them…they are watered down a bit but some horses do eat them until they are broken up. They are very good for deep littering though! It’s not ideal as it can cause colic if they eat a lot of them. Wood pellets are generally less dusty and less likely to be eaten…but then you hear stories of some horses eating those too!

 

[tda]

Im using straw pellets atm, only for in some shelters, i dont like them, they are too dark and the poo just blends in
I only started for the good of the muck heap, can't go back to wood pellets for the same reason so chopped miscanthus it is (also not keen )

 

[adamntitch]

if shes eating the straw bedding will that not save on hay prices av a friend with 20 if they eat there bed other prices go down all native types tho

 

[Squeak]

I love straw pellets and although I've had horses grab a mouthful of them when they first experience the new pellets put in I've always found they spat them out fairly quickly and didn't try it again.

Re thrush I find that where they're really absorbent the horses feet are dry and good and so have never suffered with thrush.

Re lying down on the pellets, they break down really quickly into a good bed and I would have thought they would be at least as comfortable as straw.

 

[Char.barker]

Im using straw pellets atm, only for in some shelters, i dont like them, they are too dark and the poo just blends in
I only started for the good of the muck heap, can't go back to wood pellets for the same reason so chopped miscanthus it is (also not keen )

Thats why use them as a base under shavings . It works well for me as I don’t have to fully muck out everyday before work and my floor drys very quickly on the day I do fully muck out