Wood Pellets Users, help please?

J

jnb

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I show my cob, and we stay away a few times a year.
Last year I stabled him on straw (at home he's on shavings but sooo expensive away, and stables are like cupboards for him, and he lies down a lot at night so I need big banks) but he managed to give himself colic by scoffing the straw overnight.

As we only haves a 3.5 ton box and no partition (cob falls over if I use one) I can't carry bales and bales of bedding so OH suggested we get a few bags on unexpanded wood pellets to take as a) cheaper than bales and bales of shavings and b) much lighter!

Does anyone know a supplier that will sell, say 5 bags?
Where/how much?
How many bags of pellets are equivalent to one bale shavings?

Thank you :)
 
I think the only way to buy in that quantity is to collect yourself rather than get them delivered so look for local companies. Don't forget to try the ones marketing pellets for fuel rather than bedding as they can be cheaper but the quality has to be top notch for good burn efficiency.

At a guess (I've never made a direct comparison) a bag of pellets, once expanded, is about the same volume as a bale of shavings. On the plus side a bag of pellets is about half the size of a bag of feed! One of my liveries had half a ton delivered and the bags (37 of them) took up about the same amount of space as 8 - 10 bales of shavings.
 
Thank you. On another forum some people have found the pellets to stain the horse's legs - my cob is grey (typical), has anyone else had any experience of this please?
 
I buy Brites which are wood fuel pellets and get them from the local farm supplies/hardware shop. I reckon two 10kg bags = a bale of shavings. You will need about 8 for a not very deep bed. If you need banks I can't see it being practical as you will need masses. Also, they keep breaking down over time, so again if you are only away a night or two you won't get the full benefit. They won't stain if they are fresh - it's when they have absorbed a lot of wee and you have the base bed which you are adding to that they stain a bit.
 
They take a bit of getting used to and I don't think they'll be suitable for odd nights away. You need to water them fluff them up and to get a good base you will need quite a few bags. I'd collect some shavings once you get to your destination. I bet if you do your homework and google feed merchants or tack shops there will be one nearby ish!!
 
Also bear in mind that for equestrian use, VAT is payable (which is why those sold for fuel are cheaper even when its the same product inside the bag). If a company sells both types, then buying the fuel ones and in order to not pay the VAT is fraud unless you do use them for fuel and not horses.

Companies who only offer the fuel ones, grey area I guess. But as you are buying them as fuel you wouldnt have any comeback if there were something nasty in the pellets that injured horse in some way.

Also shavings would be most suitable for the purpose you describe, pellets are more suitable for a long term bed as they take time to settle in.
 
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