Who puts bedding in field shelters?

[katie_southwest]

I have a shelter in my field that I rent, slightly larger than a stable sort of size.
The ponies do go in it to get away from heat/flies/rain. There is no door on the shelter.
I'm wondering whether to fill it with bedding in the winter , or whether its hassle ( I'm picturing straw blowing around and getting kicked out everywhere)
What do you put in there, Or what's easiest? straw?

 

[nicelittle]

Have got rubber mats and wood pellets in ours - we also had visions of straw blowing everywhere!

 

[katie_southwest]

Oh yes forgot to say there is rubber matting in there too

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I dont have/put any bedding in the mobile shelter.

However, in the 2 static ones I put in the remains of the clean from the banks of the stables at the end of each winter when doing the spring clean - this is soley Eco ComfyBed. I might top up with a bale once or twice a year if needed.
Its not dusty, is heavier than woodchips so doesn't blow about or get dug up so quickly either

 

[dafthoss]

I had a straw bed in his last winter but all he did was eat it when he deemed it to rainy out side .

 

[Cocorules]

I just have rubber matting in my field shelters. I do not see the point in bedding as they tend to go outside to wee. They do not need it to lie down so why go to the trouble and expense. You can keep it much cleaner without bedding as you will not get the dust levels and it will be healthier without.

 

[katie_southwest]

Mmm that's what I'm thinking, realistically are they going to actually lie down in there or just eat it

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Mmm that's what I'm thinking, realistically are they going to actually lie down in there or just eat it

Give Tiny Fuzzy half a chance & she loves sleeping flat out in the middle of a shelter in the summer months - which meant BF (RIP) had to step round or over her to get in!

 

[katie_southwest]

Ha ha yeah they actually spent more time in the "summer" getting out of the heat, than they probably will in the winter. Hmmm

 

[amandaco2]

Mine just have mats in at the mo.
May pop something like wood chip in as they do like to stand in there quite a bit...

 

[Enfys]

I had a straw bed in his last winter but all he did was eat it when he deemed it to rainy out side .

Saves on hay then doesn't it?

In answer to the question, no, I don't bed my shelters down.

 

[flirtygerty]

If I had a field shelter I would put a bed of some sort down, my two have access to our barn and stables but prefer to be out, last night I was expecting them to be kept in (not needed) so put beds down, this morning both horses had obviously spent time lying down overnight, I wouldn't like to sleep on sodden ground, so I like my two to have comfy beds, up to them wether they use them.

 

[Dry Rot]

Pea gravel which occasionally gets raked clean and can be topped up simply by tipping another load into it. I get about a tonne at a time from the local quarry which costs about £20. The ponies like it, it is easy to keep clean, and it stays dry.

 

[here_i_am]

Mine have a big straw bed in the larger shelter - they love it And it doesn't make a mess at all. The smaller shelter is on an earth floor (big one has a hardcore base), so there's sand in that one.