Horse Stall Bedding Options

Straw is used to form a sort of mat or barrier between manure and urine which settles to the bottom of the stall.

Horse stall bedding options. The most common horse stall bedding materials are straw and shavings. Although a bit pricey they make stall cleaning much easier and can be hosed off periodically. I ve even heard of people using m 10 or stone dust. Stall doors can be open grille or partial solid.

Probably the most popular products used for horse bedding are wood products such as wood shavings wood pellets wood chips and sawdust though there are many other products available that are also used for bedding horse stalls. Table 1 summarizes the attributes of common flooring materials that will be described in more detail. Horse stall bedding options oct. Open grille is a good option for most horses as it affords greater visibility out of the stall.

These are only a few of the many bedding options available. Wheat and oat straw are most commonly used. I ve heard of some people using wood pellets but that seems expensive and uncomfortable for the horse. Typically made of fir alder or pine the super absorbent bedding expands when exposed to moisture.

It is absorbent in the stall and virtually dust free. 14 2018 09 37 am. While sawdust and shavings are the most popular wood bedding products pellets are also an option says jenifer nadeau phd an equine extension specialist at the university of connecticut who states that for a while in her area some horse owners were using wood pellets and liked them because they are very absorbent but now they are much more ex pensive since they have become popular for heating homes in pellet stoves. You can find this at your local hardware or garden store and a little bit goes a long way so you only need to buy a few bags.

Pelleted bedding is sold in bags and is made of compressed kiln dried wood and sawdust and is generally less dusty than sawdust or shavings. Depending on what s available in your area there may be other options you can consider. Stall doors can also be provided with an opening for the horse to stick his head out. Rubber stall mats provide an easily cleanable base for your chosen bedding material s.

For example concrete may meet most of your stall flooring criteria but more bedding or solid rubber mats will be needed to protect the horse s legs. This is a great feature for stalls in private barns where the horses know each other.