Transitioning to wood pellets

[thommackintosh]

After reading all the hype of how absorbent they are, and in a bid to manage costs while owning a horse with a questionably large bladder I've decided to make the switch from shavings to wood pellets. I've just had a pallet delivered, and still have 10 bales of shavings (small-flake) left. Any recommendations on making the switch? Am I best with an "out with old and in with the new" approach at the weekend? Or is it better to gradually make the transition from one to the other? I'd soon be able to off-load the shavings to other liveries so I don't imagine I'd have a stack of them going unused.

 

[TPO]

Out with the old and lay a big complete bed of pellets was always my method.

I never found a pellet base and shavings top worked very well for me.

In saying all that I'm not a pellets fan but when I had a messy horse they were a god send. The two others had thick pellet beds and the minger had a thinner bed that was emptied and replaced daily.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I would use the wood pellets to make the base and put shavings on top. This is what I often do over winter.

 

[ElleSkywalkingintheair]

Finish the shavings then start using wood pellets underneath till eventually all the shavings have been used up and bed is all wood pellets. This is what I've done a few times with shavings/comfybed and Aquamax wood pellets. Although not all pellets are created equal and if you have gone for one of the less absorbent brands it might not work so well.

 

[YourValentine]

Re pellets and shavings, are you on rubber mats or concrete/other? Does he dig/scrabble a lot as unless you use a lot of pellets they can be a very thin bed. I'd always use shavings on top for comfort.

But I like a big soft bed I'd like to collapse on (if it wasn't so smelly).

 

[Welly Boot]

I have always mixed together and it's great. My beds are thick though. If i add new pellets, I will let horse soak them

 

[QuantockHills]

poeelets underneath the shavings for me. Until my horse started snorting through them to find the unsoaked ones... and gave himself aspirational pneumonia and nearly died... so just shavings again now! I did really like them though... so much more absorbant and I use them for my mini companion. just can't have any form of pellet near his mate!

 

[Jambarissa]

I've been on pellets for years and they work ok mixed with other bedding as long as it's smaller particles.

In a bid not to waste your shavings I think I'd use the shavings in the middle and pellet the banks then pull down as the shavings get used up and not fuss too much about any that mix.

This will help you avoid having to add water to the pellets. Once the bed is established I only ever mix in dry pellets but a whole new pellet bed needs a fair amount of water mixing in to stop it being slippy and moving.

If you're using a significant amount of pellets cut a square in the bag, pour in a third of a bucket of water and leave for 20 mins before splitting the bag.

On horses eating them I've used for 6 horses, some ignored them and some had a taste and that was that. Then one cob had a taste and spat out, then tried again, and again! I ended up soaking the whole lot to powder then adding pellets in gradually.

 

[Highmileagecob]

I just use a bag of pellets in the area where he pees. I used to damp them, but found they last longer if they go down dry. He gets a deep bed of shavings, pull back the pee patch and top up with a bag of pellets.

 

[Birker2020]

After reading all the hype of how absorbent they are, and in a bid to manage costs while owning a horse with a questionably large bladder I've decided to make the switch from shavings to wood pellets. I've just had a pallet delivered, and still have 10 bales of shavings (small-flake) left. Any recommendations on making the switch? Am I best with an "out with old and in with the new" approach at the weekend? Or is it better to gradually make the transition from one to the other? I'd soon be able to off-load the shavings to other liveries so I don't imagine I'd have a stack of them going unused.

I've been using them prior to Lari going for about 4 years and found they worked brilliantly on the floor but they have to be soaked well. We would put one or two bags of woodchip down that has been mixed in a wheelbarrow with copious amounts of water and then spread out evenly for about 3" thick with a good layer of shavings on top.

The throughout the fortnight they were down I would take out the wet that had penetrated the shavings layer replacing the 'hole' with shavings from the banks. Then after a fortnight I would deep clean removing all the pellets and start again.

 

[9tails]

Push shavings to the side, add eight bags of lightly soaked pellets on bare floor/rubber mats, spread out evenly then put the shavings back on top. Your shavings will mix with the pellets but the pellets will make your shavings far more absorbent. You'll work out how many bags of pellets you need but I use 2 bags every 10 days and half a bale of shavings every fortnight. My horse isn't particularly clean and likes to walk around a lot if I arrive a hair after 6am in the morning.

 

[thommackintosh]

Thanks for all the replies folks. Looks like I'll be doing some variation of having a mix for a while as no one else at the yard uses small-flake.

Although not all pellets are created equal and if you have gone for one of the less absorbent brands it might not work so well

I got them from Balcas Energy. They were recommended for being lighter in colour and absorbent. I tested a handful this evening, so far I'm impressed. Though the proof will be in the pudding.

rubber mats or concrete/other? Does he dig/scrabble a lot as unless you use a lot of pellets they can be a very thin bed.

He's on rubber mats and really clean, just wet. So, fingers crossed. Can't wait to see what size his bed ends up. Other liveries reckon I'll create a "princess and the pea" situation with him. I'm a fan of a big bed

 

[LouisCat]

I like to mix them, find it makes a really nice stable bed

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I would use the wood pellets to make the base and put shavings on top. This is what I often do over winter.

I do this all year round I just put a bag of pellets on the floor especially where they wee then lay a thick shavings bed, I only muck out properly every few weeks if they are not in much and in winter if in overnight once a week abd the bed is still dry on top.

I just like shavings I don't like the look of just pellets silly but it's just the way it is for me.