what bedding do you/would you use for a foal?

[isabella]

just out of interest really as i know alot of people that say straw all the way but one friend of mine uses shavings(not when the mare is giving birth though) so just a bit of noseyness and curiousity(sp)

 

[Shilasdair]

I leave mine out...
S

 

[DuckToller]

I used straw for the foaling, then swapped to woodshavings as easier for foal to walk on, and considerably easier to muck out as having two trashing the bed is not fun!

Also could see easier on woodshavings how much foal had dunged (not that I am obsessive or anything...)

 

[Tiffany]

No experience personally but a friend of mine breeds arabs and always uses shavings.

 

[the watcher]

I am interested in the responses to this too. My mare has COPD so straw would be out of the question, but I am aware that there is a reluctance for using small flake bedding - so the alternatives; paper?

 

[Penniless]

We usually foal down on paper, but this year, we foaled down on our usual shavings (UK Cushionbed) and can't believe just how good it was. The mares were completely clean, the bed didn't move, the foals stood up so much easier and walked around the stables not dragging paper or straw etc around with them. The oldest this year is now a few days old and there hasn't been a problem at all. They make themselves very comfortable in it and the poo is very easy to see. And yes, we are also obsessive about making sure we can see the poo (especially from baby foals).

 

[pinkcatkin]

I'm also interested in this as if my mare foals in her current stable I will have to dig out deep litter to put straw down.