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 Chin Hairs
Posts: 1028
 
Location: Indiana | We have been using pelleted bedding for quite a while. I used to bed with the recommended 6 bags which made our stalls about 4 inches deep with bedding. I found those stalls really time consuming to clean so I backed it down to about 4 bags. We have rubber mats under our shavings so I think they are pretty easy and quick to clean if they aren't too deep, maybe about 2" of bedding.
As I was cleaning stalls today I got to thinking about how some horses have their bedding that lasts forever and then we have some that just use their bedding up in a hurry and if you miss a day picking stalls it seems like the stall will need stripped and we need to start with new pellets.
Our stalls are 12x12 - I am wondering how many bags you are using and what you have found that works the best for you - deeper or not as deep and easy to clean. I'd love to hear how you think they work the best for you.
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 Expert
Posts: 1938
 
Location: Somewhere way too hot | The stalls my horse has doesn't have floor mats.Mine are just dirt. So I only use two bags every time. It adds the right amount and keeps the stall dry and easy to clean. Not much help but I really like them.
Edited by Barrelhorseluva 2015-01-04 7:28 PM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 920
| I have small stalls. longer than wide. I don't kept mine up unless it's bad weather or something. I have sand bottoms. I'm not gonna lie I'm not good at picking them everytime. But when I do put shavings in the I use the pellets. I like to keep them fluffed up and it helps that I don't stall all the time. My mare is a mess maker since I think she has ADHD. She loves to flip her water bucket out of the holder. no matter how you rig it up. I just let them dry out and they are good to go. I use 4 bags in my stalls. Do you wet them? I like them fluffed up. It seems when I do stall it helps the more bedding I have laid down helps. Picking it daily is the biggest factor. |
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Chin Hairs
Posts: 1028
Location: Indiana | I don't wet them when I add them in, I just let them fluff up on their own then. I put them out as much as I can, it's just been so wet here lately that they've been in a lot during the day. I may just need to go deeper with the ones that are so messy. It's the ones that don't pick a spot and then walk all around in it that I have the most trouble keeping clean
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 920
| I think they do better wetted. just misted
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Chin Hairs
Posts: 1028
Location: Indiana | I'll try that too - as much as they cost, I want to get the most out of them! Thanks for the reply!
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 900
Location: TExas | I have stalls with mats as well and use the pellet shavings. I have noticed on horses that pee a lot if you use a little more bags they tend to last longer. I have 12x16 stalls. I normally put 4-5bags in. From scratch. Then ad as needed. My 12x12 stalls I put 4 in. |
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Veteran
Posts: 197
| I have rubber mats in some stalls and just dirt in others. My stalls with dirt floors stay clean much longer. I pick out daily. My dirt stall if I bed fairly deep to start , they will last with daily picking for a long time with just a bag added to the wet spot about once a week or so. The stalls with matts it really doesnt matter, they need stripped and rebedded every few days no matter what. |
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Chin Hairs
Posts: 1028
Location: Indiana | Thanks both of you for the reply, I wonder if the stall mats just hold the wet in where the dirt floors might drain more.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
| I have matted stalls. I put one bag of pellets and one bag of fine shavings in mine. I do not we the pellets. I let them breakdown on their own. They keep the stalls so much drier IMO |
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 Veteran
Posts: 189
| I alternate between pellets n shavings. I feel the pellets after a base is formed offer the best absorption..but cant beat the shavings for fluffiness and they smell good too.. I also feel like by alternating my stalls dont get as dusty..if i use strictly pellets my stalls become dusty. So once a base is established stalls will get shavings one week and pellets the next.. |
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 The Vaccinator
Posts: 3810
Location: Slipping down the slope of old age. Boo hoo. | Some horses are pigs. Some horses are princesses. My bay mare is a princess -- she does her business in one corner of her stall. VERY easy to keep her stall clean and nice. The other mare is a pig. PIG. You can strip and refresh her stall and within 24 hours it looks like a pig pit. I have threatened to put up a camera to see how she does it.... and I clean stalls twice a day. I use pellets with shavings on top for the pig mare -- without the pellets she would be swimming in pee. I might also add the princess mare's blankets remain pristine and clean and never slip / slide. She looks like a Breyer horse model all the time. The other mare .... oh my. I do not think there is any blanket that will remain straight on her.... she is coated in mud - and whatever else she can find to waller in -- it has not been easy to adjust to having her in the barn since most all of my previous horses were so tidy. Ick. She looks like a nasty homeless person all the time. I just need to start feeding her hay in a cart.
The pellets are great for keeping stall dry but I like using shavings since the horses love them and will lay down and rest. Thus when I need to have the extra moisture barrier, I use pellets with shavings on top.
Basically, I think horses that start out being stalled young learn to keep the stall tidier....they quickly figure out they need to poop / pee in a corner if they want a nice, dry bed....they get a routine going. At least that is what I've observed...it's the ones that never learned a stall routine that are PIGS. |
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| I have about six bags in a stall with a rubber mat bottom also. I usually wet half of it, then just empty the other bags in. It keeps the dust down and still fluffy. Although, nothing beats the regular sawdust. If you have the patience to pick through it. |
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