Wood pellet beds-wet mare

Rosie'smum

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 September 2010
Messages
639
Visit site
I am useing wood pellets that are supplied by the yard. They are just wood fuel ones 10kg bags atm. My mare is extremely wet and im struggling at keeping the bed dry. I was taking the wet out but at the moment it has formed a nice solid base. Should I bw taking this out. I just feel I'm using quite a few bags to manage this bed.
I do love pellets as they are so easy to much out and u get no waste.
I was just wondering how u would manage it and would shavings on top be an option? Just dont like the thought of her lieing on a damp bed.
Thanks!
 

xgemmax

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 November 2012
Messages
966
Location
Kent
Visit site
I leave the wee in and take it out once a week. Is your bed deep enough? I find mine has to be about 6 inches deep so that the wee does not come to the top and my bed is nice and dry on top?
 

Rosie'smum

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 September 2010
Messages
639
Visit site
Its quite thick. But she tends to churn it up a bit and always stands in one spot. It doesnt seem to matter how much I soak the pellets either. Just seem to be using more and more pellets than I should expect.
 

Rosie'smum

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 September 2010
Messages
639
Visit site
I have done once. GOing to try doin that today. I know there cheap but im spending as much as I would shavings! She stands on her bed alot do dont knw weather she just prefers standing over there as less of a draft or she doesn't want to stand on concrete. Would like to fill her whole stable but could only justify that on shavings as they cover more.
ITs just looks like it needs at least 4 more bags in it.
 

galaxy

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 September 2006
Messages
5,959
Location
Bucks
Visit site
Is your bed covering he entire stable or just half? My mare is wet and churns up Beds badly. I had a half bed and it was horrendous. I've bedded now the entire stable and she is so much cleaner!
 

Rosie'smum

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 September 2010
Messages
639
Visit site
She used to be cleaner on full bed of shavings. But this stable is 12x14 so would beed a lot of bedding. Think I will just have to bite the bullet and add more in over time till I have a big bed. But parently all the mares on the yard are like it atm. They all share same field. She's not even drinking loafs half bucket at most.
 

galaxy

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 September 2006
Messages
5,959
Location
Bucks
Visit site
Yup it did cost setting it up, but worth it. I was using 3 a week before and it was still gross. Now I don't even need 2 a week.
 

Mels100

New User
Joined
26 September 2016
Messages
6
Visit site
Can i jump on and ask......new to pellets and stables are like sand and It sticks to everything . Am I doing something wrong as I hate it at the moment!
 

9tails

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 January 2009
Messages
4,763
Visit site
Change your bed around. Mine was the same as the bed was half the stable along the back and if she got agitated she would walk back and forth churning up the bed. Once I moved it to cover the side she now poos mostly on the matting, pees on one corner of the bedding and sleeps on the dry side. If she walks she's on matting.
 

BethH

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 January 2006
Messages
1,132
Location
Kent
Visit site
I only ever put the pellets in dry and only ever put water on the original bed when it goes down and even then just spray a little water rather than put tons in. I skip out the wee patch everyday and just turn the rest over to distribute any natural moisture throughout the bed, Some wood pellets are better than others, I use the Platinum pellets, I find they absorb really well but i also have rubber matting down and a biggish bed at least a couple of inches deep. The wet stays where it is and doesn't spread through the bed. I do sometimes pop a bale of Rapport in to give him some decent banks in the winter, but as he likes to eat everything I have to go a bit carefully, if you top with shavings becareful the bed doesn't get too heavy.
 

dixie

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 August 2005
Messages
4,870
Location
Devon
Visit site
I've got the same problem with my horse. He's quite a big horse and therefore fairly wet and does walk around a bit churning his droppings up.
Last week I added two bags of big flake shavings leaving the wood pellets as a decent base and so far it is making a far nicer bed. It takes a bit longer to muck out but he has a nicer bed. Still early days though.
 

Rosie'smum

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 September 2010
Messages
639
Visit site
Ive been adding in more bags and it is getting better. Measured it last night and its currently 3inches deep. She is definitely cleaner and wet isn't as bad. Taking bits but not all wet out every day. Also been not soaking it as much. So dont feel in dispear anymore over it.
Yeah it goes like sand depending on how much u soak it.
 
Top