shredded paper as bedding

[wowser]

anyone use it, my ponies are on mats with a wee courner, and i've been offered shredded paper from work and yes it has printer ink on it, thoughts on this please.

 

[teasle]

The paper wont be absorbant, but you could get some shredded newspaper that will be absorbant and mix it in.

 

[Zimzim]

I have used shredded paper when I had a couple of ponies I had and it was great. It made lovely deep and warm beds and it wasnt that messy either. I got it free from work and the local council and it was dust free to.

 

[Spotsrock]

I've been using it for a couple of years now. I find the cross shredded (little tiny pieces) easier to muck out than the long strands. True it is not as absorbant as some bedding but it does absorb, just don't expect it to dry out during the day the way shavings will to a certain extent. I use it for my COPD sufferer and her neighbour and it has worked a treat. On the absorbancy front I found if I mixed it with shavings it was best. Saved me a lot of money though even using it with shavings, I get through half a shavings per horse per fortnight and that's on rubber with a half bed rather than a wee corner.

Mine are light grey (white) and no ink transfer has ever happened. They don't try to eat it either as someone at work suggested the ink might be toxic to them! If it's free, try it, even if you end up using a little shavings with it, you'll save money.

I have used the long shredded newspaper stuff with straw, not bad but didn't look too pretty. The long shreds also tended to blow off the muck heap and across the fields which looked terrible!

 

[wowser]

thanks for that

 

[Aoibhin]

i loved paper beds, especially when its chippped rather than long strands but i do agree its a sod if you live in exposed areas for blowing about (was awesome in the barn setup)
id still be using it if it wasnt for old YO refusing to have it on yard. stupidly he complained it wouldnt rot down as quick as the straw & would still be there next year! so i lost my free supply then moved

 

[Daisy11]

I used it on a loan pony I had because she had breathing condition
I use to have the machine to do it but it took for ever to cut but cheap everything was used and had no problems