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 Mrs. BigWig
Posts: 1868
   
Location: chasing kids and animals | Ok guys for ya'll who know me know that Im crazy anyhow!  But at 2am this morning I woke up wondeing about the difference between Pellet bedding and shavings. Is this just a fade or is there something to it? How many of you have changed over to pellets? Likes dislikes and opinions?
I have always used shavings but just one of those crazy wake me up in te middle of the night things and made me google. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
| I made the switch to Equine Fresh pellets. I have way less waste when picking stalls and if you throw your wet stuff in the corner it'll dry out. I also think I have less dust but I also hose down my stalls once a week, which also helps. They are more expensive than bagged shavings in my area but I have less waste so it works for me. I would also add that I don't get the ammonia smell like I do with shavings either.
If I could buy shavings by the bulk truckload, I would probably go that route...but I don't have any storage for that currently, so pellets were my best option.
Edited by RedHead84 2016-08-25 9:56 AM
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| Not a fade at all, the pellets are more work but they provide much softer bedding and don't separate like shavings do leaving your horse still standing on the ground. Any 3 day shows I will put 4 bag in each stall, they last a long time. |
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 Popped
Posts: 20421
Location: LuluLand~along I64 Indiana | because we have great access to shavings from sawmills in the area i only use the pellets in wet spots in the stalls. they really seem to soak up the wet spots and keep the stalls fresher. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1286
Location: Mississippi | I am using the TSC pellets and they definitely make cleaning so much easier - the major downfall though for me is the dust that they create. I just spray everything down every few days but I wish this wasn't such an issue because otherwise I love the pellets. |
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 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | I've been using pellets for years. When I would go to a 3-day show, I would use one bag where he urinates and then use 2 bags of regular shavings. At home I use all pellets. Love them. They absorb and make cleaning a snap. |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7264
| Okay - I have a question. The bags at Atwood's say to use a bag per square foot! So I'm supposed to use 100 bags in my 10 X 10 stalls?? That can't be right, can it? |
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Expert
Posts: 1955
Location: Ky | I've been using pellets for 16 years now. I would hate to not have them available. I used Woody Pet for years and years but then we couldn't get them around here.
Rural King carries the Equine Fresh brand. That's what I use now. I think the Woody Pet was better quality but the Equine Fresh is fine.
I have concrete stall and have custom fitted rubber mats. 12x15 stalls. I don't know how many bags I would put in a stall that's not had them before but I know it's never more than 4 bags. That's 40# bags. I clean stalls every day and put a freash bag in once a week.
That's all that's usually needed. Except this summer. It's been so wet here, almost 40 inches of rain since the first of July that the horse are getting so much moisture in the grass and thus urinating so much more. I've had to use 2 bags per stall many times since July 1st.
They are outside during the day and only stalled overnight. But when it's hot like it's been I leave their stalls open during the day and their fans running. So they stay in their stall quite a bit even during the day.
The cost per bag of Equine Freash at Rural King is about $5.
Edited by jd&ez 2016-08-25 5:39 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
| Griz - 2016-08-25 10:58 AM
Okay - I have a question. The bags at Atwood's say to use a bag per square foot! So I'm supposed to use 100 bags in my 10 X 10 stalls?? That can't be right, can it?
This is what I go by and I have stall mats so I do 5-6 bags.
For best results, add 9 bags (360 lbs.) of Equine Fresh® to a clean 10x12 stall. Spread throughout the stall area to make an even depth. Stalls with mats will take about one half of the amount of bedding. Add one to two bags per week to maintain a dry and odor free environment.
I usually don't have to add additional bags for a couple weeks unless weather keeps them stalled a lot.
Edited by RedHead84 2016-08-25 11:07 AM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 830
Location: Paradise , tx | I use both. I use the shavings mostly to make a deep, soft bedding. I use the pellets for wet spots, which works well for that.
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 851
Location: West Texas | I think if you use pellets, it is best to have mats. We have crushed rock floor with mats on top and we have been using the pellets for a few years. We don't use but a few bags in each stall, just a thin layer spread across the stall floor. Everything has pros and cons. The biggest drawback to the pellets is they can be a bit dusty and they blow really easily. If there is much wind at all, we have to close up our runs and keep the horses inside, or all of the shavings will blow out and into the isle way. |
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 It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | Tailwind - 2016-08-25 12:42 PM I use both. I use the shavings mostly to make a deep, soft bedding. I use the pellets for wet spots, which works well for that.
^^ what we do too |
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Mrs. BigWig
Posts: 1868
Location: chasing kids and animals | Thanks guys ya'll have had are amazing
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 Warrior Mom
Posts: 4400
| SmokinGirlie - 2016-08-25 1:02 PM
Tailwind - 2016-08-25 12:42 PM I use both. I use the shavings mostly to make a deep, soft bedding. I use the pellets for wet spots, which works well for that.
^^ what we do too
When I had a barn, this is what I did... just a bag in the pee spots.. felt like it made my shavings last a lot longer |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | The show horse people have really gone to these! I love them. I think they are spendy though aren't they? Less dust, softer... |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
| Love them. Honestly, shavings cannot compete in absorption or keeping a stall fresh/dry. The ONLY thing shavings have on pellets is their appearance and smell. I use a bag at a time in my geldings pee spots and then cover the whole stall with shavings. I also don't find them expensive compared to shavings. I think bag to bag the pellets last longer. You mix the wet pellets into the dry pellets every day and that keeps the other pellets expanding and dust-free. (for awhile, they do get dusty eventually but then it's time for new) |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | My barn owners provides shavings for free and I choose to buy pellets. They provide so much more cushion and the pee airs out and actually dries! Plus you don't lose anything when picking out the poop. It's all I'll use. |
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 Off the Wall Wacky
Posts: 2981
Location: Louisiana | I LOOOOOVE the pellets. Another plus besides keeping a stall dry...our horses have good, hard feet bc they never stand in a wet stall. Even when life happens and the stalls get wet, it's nothing like a stall with shavings. So much easier/faster to strip the wet out and replace with fresh pellets. Just make sure you follow the instructions and spray them down with the water hose. |
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 Leggs
Posts: 4680
Location: lexington KY | I will never go back to shavings! I think the pellets are much easier and faster because I never have to strip a stall. I pick mine every day and when it starts to need more, I push all the good pellets to the edges of the stall, dump a new bag of new pellets in the center, wet them with the hose, then rake them all together. It save so much on time and there is hardly any waste. Edited to add.. I do have mats in all my stalls.
Edited by polorunner 2016-08-26 1:48 PM
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