Switching from straw bedding to....???? Recommendations please!

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chestnuttyy

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My gelding has decided that it is necessary to eat half his straw bedding, so I'm thinking of switching him onto something less edible (scared of compaciton colic, plus he's looking rather fat).

Initially thought about switching him onto shavings, but before I do I just wondered what everyone else uses? He's not TOO messy but does like to leave lots of 'pressies'.

On a different note, does anyone know where i get buy haynets with REALLY small holes? He wolfs his hay down then gets hungry, think this is why he's munching his bedding. Have tried double netting but doesn't seem to make much difference.

Thanks :)
 
I've been using Ecobed for 3 years since changing from straw. I LOVE it!! It is cardboard squares of about 3/4 inch to about 1 inch. It is lightweight, banks beautifully, is warm, and doesn't fill up the muck trailer the way straw did. My horses have never expressed an interest in eating it. I only wish my donkeys didn't find it edible, otherwise I would bed them on it, as well.
 
RutlandH2O said:
I've been using Ecobed for 3 years since changing from straw. I LOVE it!! It is cardboard squares of about 3/4 inch to about 1 inch. It is lightweight, banks beautifully, is warm, and doesn't fill up the muck trailer the way straw did. My horses have never expressed an interest in eating it. I only wish my donkeys didn't find it edible, otherwise I would bed them on it, as well.
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oo not heard of that! how much is it per bale? how much do you use?
 
I have a very messy box walking mare that i had on straw and a normal gelding on shavings - moved them both to Verdo wood pellets a while ago, and cant beleive didnt do it sooner - amazing. So quick, no smell absorbs everything and cheap.
 
When I first started using it, it was under £4. a bale. I order it by the pallet (28 bags per pallet, 14 pallets for a full load). Then they raised the price £.50 per bale. I thought that was a bit naughty. My last order, in May, 2012, was for 7 pallets (a half load). That brought the price to £4.70 per bale. Obviously, the more you buy, the lower the price per bale.

I have 4 Shires on the bedding in a huge pole barn. It takes about 8 bales in one section of the barn to lay a bed for 2 horses. We repeat the process in the next section for the other 2 horses. Once down, we add about a bale a day to each section. If the horses dung outside the bedding area, so much the better. Normal-sized horses will comfortably use less.

One of the advantages of the bedding, which I neglected to mention in my first post, is the fact that the bedding is not dusty at all. My veterinary practice uses it, as well, because, among other reasons, dust is not a problem where it could be with sick horses.

You can look up Ecobed online.
 
I use nedz bedz advanced (straw pellets) and love them! They are cost effective, really quick and easy to muck out and although not as 'white' as shavings, they are light coloured and make a nice bed. Unlike wood pellets, you don't wet them when you lay them.

I think you need more than the recommended number of bags to lay a bed though, and I did spray with a bug spray when I first put them down, to stop my greedy welshie from eating them ;)

I love them though and wouldn't switch her onto anything else, in fact I am thinking of putting my insanely disgusting Irish draught on them too!

Also, if you like bankings, you can use the other nedz products to make great bankings!
 
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