# Which bedding and where to buy in bulk



## Escada2004 (17 June 2011)

Im in a bit of a dilemma, basically i get free straw bedding at my yard at the moment as a bit of a perk as i compete the owners horse for her. However she isnt really that clued up and the straw she has bought has previously been wet and it has a lot of dust and mould in it. Im not happy keeping my own two horses on it and its her decision if she wants to keep hers on it. So basically im looking for a cheap alternative as anything i change on to is going to cost me, unless i can find a great deal and get her to come in on it. Also her horse has terrible feet as she is so wet and the straw bed isnt helping, so could be some bargaining power there! So what are you all using and whats the cost, can it be bought it bulk and delivered??? Thanks


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## irish_only (17 June 2011)

I've used wood pellets for two years but have recently changed to straw pellets. Same benefits as in very quick and easy to muck out, very minimal wastage, highly absorbent (especially if you can catch the wee's), the extra benefit of the straw pellets is that any wastage rots down even faster, you don't have to add water to get the pellets to break down and it is much much softer and springier than wood. I'm getting them from here  http://www.strawpelletsltd.co.uk/Animal-bedding.html and they can do bulk bags.


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## celticmare (17 June 2011)

I do have a soft spot or miscanthus bedding, not cheap per bale but it does go a long way as I used on mats. I buy in by pallat load as not stocked locally, so suggest you look on web for best buy (and dust extracted if you can get it).  I tried wood pellets, but didn't find it any more economical or easier to clean out (you do have to root around for droppings with miscanthus) and it didn't look as comfy. Ditto chopped dust extracted straw, which also wasn't as absorbent.  Miscanthus also rots down quickly and is a renewable crop.


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## Escada2004 (17 June 2011)

thanks both for the info, will have a look


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## oscarwild (18 June 2011)

I use wood pellets and get them from liverpool pellets.  I buy in bulk and last lot I bought I got them for £3.62 per bag.  They come in 15kg bags.


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## curio (19 June 2011)

i use shavings in the wet patches or as a base layer then straw on top keeps it cheaper cuts the smell ad keeps drier


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## LucySquibb (19 June 2011)

I have some horses on shaving - but I am now trialling two horses on Miscanthus. .... and so far it seems to be costing less.
I get mine from Cole hay Ltd.  they have a website www.colehay.co.uk  lots of info on there.  all call Pat on 0183783837


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## Jesstickle (19 June 2011)

We're a wood pellet yard and I have to say they are awesome. Cheap as chips ( my clean gelding uses one bag a week, which is £2.50) comparable even to straw I would say, no dust, easy to muck out.  I don't like white horse ones though. We use Liverpool of Chorley wood ones. The White Horse ones seem to take forever to soak and don't fluff up as much.

Otherwise, before I was on woodpellets I really liked Dixons chopped straw. It's dust extracted and comes in a bale the size of shavings.

http://www.dixonbrothers.co.uk/frame.html

not as dear as shavings but is pretty much the same in terms of mucking out etc


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## Escada2004 (19 June 2011)

With the wood pellets, how long does it take when you have to sprinkle them with water? Some people say its time consuming every time you put a bag in having to do that and a lot of the pellets dont fluff up? I must say wood pellets are the way i was thinking but i have so little time as i work full time and have 3 horses to sort out and ride every day


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## CrazyMare (19 June 2011)

We use large flake wood shavings, similar to BedMax, but a different brand name.

I pay £5.20 per bale and have 30plus bales delivered a time.

I think my chap trades under High Park Shavings, but it might be High Peak...can't remember without looking at the bales!


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## Mrs_Wishkabibble (19 June 2011)

irish_only said:



			I've used wood pellets for two years but have recently changed to straw pellets. Same benefits as in very quick and easy to muck out, very minimal wastage, highly absorbent (especially if you can catch the wee's), the extra benefit of the straw pellets is that any wastage rots down even faster, you don't have to add water to get the pellets to break down and it is much much softer and springier than wood. I'm getting them from here  http://www.strawpelletsltd.co.uk/Animal-bedding.html and they can do bulk bags.
		
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Do the straw pellets smell like a straw bed does when it has urine on it?
We are debating using them but hate the smell of a straw bed!


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## oscarwild (20 June 2011)

Escada2004 said:



			With the wood pellets, how long does it take when you have to sprinkle them with water? Some people say its time consuming every time you put a bag in having to do that and a lot of the pellets dont fluff up? I must say wood pellets are the way i was thinking but i have so little time as i work full time and have 3 horses to sort out and ride every day
		
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I use the liverpool pellets with my mare and so do most of my yard.  It all depends on how you use them.  We have too different ways at the yard, but it all depends on how you find them best to use.
I have used them for year and find the best way is to remove all the poo and only the solid pee patches every day.  The remainder of the pee gets mixed in the bed and helps keep the amount of pellet that not swelled up to work.  I then add 1 bag a week onto bed in a pellet form and mix through.
Some of the others on my yard take the pee and poo out daily and add 1 bag a week into the banks and soak the 1 bag with 1 watering can and allow to soak.  This take around 15-20mins to swell.

