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Post by madmum on Oct 23, 2012 19:48:13 GMT
Hi was just looking into these but there are lots of different types what do people use? And where do you get them from? Does anybody like them? Or not?  |
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Post by 5874julie on Oct 23, 2012 19:53:22 GMT
Was just given a couple of bags of Ecowood bedding from Brookridge timber to try out, jury still out after first day, it seemed to need more than the suggested gallon of water to break down properly but then of course felt damp to the touch which i didn't like - maybe in the summer it would dry out by the evening when the ponies come in but not in the winter. however, when i mucked out this morning it had definitely limited the spreading of the wee, which is good, and i only had to take very little out. will report back in a day or two!
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Post by madmum on Oct 23, 2012 19:59:26 GMT
Yes please do!
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Post by norwalk on Oct 23, 2012 23:27:34 GMT
There have been other threads on here about them if you can find them...
I love them and use Liverpool wood pellets
Recently tried a different supplier, very dusty, less absorbent (going to paste when wet rather than forming a firm "puk" you can lift out...
Needless to say, have gone back to LWP!!!
Highly recommended!
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Post by holmedown on Oct 24, 2012 20:21:38 GMT
I used to use Liverpool, but changed last year to Verdo - excellet and ordered anothe pallet for this year.
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Post by piaffe on Oct 24, 2012 20:25:55 GMT
just started using the Liverpool wood pellets. Love the fact the piddle patch is smaller but not keen on the slighlty damp feel and the fact that my bed isn't snowy white !!! Going to stick with them for a little while, but hard to get used to leaving some pellets whole |
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Post by frankie1 on Oct 24, 2012 21:05:47 GMT
Just started using aqua max with my mare who wees for england and with normal shaving was taking barrow fuels out with new bedding takes less than half the time really impressed so far but oly beeen using it two weeks so time will tell.
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Post by Twiggy on Oct 25, 2012 11:23:30 GMT
I just changed to liverpool wood pellets, rreally like them! So quick to muck out, am comparing this to the two beds that are on shavings that i do and they make shavings seem like a nightmare!
You can get the beds nice and soft, use a sprinkling watering can and soak so there are just a few whole pellets dotted around, this way it seems to stay fluffier and the reamining pellets break down slowly and help keep the bed feeling drier. Sort of been playing around with different ways of making the bed and this way seems to be the most economical
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Post by chipmokey on Oct 25, 2012 13:36:46 GMT
I'm trying Verdo for the first time. Ordered them at HOYS. When I started off thought I'd made a big mistake - followed instructions to the letter & ended up with wet pellets which didn't want to break up. Had to work quite hard (maybe easier in warm weather??) but once done bedding seemed to dry out quickly & as you only need to top up one at a time I think they may work quite well. I love mucking them out they are so easy but the jury is still out on the best way to start them off. The bag doesn't seem to swell as the lady claimed and I'm trying "treading grapes" technique for breaking them up. I also think they need more water than they say.
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Post by madmum on Oct 25, 2012 18:03:52 GMT
Thanks for all your responses don't want to buy a pallet then regret it! Am swaying towards giving them a try I just fear change!
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Post by Jenna on Oct 26, 2012 16:20:42 GMT
Iv just bought 11 bags today so will let you know how I get on  |
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Post by harrythepig on Oct 26, 2012 22:02:25 GMT
I used them all last winter with 2 very dirty mares. Yes they were very quick and economic to muck out. However, it took me 6 baths before the staining on my skewbalds white leg came out. She literally had yellow stains on her white coat.
Dont think Id ever use them again for a horse with a lot of white but happy for bays or blacks. Because of this I've returned to shavings.
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Post by norwalk on Oct 26, 2012 23:40:37 GMT
It's a shame they didn't suit for your skewbald - personally I find them much better than straw or shavings for my white grey, but I know everyone's experience is so different! The difference could be in the brand - The brand I tried recently were a few pence cheaper per bag but I felt the absorbancy was less and more dust. I have now reverted to my previous brand and have not regretted it! Wood pellets will either suit you or not, it's always good to get feedback from people who have used them, but unfortunately (like most other things) you wont know before you try them! - sorry if thats NO help whatsoever!!!  |
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Post by bunny on Oct 27, 2012 7:29:10 GMT
We have a local supplier so went and bought 15 bags to put down for our 2 small ponies, have found them great, both mine are grubs mare and a gelding and both grey. Our white grey gelding who wees for england is staying really clean in comparison so I am really pleased, not used them through the summer yet so may be that will be more of a test
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Post by madmum on Oct 27, 2012 20:28:53 GMT
Thank you for all your remarks.....hmmmmmm how mad that we probably spend a lot more time choosing bedding for horses than I did choosing nappies for my children! Think I'm going to take the plunge and give them a bash!
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Post by honeypot on Oct 27, 2012 22:42:35 GMT
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Post by shelliewilson on Oct 27, 2012 23:17:46 GMT
I
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Post by Jenna on Oct 28, 2012 12:36:27 GMT
iv put mine down today, i needed 2 more than the recommended ammount (which is 6) but all looking good so far!
Friend put 2 bags down yesterday in the parts were her boy wees and put her normal straw bed over the top, she found mucking out alot quicker and easier
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Post by madmum on Oct 29, 2012 8:46:22 GMT
Never thought about using them as a type of base! Quite like that idea as well!
