Should I change her bedding

[RubysGold]

When I had Roo bedded on straw at an old yard, two years ago, she used to cough every morning while turning her out. And when I rode her, she'd cough for a minute or so in trot, and then she'd be fine. I switched her onto wood pellets.
This new yard, the stables are much more open and I dont think the straw is as dusty. So I decided to bed her on straw. She seemed to be ok on it. I've changed her from dampened hay to haylage (am I right in thinking haylage is less dusty?)
If she gets down to roll she coughs when she stands back up, but she doesnt cough when I take her for her walk, so she is better. Obviously I can't trot her to see if that makes her cough (but I think it would). Apparently she was coughing this morning, but I think she'd been laying down.
Do you think it sounds bad enough that she needs to go onto shavings?? Baring in mind shes on box rest too?

 

[kerilli]

well, imho it depends what her future is, tbh. if you hope to get her galloping and jumping, so she'll need all her lung capacity, then i'd say yes, ditch the dusty bedding (and imho straw is dusty even if you can't see all the dust particles). i won't use shavings either, they look lovely but there's no way around it, the pieces break down to dust with use. so, i use the most dust-free bedding i can find - cardboard. Ecobed, in my case. absorbent, warm, dry, quick to muck out, mulches down well (or burns) and no dust at all. fab stuff, love it.

 

[RubysGold]

Thank you Kerilli
Are the dust-extracted shavings no good? I was looking at easibed.
I hate cardboard and paper bedding, but of course, if I must, I will use it.
How much money does it work out at??

 

[Holly Hocks]

I use easibed. If ever there was a word which didn't mean what it says, then it's easibed. It smells fine - no smell, but if your horse is particularly messy, then don't go there. I've got a mare and a gelding on it. Mare is very clean, so is fine on it, but the gelding is filthy and it gets stirred around and takes forever to muck out, particularly when they're in as much as they are at the moment! It's also only any good if you really deep litter it - don't try to skimp on it - it doesn't work!

 

[RubysGold]

Hmm, Roo is clean, but she is on box rest, so making double the mess of normal.
I don't do deep litter, always always a full, proper muck out, does that not work with easibed??
I don't mind if its not quick to muck out, so long as its dust free and not ridiculously expensive each week.