With so many different kinds of stall bedding on the market, it can be difficult for horse owners to know where to start. Everyone wants to save a few bucks here and there, getting the best deal possible, but are you really saving when you buy the cheaper stuff?
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of the following types of animal bedding.
Wood Pellets
Wood pellets typically come packaged in smaller quantities and cost a bit more than other bedding materials, but don’t let this scare you off. A good pellet bedding expands when used in the horse’s stall and will usually last longer, giving you the equivalent of three regular bags of shavings. WoodyPet Horse Bedding for example, when compared to pine shavings in a water test, absorbed all of the water whereas the pine shavings did not.
To eliminate dust, you will want to keep the pellets moist to the point where they are damp enough not to be dusty, but not so well that if you kneel down in them that your jeans come away looking wet. Some people have said that wood pellets don’t work well for them, but it is necessary that you read all of the instructions before use so that you’re completely familiar with how the process works.
Straw or Hay
Regular straw is commonly used in horse stalls, especially when it’s foaling time. However, your horse is more likely to eat straw or hay when it’s used as bedding, and it doesn’t have a high level of absorbency. It can also cause allergic coughing since straw contains mold spores and if baled while damp, has a much higher risk of developing mold faster. Keep in mind that it’s also harder to clean the manure out from the straw which leaves you with more waste. If you should decide that you would like to use straw as bedding, do your best to find healthy and dry straw that will not harm your horse.
Wood Shavings
Wood shavings are perhaps the most widely used type of horse bedding material on the market, and according to a poll done with our Horse Family™ Facebook fans, it looks like our readers agree. We also did an interview with Donna von Hauff of Strathcona Animal Bedding during a recent #HorseChat and learned why wood shavings are such a common choice. Donna talked about the dangers of dusty bedding during the chat:
“Dust is a big issue in the lung health of horses and people. It is also the precursor to mold development in barns. I have one large barn client where the barn staff have reduced their asthma medication [since switching to Strathcona Animal Bedding].”
She also added:
“Sawdust is a poor bedding product in that there is a lot of dust, the product is not heat treated for bacteria and can be moldy.”
Donna additionally talked about why pine shavings are better for horses, sharing that since Strathcona horse bedding is 100% white pine, it is made from a soft wood that doesn’t harm hooves or cause hives like hard wood can. This is an important factor to consider when buying wood shavings.
Shredded Paper
Shredded paper is another bedding form that can be used. It’s usually easy to store and comes in lightweight bales. While this is a dust-free option, it does have its downfalls such as clogging gutter systems and getting tangled in manure spreader blades. Some horses will also eat it since it easily blends with hay that’s on the stall floor, though studies have shown that horses are not harmed by doing so. Paper shavings may come in different sizes, therefore a chopped paper may be a better alternative to shredded.
Sawdust
Sawdust is cheap and easy to acquire, especially for those who live near a saw mill. It absorbs quickly and does well masking odors. It’s also very dusty and harmful to the horse (and to you!), since it can easily cause respiratory problems and additional allergic reactions. Horses that tend to lie down in their stalls are at an even greater risk of breathing it into their lungs, resulting in potentially long term damage. Some types of sawdust are also poisonous to horses and can cause serious illness if ingested. So while sawdust may appear to be a cheap solution, you may end up dishing out more money in the long run to your vet when health problems begin to occur. Is it worth the risk of harming your horse?
Stall Mats
I wouldn’t necessarily refer to stall mats as being a standalone bedding option, but they will reduce the amount of bedding used in a stall. They help line the stall floor, giving your horse a better surface to stand or lie down, while also providing shock absorption, insulation and traction. By using stall mats properly, you will save money on bedding and time spent on cleaning. You may also easily sterilize a mat should this be necessary if an unhealthy horse has been quarantined within a stall, which is not so easy if you’re using a surface such as dirt or cement.
What’s your experience with stall bedding? What do you use for your horses, and why? Tell us in the comments!
