What really is the best bedding?

Good quality wheat straw is unbeatable in my view. Much less expensive than all of the gear that comes in bags and as simple as anything to keep clean. Wouldn't use anything else.
 
A big deep bed of small-flake shavings gets my vote. Harry's a very clean horse though with a predictable pee patch and poo pile, so that probably makes a difference. Supplier ran out of small flake, so I'm battling my way through half a pallet of large-flake. The bed is lovely to look at but takes double the time to much out and isn't nearly as absorbent.
 
thommackintosh said:
A big deep bed of small-flake shavings gets my vote. Harry's a very clean horse though with a predictable pee patch and poo pile, so that probably makes a difference. Supplier ran out of small flake, so I'm battling my way through half a pallet of large-flake. The bed is lovely to look at but takes double the time to much out and isn't nearly as absorbent.
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Oh I really hate large flake shavings! I emptied the whole bed and started again as I couldn’t stand them. They aren’t as absorbent and are a faff to muck out.
 
Cinnamontoast said:
Which is exactly what I bought last week at TC Feeds! Thought you didn't go there? So many people go to Titmuss, which strikes me as bloody miles away!
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I very rarely go only for rug washing really but I did get deliveries over winter as they were in more as it was wet, I normally go tittmus it's so near me but can only fit 1 bale in
 
Megaspread or nice quality straw, nothing else will do. Both have to be super thick, fluffy and mucked out fully each day. I’ve tried EVERYTHING and they’re my absolute favourites. Banks were bigger but he was a nuisance for knocking them down!
 

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Shavings beds on Matts, proper beds not thin layers and our Matt's are EVA ones so nice and springy. I too love mega spread, but I also really like Competition Chip. My mare is cleaner on big flake shavings, my gelding is better on small flake which is a nuisance that there not both on the same brand, he has the 25kg bags of un branded shavings and they make lovely beds for him. She has Competition chip as can't get Mega spread, I use Bedsoft shavings when I can't get Comp Chip. Does anyone remember Elite Dream shavings? They where amazing but the guy that set them up passed away and the company didn't carry on after ?
 
IngramsRoughDiamond said:
Shavings beds on Matts, proper beds not thin layers and our Matt's are EVA ones so nice and springy. I too love mega spread, but I also really like Competition Chip. My mare is cleaner on big flake shavings, my gelding is better on small flake which is a nuisance that there not both on the same brand, he has the 25kg bags of un branded shavings and they make lovely beds for him. She has Competition chip as can't get Mega spread, I use Bedsoft shavings when I can't get Comp Chip. Does anyone remember Elite Dream shavings? They where amazing but the guy that set them up passed away and the company didn't carry on after ?
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Is competition flake by the same person as natural flake! Cause if so they are my second choice if megaspread is out of stock
 
It is a bit strange to start a thread with "what really is the best bedding?" and then completely disregard wood pellets as an option because you "hate the look of a wood pellet bed".
I think that wood pellets are the best bedding (for me, admittedly), because
  • Aren't dusty if kept properly
  • isn't a thin bed if you start off with enough
  • doesn't move in the stable
  • Easy to muck out
  • Easy to store as takes up very little space
  • tidy muck heap
  • doesn't smell
I must admit that the colour of the bedding doesn't seem that important to me, and I am sure that the horse doesn't mind.
 
Tarragon said:
It is a bit strange to start a thread with "what really is the best bedding?" and then completely disregard wood pellets as an option because you "hate the look of a wood pellet bed".
I think that wood pellets are the best bedding (for me, admittedly), because
  • Aren't dusty if kept properly
  • isn't a thin bed if you start off with enough
  • doesn't move in the stable
  • Easy to muck out
  • Easy to store as takes up very little space
  • tidy muck heap
  • doesn't smell
I must admit that the colour of the bedding doesn't seem that important to me, and I am sure that the horse doesn't mind.
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Didnt mean to sound rude, just saying my opinion, plus wood pellets aren't used much in my area.
 
I use Megaspread in my cob's open-sided (well, one side is closed) shelter however would use a base of Aubiose and Megaspread on top, if he was stabled at all, but I'm lucky enough to have my own yard and mahoosive lovely cool shelter, so he's out.
 
So many variables. Horse size to stable. How many hours worked and left standing in stable. Time of year./turnout
At the moment we have gone from Hunters to wood pellets, suits our regime perfectly.
 
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