# Straw or shavings?



## kimky (28 August 2008)

just wondering which is best for your horse ? Shavings or straw. Also which is easier for you to muck out ?


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## traceyell (28 August 2008)

i find straw better a lot quicker and i think a lot better bed i deep litter in winter pick poo everyday then lift at weekend when got more time doesnt use much straw this way but always got a big deep bed


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## chunkytfg (28 August 2008)

we used to keep our pony on straw but when you muck out fully everyday it gets a bit much so we now use shavings(bedmax) and it is soo much easier.


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## imyourstalker (28 August 2008)

I use shavings as my horse is VERY messy on it (I think it takes a shorter period of time to muck out lol!) and even messier on straw. He tends to eat his straw instead of hay if hes on it too.


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## Libbyn1982 (28 August 2008)

Shavings are best for horses with dust allergies and greedy ponies that eat thier beds!! I find shavings a bit easier to muck out as you can use shavings forks and pick poos more easily, deep litter systems are usually easier with shavings as well.  

Advantages of straw is that it rots better, some farms i've been on will only allow straw or easibed. I always think that nice deep straw beds look so lovely and cosy!!


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## Missmac (28 August 2008)

I use both. A small layer of shavings on the bottom to soak up the wet then a layer of straw on top.


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## Scribbles (28 August 2008)

A bit off topic but I'm fretting - moving to new yard who only use shavings, and I've never used shavings in my life! Lord only knows how to muck out on them, some people seem to pick up the poo, some people use forks... what about what the wet?!


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## stencilface (28 August 2008)

Straw.  Ours is usually lovely quality, long, fluffy, yellow and very sweet smelling.  Horses look very cosy in it and get fully cleaned out every day.  

I would say my horse is fairly dirty (but not the worst) and it only takes me 10-15mins, and can do that round his feet whilst he's having his brekky most of the time.  Stables are concrete, no matting (yet!) so beds are very thick (fork tested 
	
	
		
		
	


	




).  Straw gets banked up daily and central concrete area is swept so that the stables dry out each day too.  So I have lovely smelling stables 
	
	
		
		
	


	





I don't mind shavings, but I have seen some others straw stables and the quality of the straw is awful (although I know thats not their fault) and their stables are horrid and dusty.  

So, I would say straw, except if you can't source good quality stuff, then use shavings


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## chunkytfg (28 August 2008)

scribbles.

I muck out my pony with shavings using a shavings fork for the wet and a poo picking bucket for the poo.

i'm lucky that my pony only poos on the edge and wee's in the same 2 places so i just pick up the poo and put in big rubber bucket and then just pick out the wet using the fork followed by a quick brush to clean the concrete properly and voila all done in less than 10 mins.

the initial set up cost of a stable is alot higher than straw but if your horse is relatively clean then it doesnt cost huge amounts more than straw


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## Pink_Pampas (28 August 2008)

Had to move mine onto shavings from straw due to the dust, and now much prefer shavings.


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## charlotte162 (28 August 2008)

I currently have my pony on woodchip, i find him alot cleaner and find it alot more absorbent  than he was on straw  but find it does take me longer to do than when he was on straw. 
generally straw is cheaper but they do like to eat it and generally ballooon! ollie lost loads of weight taking him off straw  which was the reason for putting him on woodchip


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## xxcharlottexx (28 August 2008)

I have mine on shavings as he's messy on straw and very clean on shavings. His net is at one end of his stable, and his "neighbour" is at the other end so in straw he is walking back and forward to eat his net and talk to his friend (for some reason he just prefers standing there even where theres no one in?) With straw he churns his bed up in the process as he lazily just drags his feet along lol whereas with shavings his pooh is all in one pile and is not messesd  up.

Scribbles- i have mine semi deep litter. Just take out the pooh (usually use hands with gloves on) as easier to sift through for small chunks and leave the wet in. Maybe once a week take away some of the wet (my horse wee's in the same place so only one place for me) then put a clean bale over the top. makes it comfier for the horse plus easier to muck out


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