Woody Pet?
So one of the wonderful Margaret's downfalls is she is a HUGE slob in her stall. Because of this I am trying to come up with way to make it harder for her to trash the stall. The first is installing a hay feeder. I do not like metal hay feeders (the kinds with the bars) because not only do they pose a huge safety risk (especially with Mace) but they also have been tied to health problems. So I am thinking of building a box type feeder- I will let you know what I come up with. The other thing that I am trying to change is my bedding. Right now I use just regular bagged shavings and she went through about 6 bags in a week (with me picking out the stall every day). I understand that the stall will be a bit messier due to Mace being in there with her but still.
Has anyone ever used Woody Pet bedding? Does it actually make your life that much easier? It sounds like it would help a lot as it is easier to pick the stalls out and I wouldn't lose so much bedding while just picking out or to wet spots. I don't know. I am a bit of a skeptic. Also the nearest dealer to me is a little over 2 hours away so I would either need to order by the 1/2 truck load or become a dealer myself.
Humm... just food for thought I suppose.
posted by Polka Dot Ponies @ 12:03 PM
3 Comments:
We've been using pelleted wood bedding (various brands) for a number of years and love it - you bed much thinner (works for us over rubber mats) and it's very easy to clean - you pick out the poo and fluff it up where it's damp, removing only the wettest areas. Total waste, for disposal, is less than with shavings. When you bed it, it needs to be sprayed with water until it's golden so it fluffs up a little bit - some people soak pellets but I think that eliminates the absorbency. It's also easier to store - takes a lot less space. There's much less odor of urine in the barn, and things are less dusty too.
I use a hay bag for my messy eaters - either the type with the large hole or the fine-mesh type - in either case tied up with twine in case a horse gets caught on it.
The tack shop where I buy my shavings highly recommended the pelleted bedding, but I haven't tried it yet.
As for the hay feeder. If you have a corner you can make and easy one by putting up two two by fours on either side of the corner, and then cut some one by fours of the right length to fit behind the uprights. (If that makes sense?) You will then have the corner blocked off for the hay. It's easy to clean because all you have to do is lift out the one by fours and sweep.
My horse's barn and the nonprofit I work at both use Guardian wood pellets (just like Woody Pet) over rubber mats. The pellets are incredibly absorbent and good for horses or people with allergies (low dust). I have seen the barn manager pour water directly into the bag from the hose and let it set until she has time to dump it. This makes a thin yet fluffy bed that is easy to clean.
You are right to be wary of raised hay racks. Eating with a raised head position contributes to hooks and ramps developing on the upper front and bottom rear molars. Eating in a lowered head position is healthiest and happiest for the horse. Good Luck!
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home