gooster Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 Now that I have moved Blue onto a different yard, I can choose the type of bedding I use for him, as before we used straw that was included in the cost of the livery. Just wondering what type of bedding you lot use, and whether anyone has any experience of easibed? Straw is fine, however it does mean I have to do a full muck out every day. I don't mind doing that, but if there's something out there that makes life easier, that'd be fab!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimbas_mum Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 Given how messy Blue is I reckon you might be best off with straw, he will probably still trash his bed whichever type of bedding you use - and all the others tend to be a lot more expensive than straw. Easibed is pretty similar to shavings from what I have heard, but a bit more absorbant. Hope all is going well at the new yard and that he has settled in ok. See you at the weekend K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collies r best Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 At the yard all the horses are bedded on elephant grass [i cant remember the 'proper' name]. Its a bit like easibed and we deep litter with it, its really good stuff. Our yard owner bulk buys it around 6 pallets at a time and it works out at £7.30 a bale[ for us to buy off him] so is probably a fair bit cheaper in England. Bumble is a mucky lad in the stable, hes 12.2hh with a full size stable and uses one bale a week on a proper deep litter system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reds Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 Not sure if you have the option on livery but best for me by far is rubber flooring with hemp. Although one of mine will eat hemp or any kind of shavings material (greedy messy Squeaky babe!) so he was on straw which he also ate to a degree but figured that was the least harmful! I would go for a full muck out if you can, I've never liked deep litter myself. Duke was on the hemp and rubber and Squeak on the straw. GIven that Squeak is bigger and seriously mucky, his stable was a lot quicker to muck out with the straw as you didn't have to'find' individual bits of droppings. Just to add, the the hemp and rubber although I removed all the muck, i.e. full muck out every day, I didn't have to lift the whole bed, just swept the wet areas and left those patches to dry for a bit. I know with that bedding system you're not meant to lift as the hemp is so much more absorbent but just my personal choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesB Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 I keep mine on rubber matting and dust-free shavings. I've had the matting for years now, it owes me nothing and mucking out is quick and easy. I've got a fairly dirty horse and use 1-1.5 bags of shavings a week. I've tried both straw and shavings deep littered but the mats beat those beds hands down and it means there is no risk of a horse standing or lying on a concrete floor. Having said that, my 30-year old boy didn't appreciate the rubber mats I had bought him and wouldn't lie down until I put his shavings deep litter bed back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimbas_mum Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 Thinking about it rubber matting would be a fab investment with Blue, would probs make life a lot easier, would still need to do full much out each day in order to find his hidden poo's, but would only need half as much bed so should be a lot quicker and cleaner. You could use it with Easibed or shavings, whichever you can get cheaper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooster Posted July 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 Thanks guys My cousin has some spare rubber mats she said I can have, so I'll look into using something shavings like with those! Blue is getting on ok, he's liking living out with lots of others - there is a really bossy mare in his field though who herds him away from me whenever I try and catch him - she's a pain in the arse. He's got a couple of bites on his back too, so can't ride him for a while whilst they heal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabina Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 i had donks on paper a while back it was fab, really absorbant, cheap, light to use. i cant source it over here otherwise would still be on it. now i use shavings and rubber mats. its fairly easy but i miss the big fluffy paper beds! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel155 Posted July 11, 2008 Report Share Posted July 11, 2008 I have Feniks on shavings semi deep litter. When he is stabled, I remove the poo every day and then at weekends I dig it out and add one bale. When I first had him I used straw, but really didn't get on with it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houndwoman Posted July 12, 2008 Report Share Posted July 12, 2008 Easibed is brilliant! We have used it here for about 4 years now after trying everything else. It stays lovely and dry on top and all the wet goes to the bottom. One of our ponies spends around 10 hours a day in his stables as he is a potential laminitic and as he has Cushings he is a real piddler I only need to dig the wet out about once in 4 weeks and could get away with longer possibly. Can highly recommend it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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