What bedding is best on rubber matting?

[fairyclare]

Hi, I'm a newbie here!! I'm moving my mare on 2 rubber mats soon and wondered what type of bedding would be best, she is on shavings at the mo but when she moves yards and i have to pay her keep (included in my wages at the mo as i am an over worked under paid groom!) i won't be able to keep her bed as it is now (4 bales a week!) she is very clean and i am a little over the top with her bed. I hate paper and straw so any other suggestions would be ace or should i just stick with what i know and have a small shavings bed on top of the rubber matting?

 

[Jay89]

I wud say shavings. she wouldnt need as much bedding as the mats are uite thick sum ppl jus keep em on rubber mats...though i wud put dwn shaving to absorb wee!!

 

[Hanz]

shavings, they are the best to absorb water and wee! with straw most will be going under the mats and they will start to whiff!

 

[lizzie_liz]

with rubber matting you need less bedding so would go through less bedding and 4 bales is alot of shavings to go through in a week.
how about deep litter and only take the wet out once a week, you would then go through less bedding

 

[Frazer]

Shavings, I have rubber matting and still go overboard with my shavings altough is included in the price! She has about a bale a week in her stable! But she is very messy. I love shavings but i do fing even with rubber matting i still put down the same as before to make it look better.

 

[Hattikins]

MEGAZORB it is absolutely fantastic and u need to use very little on rubber matting for it to work very effectively-it is ten times more absorbent than shavings and very quick to muck out

(sorry as u can see i am a big fan!!) we have used it for a couple of years now and wouldnt use anything else on rubber matting

if u need more info just ask

 

[pocket]

Shavings, my boys on rubber matting and shavings on top.... however, I have a full bed as I cant stand the thought of him lying on poo n wee and a sprinkling of shavings

 

[pocket]

Megazorb sounds interesting whats it made of? And is it as easy to get rid of as chippings?

 

[RachelB]

Shavings. And I can't believe anyone could use four bales a week! You must be mad! I complain because my horse is on paper and rubber mats, and she uses 10/11 bales a month at £3.50 a bale... I thought THAT was bad! I'd say shavings in a quarter (or half if you're fussy) bed. And go easy on the mucking out! lol!

 

[ru-fi-do]

Ius shavings. I put big banks around my stable then a sprinkle down one side, this way mu girl wees on the banks and it stops the stable from flooding!

 

[piebaldsparkle]

BEDMAX - Hugh shavings (about 1" square) love it. I have rubber matting with big banks and about a 3" deep bed as the BEDMAX is really supportive and comfy and doesn't get stuck in her feet, or on her rugs or blow round the yard as much a shavings. She is a really dirty troll and I still only use about a bale a week.

 

[cariadssogreat]

I am amazed that no one uses Aubiose, I think it is the best stuff ever on rubber matting.

 

[mpicton]

Megazorb!! I've heard nothing but fantastic things about it.

 

[Hattikins]

megazorb is fab, it isnt dusty it is just as easy to get rid of as chippings and it looks like this

it is much softer than shavings too.

this is from the megazorb site
[ QUOTE ]
Very Economical
Budget to use 10 bags to make initial bed, plus half bag per week thereon !
Natural Fibre
Dried wood fibre pulp.
Dust Free & Sterile
Dried and sterilised at temperatures up to 500 degrees celsius killing mould, spores and bacteria, dust extracted twice. Ideal for horses with C.O.P.D.
Superior Absorbency
10 x better than straw, 4 x better than shavings.
Fresher Stables
Absorbs stable odours therefore reducing insect problems.
Environmentally Friendly
Biodegradable, so breaks down quickly into garden compost resulting in smaller muck heaps.
Ideal for Rubber Mats


[/ QUOTE ]

 

[fairyclare]

Thanx every1, i'd just like to clarify my point regarding the 4 bales a week, my horse is paid 4 as part of my wages and as i only get paid peanuts i make up 4 it in what my girlie sleeps on and the size of her haynet!!
I won't be so anal when i have to pay 4 it.
I like the sound of megazorb but how available is it and how much does it cost per bale? xx

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

I would say shavings, one bag a week will do for use with matting,thats what i get through with my rubber matting, and i like a clean bed too!

 

[Thistle]

Aquamax

 

[ticobay831]

nedz bedz are very good

 

[Marilyn]

Aquamax

 

[TGM]

[ QUOTE ]
I am amazed that no one uses Aubiose, I think it is the best stuff ever on rubber matting.

[/ QUOTE ] I do! Find it nice and absorbent and rots down well on the muck heap.

I did try Megazorb but didn't like it at all - sort of turned into a wet papier-mache texture

.

 

[Theresa_F]

Cairo has 50 - 50 dixons dustless and shavings - I use about a half a bale of each a week.

Last winter I used megazorb on the Stinker and am thinking about using them on Cairo.

I loved megazorb - once it has settled with its firm base it is great for smelly peeing digging beasts

 

[Happytohack]

I tried Megazorb for our big heavy horse and as he is so heavy (weighs 1 tonne), he actually ground it into dusty powder! I am sure it is fine for lighter horses, but not the really heavies of this world. After just one week, we had to take the lot out as it was just a dust bowl. He is now back on 50/50 dustless straw/shavings that is made by Bed-down and called Excel. You will find the rubber matting is absolutely brilliant.

 

[MagicMelon]

I just put a small square of shavings along one side of the wall. Mainly just for them to pee on (some dont like the splashing!). My horses are happy to lie on the matts so no need for a big proper bed. It depends on your horse though, if he's used to a big thick bed then maybe you could still fill the floor with shavings, just not nearly as thick as you needed to before?

 

[the watcher]

[ QUOTE ]
I am amazed that no one uses Aubiose, I think it is the best stuff ever on rubber matting.

[/ QUOTE ]

i use Aubiose, mixed with chopped straw for economy, although I do spread it fairly thick. Fantastically fast to muck out and lasts a long time

 

[gingsgreyhorse]

Megazorb is the most fantasic bedding!

I decided to try it on my rubber matting, and now everyone else on matting at the yard is changing onto it. It's so absorbant and easy to use.