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Post by louisegelly on Oct 29, 2012 20:58:54 GMT
I used them all last winter with 2 very dirty mares. Yes they were very quick and economic to muck out. However, it took me 6 baths before the staining on my skewbalds white leg came out. She literally had yellow stains on her white coat. Dont think Id ever use them again for a horse with a lot of white but happy for bays or blacks. Because of this I've returned to shavings. Glad I saw this. I was thinking of putting my very dirty skewbald with alot of white on these... Straw it is!! |
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Post by caspa on Oct 29, 2012 21:35:23 GMT
I sometimes use a wood based cat litter as a base, especially if our mare is in season, I use 2 bags and then use our normal bedding on top, when the mare is in season she sprays and wee's so much, the wood based litter forms a much more solid base, making it easier to muck out ..
The base goes solid and is lots easier to manage and saves using bale after bale of shavings etc..
:-)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2012 21:44:53 GMT
I have a grey (white) connemara and have used wood pellets for years she has never once had any staining on her legs body or anywhere where. However I do use wood pellets that are specifically for horse bedding and not the ones that are for fuel. Whether that makes a difference I dont know but also we do not just use wood pellets, we use them as a base and still have shavings on top.
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Post by Jenna on Oct 29, 2012 22:18:53 GMT
Never thought about using them as a type of base! Quite like that idea as well! I think im going to start doing this instead of using it as soul bedding, mucked them out for the first time today and it was quite tricky to muck out as he had hidden/mixed in most of his poos and mixed loads of hay in with it grrrr. Iv put my other boy in that stable instead now as he NEVER wastes hay and doesnt mix his poos in. But once the beddings gone down ill probably just put straw on top! |
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pacha
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Post by pacha on Oct 30, 2012 8:53:26 GMT
I'd like to try wood pellets, but one thing I'm a bit worried about is if any are eaten by the ponies ? think I would use Jeyes on them, but just wondered if anyone has had any problems by then being eaten ?? mine are greedy highlands, currently use Bedmax & Easibed, but would like to find something more absorbant .
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Post by chocaholic on Oct 30, 2012 10:17:50 GMT
I'd like to try wood pellets, but one thing I'm a bit worried about is if any are eaten by the ponies ? think I would use Jeyes on them, but just wondered if anyone has had any problems by then being eaten ?? mine are greedy highlands, currently use Bedmax & Easibed, but would like to find something more absorbant . I have asked about peoples experiences with wood pellets in another section of the forum and apparently this has happened . it especially worried me as ours have hifibre cubes in a snack ball and the pellets are about the same size I think . |
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Post by qbc on Oct 30, 2012 11:03:07 GMT
I am on my third year of using LWPs. For me they are the best bedding. I save at least £15 a week on two horses bedding compared to shavings. I get 15k bags.
Quick and easy to muck out. I have thick rubber mats and have a 3 - 4" deep bed on top. Mine are in 3 days a week 24 x 7 and out 4 days between 9 and 3 in winter. I use 1 - 2 15 k bags for Stinky and 3 bags for Farra. Stinky is skipped out all week and then all the wet out at the weekend, Farra needs to have wet out every three days but she is a large girl and produces a lot of pee and poo. I have found LWPs the best bedding to deal with a wet and dirty mare.
My beds don't smell, they are not pristine white, but as long as they are clean and dry I don't care how they look and I have never had a pristine white bed as I have always had grubby horses they kick up the bed and poo everywhere. Both horses have a lot of white on them, but never had a problem with coat stains or feather stains.
I have a big tub that I put 2 bags of pellets in and then add two buckets of water and leave 10 mins to fluff up. When I am away, at shows, I slice the bag open in both directions and use a watering can to put water into the bag and leave the pellets in the bag until they pop out. It is very good when you don't have a lot of storage space going to shows.
I can also have a ton of bedding on a 3' x 3' pallet standing 5' high so again storage is very easy and they can be left outside if you need to.
For me, they save money, labour, storage space and cope with Farra and I would not want to go back to any other bedding.
I also use them for my 6 cats, I put them in the tray with a little water so they swell up - they are all OAPs and like this litter the best as it is soft on their old paws. For me, no smell and far cheaper than other cat litters and easy to dispose of.
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pacha
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Post by pacha on Oct 30, 2012 12:35:15 GMT
I'd like to try wood pellets, but one thing I'm a bit worried about is if any are eaten by the ponies ? think I would use Jeyes on them, but just wondered if anyone has had any problems by then being eaten ?? mine are greedy highlands, currently use Bedmax & Easibed, but would like to find something more absorbant . I have asked about peoples experiences with wood pellets in another section of the forum and apparently this has happened . it especially worried me as ours have hifibre cubes in a snack ball and the pellets are about the same size I think . I'll try and find the other thread do you know which section its in by any chance ?? and thanks the more i read on them the more it gets confusing  it seems as long as they are soaked, the pellets break up and turn into a fluff ??so maybe the ones who eat the pellets are not soaked ?? also has anyone use Aquamax ?? how does it compare to say the LWP's ?? |
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Post by livtom on Oct 30, 2012 13:55:01 GMT
so if you have an empty stable, how many bags would you need to start a bed |
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Post by madmum on Nov 1, 2012 9:39:51 GMT
Thanks all for all the tips etc. x
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Post by qbc on Nov 1, 2012 13:39:26 GMT
Never had my two eat them, but I don't put them in dry, but with water to fluff up first or I put them down dry and give them a spray with the hose.
I have a 3 - 4" deep bed on mats for half the stable (12' x 12') and I start with 4 - 5 x 15 k bags which also gives me some piled up along one side to use during the week to save time making up more. I don't have any banks.
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it seems as long as they are soaked, the pellets break up and turn into a fluff ??so maybe the ones who eat the pellets are not soaked ?? also has anyone use Aquamax ?? how does it compare to say the LWP's ?? 