When I put my original bed down.  I spread the bags on the floor and added 1 watering can for every bag and it gave me a perfect bed.  Left it for 20 mins or so and then made bed up.  Never had a problem with them and find they take 5 mins to muck my bed out on a daily basis.

Hope that helps.


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## Escada2004 (20 June 2011)

oscarwild said:



			I use the liverpool pellets with my mare and so do most of my yard.  It all depends on how you use them.  We have too different ways at the yard, but it all depends on how you find them best to use.
I have used them for year and find the best way is to remove all the poo and only the solid pee patches every day.  The remainder of the pee gets mixed in the bed and helps keep the amount of pellet that not swelled up to work.  I then add 1 bag a week onto bed in a pellet form and mix through.
Some of the others on my yard take the pee and poo out daily and add 1 bag a week into the banks and soak the 1 bag with 1 watering can and allow to soak.  This take around 15-20mins to swell.

When I put my original bed down.  I spread the bags on the floor and added 1 watering can for every bag and it gave me a perfect bed.  Left it for 20 mins or so and then made bed up.  Never had a problem with them and find they take 5 mins to muck my bed out on a daily basis.

Hope that helps.
		
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Hi yes thanks that helps a lot, what i didint want to do is buy a load and then find out that i totally hate them as i am spending too much time watering them! Neither of my two horses are wet or dirty so would probably end up mixing a bit of wet through but the other horse i ride for the owner is very wet so could help her massively. How much do you pay for your pellets and do you get them delivered in bulk?


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## wispa (20 June 2011)

comfybed is your friend.....google it !

Dust free, 25kg bales, very absorbent and easy to use and above all cheap!!


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## Escada2004 (20 June 2011)

wispa said:



			comfybed is your friend.....google it !

Dust free, 25kg bales, very absorbent and easy to use and above all cheap!!
		
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thanks, how much do you usually top up per week and how much do you pay?


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## wispa (20 June 2011)

25kg bale is usually about £6ish

takes me about 1 bale per week....bloody love the stuff tbf :thumbup:


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## irish_only (20 June 2011)

Mrs_Wishkabibble said:



			Do the straw pellets smell like a straw bed does when it has urine on it?
We are debating using them but hate the smell of a straw bed!
		
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lol - no I don't think they do. Much easier to use than the wood, very soft and I think more absorbent.


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## irish_only (20 June 2011)

Escada2004 said:



			Hi yes thanks that helps a lot, what i didint want to do is buy a load and then find out that i totally hate them as i am spending too much time watering them! Neither of my two horses are wet or dirty so would probably end up mixing a bit of wet through but the other horse i ride for the owner is very wet so could help her massively. How much do you pay for your pellets and do you get them delivered in bulk?
		
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I have a very big lad that can wee nearly a whole bucketful at a time, and on the straw pellets I take out his wet probably once a week, with the wood it used to be twice a week.


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## LMR (20 June 2011)

I used wood pellets for the past couple months and I hated them! didnt find them any cheaper or more absorbant. took forever to swell up and my horse didnt lie down much on them (he is now back on straw and he lies down everyday). He is very clean and I did find him quite dirty on them. I went through 3 bags a week (he was only allowe 3 hours turnout).


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## hollyandivy123 (21 June 2011)

irish_only said:



			I've used wood pellets for two years but have recently changed to straw pellets. Same benefits as in very quick and easy to muck out, very minimal wastage, highly absorbent (especially if you can catch the wee's), the extra benefit of the straw pellets is that any wastage rots down even faster, you don't have to add water to get the pellets to break down and it is much much softer and springier than wood. I'm getting them from here  http://www.strawpelletsltd.co.uk/Animal-bedding.html and they can do bulk bags.
		
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hi how much is it per bag? and what size bags do you use?


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## Lollii (21 June 2011)

Can't you ask your YO to get better straw - therefore keeping it foc for you?

I buy giant bales of golden, yellow, soft straw for £10, this does four stables for a week (£2.50 a week each stable) it makes a lovely thick bed


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## irish_only (21 June 2011)

hollyandivy123 said:



			hi how much is it per bag? and what size bags do you use?
		
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I always buy in bulk bags because it's cheaper and I can handle them, but just looked at their prices and for 1 tonne in 15kg bags deliverd it works out at just over £4 a bag. There is more bulk in their 15kg bags because it is lighter than the wood pellets so it does go further. They are also offering a 1 pallet of 20 bags (Half Price Trial) £60.00 + Delivery

If you are thinking of going on to pellets I would recommend trying them. I did a liquid absorbancy test of my own (I know, I'm sad) comparing the wood and straw, and the straw expanded more.


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## ILuvCowparsely (21 June 2011)

TRIED MOST 

 i use comfybed or cussion bed 

 don't like shavings to messy to much wastage   droppings sieve through
 dont like straw encourages vermin   we get to many vermin  nesting in it


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## Escada2004 (21 June 2011)

Lollii said:



			Can't you ask your YO to get better straw - therefore keeping it foc for you?

