Talk me in to/out of changing to shavings!

[Sarah1]

I'm very, very lucky with my boy being so clean. His bed doesn't smell until I pick up the circle above his wet patch which is about 50cmx50cm in a perfect circumference!!

He's a bit of a strange one, he HATES lying in dirt in his stable and I can see where he curls up at the other end to his mess. However, put him in a field and he WILL find mud somewhere ... turn his white legs brown, dye his skin under his rug, accumulate half a tree in his table, squish it in his eye and ram it down his ears and up his nose!

Mine is like a pig inside & outside the stable!

We have a little old mare on shavings too & she's the cleverest little thing I've ever known - she poops on the concrete at the front of her stable where there are no shavings (away from food & hay obv!) & wee's in 1 spot so she always has a clean bit of bed to lay on & no bits of poop mix in with her bedding - it's amazing! We deep litter her all week because of this & take the bed up Saturday & Sunday and we get half a barrow per week out of her stable including hay & sweepings!

 

[VoR]

Mine is like a pig inside & outside the stable!

We have a little old mare on shavings too & she's the cleverest little thing I've ever known - she poops on the concrete at the front of her stable where there are no shavings (away from food & hay obv!) & wee's in 1 spot so she always has a clean bit of bed to lay on & no bits of poop mix in with her bedding - it's amazing! We deep litter her all week because of this & take the bed up Saturday & Sunday and we get half a barrow per week out of her stable including hay & sweepings!

Hell you are lucky, we've got a mare and gelding that pee and poo for England then do a jig around the stable all night to make sure they stomp it all in nicely, then another gelding who pee's in gallons but at least hangs his backside over certain parts of his banks (usually!) to poo.

All on hay but reading this thread with interest as I've been thinking about different bedding since the 'big fella' was off work with a cough earlier this year (all OK now though!).................still don't know what to do for the best though!!!

 

[Sarah1]

Hell you are lucky, we've got a mare and gelding that pee and poo for England then do a jig around the stable all night to make sure they stomp it all in nicely, then another gelding who pee's in gallons but at least hangs his backside over certain parts of his banks (usually!) to poo.

All on hay but reading this thread with interest as I've been thinking about different bedding since the 'big fella' was off work with a cough earlier this year (all OK now though!).................still don't know what to do for the best though!!!

Ha ha! I feel your pain - my big lad's box looks like he's had the rest of the yard over for a party...

 

[VoR]

Ha ha! I feel your pain - my big lad's box looks like he's had the rest of the yard over for a party...

Hmmmm, and I'm convinced an Elephant visits the biggun' in the night too, honestly, looks like I could fill a wheel-barrow with one poo sometimes!

 

[Gingersmum]

I don't get this 'straw is smelly' idea. I think it makes a lovely comfy, deep, clean and cheap bed. Much prefer to expensive shavings ! Easier to muck out too. It doesn't work well with rubber mats though, maybe that's where your smell comes from ?

 

[dumpling]

Shavings smell far better!

Straw stinks and even more so when it's wet.

 

[stargirl88]

I was having this problem a few months ago and have now started using Bedsoft. I take out about 1/4 of what I did when she was on straw (she's a grimey pony!) have a look if you have a stockist near you. There are different varieties. Have a look http://www.bedsoft.co.uk/

 

[Ladylina83]

I don't get this 'straw is smelly' idea. I think it makes a lovely comfy, deep, clean and cheap bed. Much prefer to expensive shavings ! Easier to muck out too. It doesn't work well with rubber mats though, maybe that's where your smell comes from ?

Do you have hair ??

 

[Gingersmum]

Hair ? Yes long hair

 

[Ladylina83]

Lord knows how you are missing the smell then ! - My 2 both had big fluffy straw beds and the smell of urine just clings to everything, hair clothes hands shoes - that makes a nice smell when you put the foot blowers on in the car .. gag .. lol, it's like chemical warfare

I tried deep litter / mucking out wet every day / wearing a hat etc

also my mats are only at the front and it smelt before I got them ! Years ago I remember my friend mucking out her stable next to me and I went in clean clothes fresh out of the shower to bring in - like you can in the summer on the way to the pub and my hair smelt gross by the time I got in the car I must have spent no more than a min in my stable

out of interest do you smoke ?

 

[SillySausage]

Lord knows how you are missing the smell then ! - My 2 both had big fluffy straw beds and the smell of urine just clings to everything, hair clothes hands shoes - that makes a nice smell when you put the foot blowers on in the car .. gag .. lol, it's like chemical warfare

I tried deep litter / mucking out wet every day / wearing a hat etc

also my mats are only at the front and it smelt before I got them ! Years ago I remember my friend mucking out her stable next to me and I went in clean clothes fresh out of the shower to bring in - like you can in the summer on the way to the pub and my hair smelt gross by the time I got in the car I must have spent no more than a min in my stable

out of interest do you smoke ?

