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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 617
 
Location: London Ontario | We are going to attempt to use pelleted shavings this winter. So I am wondering how you go about it? How many bags do you use for a 10x10 stall? Do you water them down first? Put a bag of regular shavings over top? |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
 
| I would use 4-5 bags, they will last you a few weeks. I have friends who mix them in a wheelbarrow, spread them out dry and water with a hose, I prefer to spread the bags out in the stall, cut a big X in the bag and fill with water-they will puff up like jiffy pop popcorn :). I then dump them out and spread around. I have friends who leave them dry and let the urine do the job of wetting them, you don't get the same cushion from the dry pellets nor the same amount of coverage. |
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 It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
 
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | We use about a bag a stall, get them wet or leave them and put shavings over. Depends on how cold it is on that day. If anything, we throw pellets on the urine areas and they expand themselves. |
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| I put in 2-4 bags dry pellets and then top with shavings.
When the horses walk on them, they will crush and turn to dust.
Then you kinds toss the shavings around to find the wet spots, pull those up and replace with a few more pellets.
They are the best thing ever invented! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 950
Location: MO | We have 12x12 stalls, we start out with 3 bags, and will add one when needed (not usaully for a few weeks). It just depends on how thick you want the bedding to be. Start with 3 and add as you get to the thickness you prefer. I don't like a ton to be in MY stalls because MY horses are stall slobs. They are in half a day and out the rest. His horses are clean stall keepers so his stay about a bag more bedded down than mine.
We will punch a hole in the bag and fill it with water and leave it sit for about 3-4 minutes, turn it over so excess water will run over the pellets that did get soaked, and sit for another few minutes. The bags will get super tight. Kind of a fun little science experiment. lol They puff up nicely, and what doesn't puff up, will eventually when laid down with the damp puffed up pellets.
You can also just rip ope the top of the bag all the way across and fill with water, it's ready when it starts to puff out of the top. :)
Love love love the pelleted bedding. |
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Expert
Posts: 1956
Location: Ky | MC1993 - 2017-09-14 7:53 AM We are going to attempt to use pelleted shavings this winter. So I am wondering how you go about it? How many bags do you use for a 10x10 stall? Do you water them down first? Put a bag of regular shavings over top?
I've used pellets exclusively for 17 years now. The last 12 years with concrete floors with mats.
Those stalls are 10X14. I don't know how amny bags I started with. Maybe 4 bags per stall? No more than that. I clean stalls out everyday. Once a week I add a bag of pellets. I do not water them. The horses will water them.
I watered them for a little bit 17 years ago because Woody Pet told me to. That didn't last long.
4-5 years ago we stopped being able to get Woody Pet here. Equine Fresh is the brand I use now.
I would only go back to sawdust if they stopped making pellets. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1523
Location: Illinois | I start with 3-4 bags, depending on how messy the horse is. I just dump mine in the stall and then just lightly wet the top layer with a watering can, just so the top is fluffy a bit for them to lay on. I add a few handfuls every time I clean the stall, but I don't ever wet it down. I also only do this when they're going to be in as mine live outside in shelters as much as possible. I've learned that the pellets get very powdery & VERY dusty if they've puffed out & sat for a long period of time unused. Then I have horses coughing up a storm in their stalls. If I do that then I always go over the stall with another watering can to settle the dust down at least once a day. If I don't think they'll be in much then I just do 2 bags and add more as I go if needed. When I stall at shows on concrete or hard lime I always take 4 bags and fully fluff them out and then put a bag of shavings over the top. Gives them about 7" of cushion between the hard floor and then when they lay down & stand back up their shoes aren't sliding all over the concrete. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 599
| Could anyone post pictures of what these look like when they're fluffed up? |
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| YouTube has several tutorials to see different ways to prepare the pellets for stall use. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 599
| I watched a few videos on YouTube (thank you) but none addressed pee spots. How do you get the pee out? Same as shavings? Can you get it completely out?
I buy bagged shavings, but now that I have one on stall rest I'm going through SO MANY BAGS!!!!!!!!!! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
| dRowe - 2017-09-15 12:45 PM
I watched a few videos on YouTube (thank you) but none addressed pee spots. How do you get the pee out? Same as shavings? Can you get it completely out?
I buy bagged shavings, but now that I have one on stall rest I'm going through SO MANY BAGS!!!!!!!!!!
IMO, you do have to "search" for the pee spots more than with shavings. Because they'll sink to the bottom, you'll miss them...then the stink comes.
But I normally rake mine around after picking manure...you can either pick out the wet spots and discard OR a lot of the times throw the wet in the corner and it'll dry out then can be re-incorporated in. Obviously, the drier you keep it, the longer your pellets last. |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | I had a 16x16 stall and would usually put 4-6 in. I found mine fluffed up better when I prepped them in a wheelbarrow rather than doing the "X" method. I LOVED the Cushion these give. And poop picks better and the pee basically dried before you can clean it out. LOVE pelleted shavings. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 146
| My experience is pellets are very dusty. While I do use them, the dust is terrible, even in a very humid climate and with dampening them down occasionally. Is there is a difference in brands, I use the ones from Tractor Supply (only ones available) when it comes to dust? |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 690
Location: Georgia | 4Horse - 2017-09-18 8:57 AM
My experience is pellets are very dusty. While I do use them, the dust is terrible, even in a very humid climate and with dampening them down occasionally. Is there is a difference in brands, I use the ones from Tractor Supply (only ones available) when it comes to dust?
Interesting. The pine pellets I get from TSC have basically no dust to them. They are great. I do live in very humid GA |
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Veteran
Posts: 146
| mandita8907 - 2017-09-18 8:25 AM
4Horse - 2017-09-18 8:57 AM
My experience is pellets are very dusty. While I do use them, the dust is terrible, even in a very humid climate and with dampening them down occasionally. Is there is a difference in brands, I use the ones from Tractor Supply (only ones available) when it comes to dust?
Interesting. The pine pellets I get from TSC have basically no dust to them. They are great. I do live in very humid GA
Maybe having high velocity fans in the stalls blows the pellet dust all over? |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
Location: Glendive Mt. | I love the pelleted bedding. For the longest time I couldn't figure out what the big deal was. I dump mine out in a wheel barrow or muck bucket, add a half a bucket of water ,wait 5 minutes and have awesome soft fluffy bedding. It lasts longer and is so much softer then just shavings. It works great in my trailer too. Much softer ride and because it's heavier it stays in place better, blows around less. |
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