straw or shavings??

[pagancluf]

Getting prepared for winter (sad..

have an ex-racer that is a very dirty boy - will wee on food and then eat it!?!?!? poo's all around stable and treds in it - ) would I be better deep litter-ing on straw or shavings? - will only be able to give it a good sort out poss twice a week with University etc (kid, hubby, dog, fish....) Worry about horse eating all of it's bed if I do on straw - but been giving the smallest stable on the yard for him so want to make comfortable? What do you reckon?

 

[Tia]

Consider rubber stable matting with a light dusting of shavings on top.

 

[helenandshadow]

I deep litter on shavings, much easier than straw!!

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

Agree with tia ribbon, enough shavings to soak up the wet, then just shovel it all out every day, very easy.

 

[Laafet]

but v. smelly

 

[Super_Kat]

Much as I hate to say it....



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flax

 

[pixiebee]

shavings, i found straw impossible to deep litter, shavings takes longer to muck out as you spend ages taking little bits of poo floating round the bed out but the wet sinks to the bottom so its easy to stick clean on top.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Ideally rubber matting & small amount of shavings but your initial outlay for the matting will be expensive. Failing that I'd use shavings, I think they're easier to use. Straw doesn't really absorb anything.

 

[Accy]

i will not use anything other than shavings, much easier and imo cleaner

 

[the watcher]

I like shavings but they take ages to rot down and for this reason some yards won't entertain them, in those case I use chopped straw or hemp and semi deep litter, picking off the solids daily and pulling out the wet stuff at weekends

 

[pagancluf]

Thank you for replies - will do deep litter on shavings and clean out at w/ends - just out of intrest tho - how much is flax a bag, Ive heard its really expensive - is it better than shavings?

 

[the watcher]

About £6 -£6.50 a bag, I think price is coming down as it is becoming more popular. I like it although it sticks in horses coats even better than shavings

 

[SSM]

Shavings - but that is because OH likes them better than straw

and as you know he is the expert!!!!!!!!!