I have some very funny visions of you turning up to your yards in various different steath outfits every day

I don't get the smell clinging to me ... but I think that's to do with how clean he is and how I muck out (i leave the wet to the very very last bit, chuck it in the barrow and get rid straight away!)

And no I don't smoke

 

[Ladylina83]

Swaps then ?? They're BOGOF

 

[nat_1]

I changed from straw to comfy bed 3 wks ago.
It has been a struggle for me money wise to set up initialy,but SO worth it!
I was getting a heaped barrow out daily of straw,now on comfy bed,i can muck out(remove poo only,sweep back n tidy) haynet n water done in 15 mins max!
I take wet out once a week n replace with 1 bale(£6.70)
I was getting through nearly 3 bales of straw a week before at £2.50 each,so for me after the outlay its cheaper,cleaner,quicker and nicer smelling

 

[Liostro]

Oh my god I know what u mean about straw making everything smell its awful!!!! My 3 are now all on wood pellets and I love it!!! No smell and a lot quicker to muck out

 

[FairyLights]

Straw is probably the cheapest bedding. Lovely golden barley straw ;soft and inviting;the rustle as the horse walks on it;its dry and soft;good straw isnt dusty;its traditional and right up there with saddle soap as one of the best things about horsey life;and gardeners love it.
re urine smell; have a good deep bed ;muck out the dropping daily;muck out the wet bit once or twice weekly.when you find where he urinates you can put a layer of sawdust or shavings down to absorb it underneath the straw bed. This is what I do;my stables dont smell of ammonia.

 

[SillySausage]

Lovely golden barley straw ;soft and inviting;the rustle as the horse walks on it.

Ahhhh you're definatly on the same lines as me

 

[sundance]

My 2 are both on straw. In the past have tried shavings which looked lovely, and Easibed, which wasnt that absorbant. Tried deep litter, but hated it and made rugs smelly and grubby and I couldnt help fiddling too much. Both have fully rubber matted stables that I bury in straw. I put in 2/3 max bales in one a week and 3/4 max in with the messier/wetter one. Works out fine. OK so straw is smellier, I sprinkle the floor in either shake and vac or Jeyes dustbin powder a couple of times a week........Personally I think that the best thing to do with straw is to have a very deep bed. I muck out with rubber gloves and a skip to start to get the lumps out then get the wet out with a fork and barrow. My livery includes usage of 4/5 bales a week of straw and if I used that much they would bang their heads on the roof!! If money was no object I would use shavings, but sadly it isnt!!

 

[blackcob]

I've recently changed from shavings to straw and I'm a total convert.

In terms of cost alone I was using 1-2 bales of shavings a week @ £16 per week. Now I use 1-2 bales of straw a week @ £6.

In terms of appearance straw can't be beaten, always an invitingly deep bed, nice and bright, a single fresh wedge shaken over the top makes it look fluffy and clean. The bales I have are excellent quality, less dusty than the Countrywide shavings I was using. It takes me exactly half as much time to muck out as shavings.

The disadvantages are the HUGE muck heap - requires a bit more work and planning to stack it well and YO probably objects to having to shift it more often. Also, it's not as absorbent as shavings and as such it does tend to transfer wee smell onto your boots, clothes and hands - though as I leave mine up during the day to air the stable and mats themselves don't stink. Best used in a well draining stable where you can leave the floor to dry every day.

 

[SillySausage]

I've recently changed from shavings to straw and I'm a total convert.

In terms of cost alone I was using 1-2 bales of shavings a week @ £16 per week. Now I use 1-2 bales of straw a week @ £6.

In terms of appearance straw can't be beaten, always an invitingly deep bed, nice and bright, a single fresh wedge shaken over the top makes it look fluffy and clean. The bales I have are excellent quality, less dusty than the Countrywide shavings I was using. It takes me exactly half as much time to muck out as shavings.

The disadvantages are the HUGE muck heap - requires a bit more work and planning to stack it well and YO probably objects to having to shift it more often. Also, it's not as absorbent as shavings and as such it does tend to transfer wee smell onto your boots, clothes and hands - though as I leave mine up during the day to air the stable and mats themselves don't stink. Best used in a well draining stable where you can leave the floor to dry every day.

Nice to hear from somebody who has gone the other way

The muck heap is not an issue for me, we have a concrete one that is taken away to I don't know where so it is not my concern luckily.

 

[welsh1704]

Hi,

Because im waiting for a hip replacement ive deep littered my boy on shavings...it takes a while to get going but its working great now. no heavy wheel barrows for me, its dry, clean and smells fine. It is also warm as the shavings at the bottom start to rot. Its ready helped me work and time wise. i hate straw. shavings are ace! Xx