Ravenwood
Well-Known Member
With the cost of shavings going beyond the depth of my pocket and no facilities to keep straw, I needed to look into an alternative.
Not long ago, I read on here, that someone was using shredded office paper from a local company and I thought this was a fantastic idea.
I couldn't believe it when just last week, the very same opportunity fell in my lap! My employers have started shredding all their confidential waste paper and I told them I would take it all - which would save them the cost of using a contractor.
So I collected five large bags of shredded paper - which looked like this.........
I wasn't expecting it to be confettied - I assumed it would be long shreds.
My mare is disgustingly wet in her stable and unfortunately spends an awful lot of time in it when the fields are so wet. I had been using miscanthus, so I left a good base of the miscanthus and put four bags of paper on top. It made the loveliest, soft and lofty bed.
Next morning - I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to skip out and hadn't really moved at all, nor has it blown all over the yard (yet!).
Day 2 and the bed still looks good (you have to remember that normally her bed is saturated!)...........
Fearing that my supply wasn't going to be enough, I rang another organisation opposite where I work, just on the off chance and they also immediately agreed that I could have all their shredded paper too - so hopefully I will have enough to bed both horses eventually.
It was suggested on here that it might be difficult to spread the muck on the fields due to regulations etc etc, so I rang Defra who told me to ring the Environment Agency, who told me ring their local office and I had a chat about it - basically it is absolutely fine for me but each circumstance is different, so if you follow this route I suggest you check it out for your area.
I just thought that this might be interesting for anyone who is considering an alternative bedding. If I can maintain this and all my sources are free - then it will be an absolute Godsend and I can't believe how easy it has been to source.
Thank you to whoever it was that mentioned it in the first place and I will give another update in a week or so to let you know how its going.
Not long ago, I read on here, that someone was using shredded office paper from a local company and I thought this was a fantastic idea.
I couldn't believe it when just last week, the very same opportunity fell in my lap! My employers have started shredding all their confidential waste paper and I told them I would take it all - which would save them the cost of using a contractor.
So I collected five large bags of shredded paper - which looked like this.........
I wasn't expecting it to be confettied - I assumed it would be long shreds.
My mare is disgustingly wet in her stable and unfortunately spends an awful lot of time in it when the fields are so wet. I had been using miscanthus, so I left a good base of the miscanthus and put four bags of paper on top. It made the loveliest, soft and lofty bed.
Next morning - I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to skip out and hadn't really moved at all, nor has it blown all over the yard (yet!).
Day 2 and the bed still looks good (you have to remember that normally her bed is saturated!)...........
Fearing that my supply wasn't going to be enough, I rang another organisation opposite where I work, just on the off chance and they also immediately agreed that I could have all their shredded paper too - so hopefully I will have enough to bed both horses eventually.
It was suggested on here that it might be difficult to spread the muck on the fields due to regulations etc etc, so I rang Defra who told me to ring the Environment Agency, who told me ring their local office and I had a chat about it - basically it is absolutely fine for me but each circumstance is different, so if you follow this route I suggest you check it out for your area.
I just thought that this might be interesting for anyone who is considering an alternative bedding. If I can maintain this and all my sources are free - then it will be an absolute Godsend and I can't believe how easy it has been to source.
Thank you to whoever it was that mentioned it in the first place and I will give another update in a week or so to let you know how its going.
