Wheezy on easi?

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bikina

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When I put Banjo in the stable last night, he strained to go to the loo (no.2!) and made a long whistling, wheezy sound. I noticed a couple of days ago he occasionally 'whistles' just before snorting when out at grass. He's bedded on easibed, which. although I have been using according to the directions, has started to take on an amonea smell (thinking of changing bedding as it goes against all my principles leaving wet in!). He has 2 large haynets a day, which I am going to start soaking. (nb, how long should it be soaked it for, and do I feed it wet?) Is there anything else I can do?
 
I used to wash my hay down thoroughly with a hose and then leave outside to dry for the day. Hang up at night as by this time the water has washed out the dust and it's dry for him. Hope he's alright xxx
 
Sounds like you need more bedding in your stable if you are smelling amonia allready. I never got away with putting less than two bales a week down of the damn stuff - which worked out very expensive at over a fiver a bale. Also consider how many bales you put down to start the bed. It will have taken a minimum of five to lay your initial bed. It's not a dusty type of bedding though, so would be suprised if it's affecting your horses chest.

Obviously the answer is for as much turnout as possible. But if you are concerned that the hay may be a little dusty, spray librally with water - or soak in a bin for 10 mins - prior to putting in the stable.
 
Second amymay's advice regarding the easibed.
I used 8 bales to set up the bed, and use 2 a week to keep it topped up. I remove the wet once a week, but our YO removes the wet from hers every day, others on the yard take it out every couple of months - it doesn't seem to make much difference regarding the amount of bedding used
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You do need a very deep bed to begin with, otherwise the wet will get churned up and will start to smell.

What's his turn out like? It's been so dry that it could be that he's just picking up a bit of dust when he's grazing which is making him a bit wheezy.
 
Soak the hay for 20 mins before hanging up to drain and then feed. If he is wheezing you would be advised to take the wet out of his bed every day. The bed shouldn't smell of ammonia. Personally, I prefer top quality shavings for my horse who suffers from dust allergy - I also feed high fibre haylage as even soaked hay makes him wheezy.
 
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I remove the wet once a week, but our YO removes the wet from hers every day, others on the yard take it out every couple of months - it doesn't seem to make much difference regarding the amount of bedding used

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This is what I found - which is why I stopped using it. It really is designed for use on rubber matting - and I just found it terribly uneconomical on a deep litter basis. Removing the wet daily made no difference either
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Going to switch to shavings me thinks. Started the bed with 6 bales of easibed and already topped it up twice - and he's not even been in a week! Thought this new fangled stuff would be marvellous but I guess you can't beat good old tradition!! I'll start soaking his hay as of today. Interesting how everyone soaks for different amounts of time and how some of you let it dry before feeding, whereas others feed it wet! Guess it depends on the horse.
 
More ventilation usually helps....

Interested to read that though - I started using easibed just over a month ago and am using 3 bales a week, which seems ridiculous!!!!!! I muck out daily because my boy churns up the wet and it stinks too bad to leave on deep litter.... I thought it might just be my imagination, but maybe it does smell of ammonia worse than other bedding?! Not dusty at all though, which is a bonus....

The only stables that dont seem to smell are those with bedding over a foot deep!!!

Thats the only bedding delvered to the yard though, so I am saving up my pennies for some rubber mats!!!!
 
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