I buy giant bales of golden, yellow, soft straw for £10, this does four stables for a week (£2.50 a week each stable) it makes a lovely thick bed 

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Unfortunately as lovely as my YO is, she isnt that clued up and just goes along with whatever is delivered, personally if i was paying for it i would send it back! Also straw takes so much longer to much out. We get the huge bales and we ended up chucking half of each sectio away as it was mouldy :/ Yes it is a pain having to pay for it if i change but to be honest if i can prove to her that something else is better and cost effective then i think she will change as her mare that i ride is very dirty and also doesnt help her feet as they arnt great! I guess its a bit o trial and error, lots like wood pellets and lots dont and same goes for straw and shaving, although ive not heard too much about the straw pellets, only that they are good, cheap and quick to muck out, so might have a trial on them


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## Escada2004 (21 June 2011)

irish_only said:



			I always buy in bulk bags because it's cheaper and I can handle them, but just looked at their prices and for 1 tonne in 15kg bags deliverd it works out at just over £4 a bag. There is more bulk in their 15kg bags because it is lighter than the wood pellets so it does go further. They are also offering a 1 pallet of 20 bags (Half Price Trial) £60.00 + Delivery

If you are thinking of going on to pellets I would recommend trying them. I did a liquid absorbancy test of my own (I know, I'm sad) comparing the wood and straw, and the straw expanded more.
		
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Where did you hear about the special offer? They emailed me a price and said they will do 20 bags for £100 plus VAT inc delivery as a trial pack, which works out at £6 a bag :/


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## oscarwild (21 June 2011)

I buy my woodpellets from liverpool wood pellets http://www.liverpoolwoodpellets.co.uk/  Last time we ordered 4 pallets and including delivery to Scotland it cost us £3.62 per bag.


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## irish_only (21 June 2011)

Escada2004 said:



			Where did you hear about the special offer? They emailed me a price and said they will do 20 bags for £100 plus VAT inc delivery as a trial pack, which works out at £6 a bag :/
		
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It was on a price list they emailed me!!!! I will pm you.


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## aran (22 June 2011)

how do the straw pellets work?
how do you use them?
there are no pictures or instructions on their site.

i've used wood pellets for 2 years and love them.
i put ~10 bags down and soak, mix up so ~75% are crumb
i put 1 sack into a large trug bucket with 1/2 bucket of water and use during the week if i need to.
i take out the droppings and any wet coming through.
every 2 weeks i add some unsoaked pellets to their wet area. 
use about 1 sack/week and I got mine from liverpool wood pellets for £2.13 - but that was a year ago.

i'd like to look at the straw ones but it looks like you'd bed them on the pellets?


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## garom (22 June 2011)

irish_only said:



			It was on a price list they emailed me!!!! I will pm you.
		
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Hi,Do you think you could PM me the price list also as I am looking to change onto the pellets after reading this thread 
Thanks


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## irish_only (23 June 2011)

aran said:



			how do the straw pellets work?
how do you use them?
there are no pictures or instructions on their site.

i've used wood pellets for 2 years and love them.
i put ~10 bags down and soak, mix up so ~75% are crumb
i put 1 sack into a large trug bucket with 1/2 bucket of water and use during the week if i need to.
i take out the droppings and any wet coming through.
every 2 weeks i add some unsoaked pellets to their wet area. 
use about 1 sack/week and I got mine from liverpool wood pellets for £2.13 - but that was a year ago.

i'd like to look at the straw ones but it looks like you'd bed them on the pellets?
		
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They told me I didn't need to soak them but of course I did at first, then got braver and put straight pellets in a new bed. They break down really quickly, and I also did a comparison kneel test and the straw pellets are much much kinder on my cronky knees  It deffinitely is a much softer springier bed than the wood and just as easy to maintain but without the hassle of pre-soaking.


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## irish_only (23 June 2011)

garom said:



			Hi,Do you think you could PM me the price list also as I am looking to change onto the pellets after reading this thread 
Thanks
		
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Have pm'd you.


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## MoodyMare2707 (15 July 2011)

Having been a lifelong fan of clean comfy straw beds and been disappointed with  shavings I tried Megazorb - it's made from by-product of wood/paper industry, is kiln dried so super dry, mould and dust free.  Comes in huge bags but is so light it's easy to lug around unlike those heavy shavings and pellet bags.  They say it takes approx 10 bags to start up and 1/2-1 bag per week thereafter BUT in my experience 5 bags made a good soft start up bed in a 12x12 stable. I use 1/2 bag per week (1 bag if he's in 24/7) so it is very economical as well as kind on my back.  It is super absorbant so mucking out is very quick and easy - just droppings and a small amount of soaked bedding each day.  Unlike straw etc the urine is absorbed instantly reducing odours and containing it in a fork sized patch.  Banks well, breaks down on muck heaps while you watch and as so little is wasted means smaller muck heaps too.  Shop around and ask for discount from your supplier.  Our yard's hemp etc users were amazed.  Also - it doesn't get eaten by the pony!  Apparently this stuff is used by many racing and professional showjumping stables.

Couldn't recommend this more highly.


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## Escada2004 (15 July 2011)

have a look at my other post about liverpool wood pellets , ive changed on to them and really happy and mega cheap


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