Like people, horses are individuals with their own habits and styles. Although every horse craves a species-typical life, it is not always possible to offer horses, for example, long periods of outdoor play. Horses may spend most of the day in a stall, so it is important that the conditions are good. In addition to water and hay, these include, of course, sufficient bedding and a dry stall.
Depending on the age, size and temperament of the horse, the stall can be a complete nightmare for the stable worker after a night out. With dry bedding options, you can make the job somewhat easier and at the same time save on stable costs.
A complete mess as a horse?
Some horses, especially lively geldings, can be very messy. During the night, the stall is moved around and the products mix with the clean bedding. If the horse sweats a lot during training, it will also drink a lot and therefore urinate a lot. If the bedding is skimped on, the stall will soon be wet to the bottom, and there will be no dry place to lie down.Peat is suitable for a messy horse, especially when it is used as a mattress in the stall. Peat is the best option from a financial point of view, as it effectively binds ammonia and, thanks to its low pH value, it does not spread bacteria. This also means less waste bedding is produced.
In addition, excellent choices for a wet pen are straw pellets and hemp bedding. Hemp is a real super product, as its absorbency is up to 400–500%. Hemp bedding is also recommended for use in the form of a mattress, so it is sufficient and remains warm and dry for a long time. Straw pellets also have good absorbency and produce 60–70% less waste bedding compared to straw or sawdust.
What about the young and the old?
Foals and young horses rest a lot, so it is worth making sure that there is enough bedding. Older horses, on the other hand, are no longer flexible and their physical condition has begun to decline, so their bedding should also be even more plush than usual. It is easy to recommend hemp bedding for this purpose as well.
Hemp does not produce dust, like straw or peat to some extent, it is bacteria-free and incredibly efficient! One package contains 20 kilos of bedding, which means that four packages are needed to set up a normal nine-square-meter pen. New hemp is added once a week in the amount of a package. In addition to hemp, traditional chewing pellets also work. They are also efficient and absorbent in their properties. It is easy to form a dense mattress from it, while keeping the stable fresh.
To the side of the yard
A patio presents more challenges in terms of drainage, as there are different types of patios and their degree of use varies. However, the basic idea is that the patio is built in such a way that it remains dry and protected in all weathers. For example, if rainwater runs into the patio from somewhere, the condition of the substrate will quickly deteriorate.
Straw is most often preferred in barns, as it is insulating and can be used in large quantities due to its low cost. Unfortunately, straw is not very absorbent and may be difficult to dispose of. For this reason, for practical reasons, it is a good idea to create a mattress under the straw that binds urine and ammonia and saves concrete floors. Any of our previously mentioned products can be used as bedding for the base. Depending, of course, on what you like to use or what kind of storage options are available in the stable.
In the past few years, the further processing of manure has become a headache for many stables, as manure and waste bedding cannot be dumped anywhere. Manure processing can become a major expense if the stable does not have the means to properly compost the manure, for example. Therefore, it is worth choosing bedding that has at least a short decomposition time. This gives you a better chance of getting the waste manure further, and depending on the recipient, the situation with peat is even better.
So it's a good idea to get to know Biohansa's bedding options and think about which one suits your horses' needs. And if you're having trouble choosing the right one, get in touch and let's discuss it together!
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Photos: Pixabay, Biohansa
