Wood pellet base shavings on top?

J

J1993

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Preparing to move my mare - we are waiting for a stable.. So exciting!

We are currently on straw as I can get them for £1 a bale but at new place you buy from farmer and they are £4 per bale. So I was going to trial shavings £7 per bag. I found with straw I am taking about 1&3/4 out a day (wet included) and putting back in half a bale. I was going to leave shavings as semi deep. Taking out all poo and a little wet per day. I found out they also sell Verdo wood pellets for just over £3 per bag. I thought this may work unsoaked under the shavings?

I have never used shavings with this horse before and she is a 16.3 warmblood and at the minute has bankings to at least my belly button height and a very thick bed so it is going to be hard getting used to a small shavings bed!

Advice?
 
That's what I do ... works a treat.

Skip out during the week.

Once a week I skim off clean shavings and remove wet shavings. Then sprinkle dry pellets (1 to 2 bags between 2 ponies) , rake clean shavings back over and then add more clean (half bale for clean pony, full bale for messy pony).
 
Wow they are large bankings?! Does he have a tendency to get cast?
I'm currently on woodpellets no banks and my bed is about 4-5 inches deep which is plenty for my boy he keeps himself pretty clean. Was previously on shavings with banks about 6-7 inches deep so it took a wee while to get used to not having a big fluffy bed but it is so much cleaner looking much cleaner smelling too and I don't have to untangle his tail from masses of shavings before I ride-BONUS! Wouldn't go back now - have heard of people using pellets and sshavings personally would only use that if you had a really dirty wet horse I'm quite blessed in my boy being fairly clean.
It can take a while getting used to not having a huge fluffy bed but definitely worth in imo!
 
Lintel said:
Wow they are large bankings?! Does he have a tendency to get cast?
I'm currently on woodpellets no banks and my bed is about 4-5 inches deep which is plenty for my boy he keeps himself pretty clean. Was previously on shavings with banks about 6-7 inches deep so it took a wee while to get used to not having a big fluffy bed but it is so much cleaner looking much cleaner smelling too and I don't have to untangle his tail from masses of shavings before I ride-BONUS! Wouldn't go back now - have heard of people using pellets and sshavings personally would only use that if you had a really dirty wet horse I'm quite blessed in my boy being fairly clean.
It can take a while getting used to not having a huge fluffy bed but definitely worth in imo!
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No she's never got cast, I like the base being thick cos she lies down and I don't want her to be on the concrete and I also find the more bedding in her bed the cleaner she is. The bankings have just ended up huge ha ha! They are solid too. I dread the day I dig them out but just going to try making her bed smaller and smaller till moving day.

All I want to do is move now, I'm on week 3 of waiting so trying to keep my mind busy by planning how she will be kept there :-)
 
I use pellets under bliss bedding on his wet patch. I find it better if they are soaked still though as they otherwise never seem to get started. Skip out and muck out every 7-10 days
 
J1993 said:
No she's never got cast, I like the base being thick cos she lies down and I don't want her to be on the concrete and I also find the more bedding in her bed the cleaner she is. The bankings have just ended up huge ha ha! They are solid too. I dread the day I dig them out but just going to try making her bed smaller and smaller till moving day.

All I want to do is move now, I'm on week 3 of waiting so trying to keep my mind busy by planning how she will be kept there :-)
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Oh dear I don't envy digging them out!! All the best with the move!
 
I use wood pellets with straw on top now, i was on shavings which cost a fortune, then changed to pellets but i just didnt get on with it at all. Now he has a big straw bed with 3' high solid banks and a compacted middle bit to about a foot deep, not sure how much i put in converted to small bales, but a hestion bale lasts me 6 weeks. I full muck out everyday and i dont sift through as hes a bit of a masher, to be honest i could probably take out a lot less if i spent more time on it but i get big bales of straw cheap so i do waste a bit without caring much. He wees in the same spot so pop half a bucketful of soaked pellets down in his wet patch, then set the bed over the top. It has reduced the amount of wet straw i take out, also reduces the smell but i still get a nice straw bed with it.
 
OldNag said:
That's what I do ... works a treat.

Skip out during the week.

Once a week I skim off clean shavings and remove wet shavings. Then sprinkle dry pellets (1 to 2 bags between 2 ponies) , rake clean shavings back over and then add more clean (half bale for clean pony, full bale for messy pony).
Click to expand...

This is what I do too. Fabulous. Friend has just started doing the same and is over the moon with it
 
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