Bedding questions.........

[Lil' Horse Lover]

With all this talk about beddings I have some questions of my own.

First of all I what type of bedding would be best for my yearling colt, and my unpreggo mares, just some bedding for them when they are in a stall? Also what would be best for a mare when she has her foal and for the foal after its born? I would like to know what everyone uses and what would be best for the different circumstances. Also, I would like a list of what NOT to use and why? Thanks for all the replies ahead of time! All opinions are appreciated and will be taken into consideration! Thanks again~Anna~

 

[Matt73]

Hi Anna

I have a whole barn full of great wheat straw. My partner thinks I'm nuts because I pay for some good pine shavings! I just like the smell and the ease of mucking etc. Wheat straw (and I think a few others) are best for foaling and for the foals themselves because, from what I understand, it doesn't hold as many pathogens as shavings do. Also, because a foal has its nose in the ground so much it can breath in the dust from shavings (if it's particularly dusty). So...I like using shavings, but use straw for mares about to foal and will probably keep straw in there for the first few weeks (this is my first foal).

The main shavings I know to stay away from are cedar and black walnut. There are, I'm sure, many others.

Matt

 

[Relic]

No one is stalled here on a regular basis but when thet are stalled a mare and foal is kept on straw for the first few days because it is just warmer for the foal and anyone showing is either on shavings or pellets depends who it is..

 

[Joyce]

I use shavings in my stalls but for a mare due to foal I put in hay and the baby foals on the hay. That is used for a few days and then I change them over to the shavings. Never have had a problem with this way of doing it. I like using the hay as it is softer than straw and if the Mom eats it, it won't hurt her.

Joyce L

 

[AJ]

In my opinion straw is not very absorbent so unless you have a thick layer of straw, the foal and mare can get wet/dirty lying on the straw. I always put the straw over shavings which keeps the straw dry and clean and likewise the mare and foal.

 

[Lil' Horse Lover]

Thanks everyone for the advice!!!!! I think what I will do is either go with the hay idea or the shavings underneath the straw (or hay) for the mares and foals. And then just use shavings or pellets for the others. Thanks again and I'm still open to more ideas!!!!! ~Anna~

 

[qtrmoonfarm]

Anna, our first preference is the shredded cardboard. It's not readily available in all areas, but WOW, VERY absorbent, cushy, it insulates and not at all tasty to our mini vacuums so they don't eat it. We were the test farm for the producers for 3 years, but now they've moved the plant 4 hours away so I can't get it often and storage is an issue with the quantities I need :no: Now the non preggy's and the boys are back to pine shavings or wood pellets misted to sawdust and the babies are born on grass hay. The straw we have access to is awful..dusty, stiff and we once had a foal poke it's eye and that was that for me.

 

[Jill]

We currently use sawdust. For pregnant mares, I would use straw when they are close to foaling.

 

[Tony]

We are going to test rice hulls. Anyone have experience with them?

 

[Becky]

Tony, back in the 70's

: when I had Arabs, I used to use rice hulls. I loved them! But, I haven't seen them available at all locally in years.

At this time, I am using cardboard bedding as it is non dusty and the horses don't eat it as qtrmoon said. And it is very cushy and I really like that about it. I will likely use it in my foaling stalls this year and see how it goes.

 

[Leeana]

Hi,

Recently i had one of our horses (8 month old) have an illergic reaction to the bedding (according to the vet) and i've heard stories before of horses having allergic reactions to bedding. So just a heads up.

I normally use the regular bedding from TSC. I've used saw dust in the past, it works best if you have dirt floors like my old barn, our new barn has concrete floors and the sawdust stays wet in the 'pee spots'. Its easy to sift through for poop though.

Right now i have straw in my weanlings stall who had the allergic reaction untill i can get the old type of bedding in. Oh yeah, i still use saw dust in my isle way which is used as a run in for some of the horses and that lasts pretty long.

Never heard of the cardboard bedding before, sounds interesting though.

 

[Ashley]

I normally use shaveings. Straw for the preggo mares and some times at shows for some horses.

I had to use straw at a show one year with a mare and foal as the foal wouldnt stop eatting shaveings but he left the straw alone. Not my first choice as they dont stay clean at all, but that is all I had availible and the health of the foal was more important then being clean.