Wood pellet users!

squidsin

squidsin

Well-Known Member
Feb 16, 2013
5,134
2,126
113
I need a few quotes for a feature I'm doing for H&H on wood pellet use - how easy it is to muck out, how many bags you use a week, how you set out the bed, and why you prefer it to other types of bedding. If you wouldn't mind putting your name to these quotes, please could you drop me a line? I don't think they want a photo, just opinions. Thanks!
 
I've only just changed over from shavings to pellets last week. I had been mucking out a friends horse on pellets and despite being messier than my horse he was quicker to muck. The main reason being that I feed from the floor and my horse kept pulling his hay through his bed. It was such a waste and a nightmare to get out!

I laid a bed of 6 bags, I will be adding 2 bags a week for the next month just to build the bed up (I like a thick bed) and then 1 bag a week for maintanence. My intention is to leave the wet in, create a solid base and keep it fluffy on top.

I must admit I am struggling to get used to not having a massive, fluffy shavings bed, but it's so much easier to muck out that it's totally worth it. Kev still lies down and most importantly he is eating much more of his hay since it's not all getting lost in his bed. He does pull some on top of the bed still, but it's a million times easier to get it out than picking through shavings!

If you need any more specific info just mail me

X
 
  • Like
Reactions: squidsin
I've recently switched from shavings to pellets. I am yet to be convinced! It's interesting to hear about leaving the wet in to form a base, as I didn;t realise you could do that with pellets. At the moment I am chucking just as much away as I did with shavings as it is sodden. I tried deep littering with shavings too, but it stank!
 
KP nut said:
I've recently switched from shavings to pellets. I am yet to be convinced! It's interesting to hear about leaving the wet in to form a base, as I didn;t realise you could do that with pellets. At the moment I am chucking just as much away as I did with shavings as it is sodden. I tried deep littering with shavings too, but it stank!
Click to expand...

I deep litter with pellets and trust me it is very effective. I use about 12 bags to start my stable and one a week when I take out the worst of the biscuit (the wet if left goes very solid) and Belles bed never smells
It costs me £2.40 for a ten kg bag if I collect it myself so very cost effective. Let me know @squidsin if you want any more info.
 
Ruskii said:
Kite Rider - how often do you take out the base then ?
Click to expand...
As above, once a week I take out the 'wet patch' although I say that it isn't that wet it's just hard and damp. A lot depends on the horse too though, Belle is very clean, she poos in one place and pees in another and when she walks around in her stable she doesn't tread it all in. If you've got a messy horse you may need a different management plan.
 
Kev is the same as Belle, poos in one spot and pees in another. His bed has now been down a week and there are no signs of the wet coming to the surface yet. I put off going to pellets as so many people at my yard had horrible, thin, mud coloured beds. But I think with the right management they can be fab.

I intend to only dig out Kev's pee spot when it starts smelling or squelching. My wheelbarrow only consists of poo and the hay that he has pooed on, absolutely no bedding.

@KP nut some of the girls with wetter horses at my yard tend to just cover over the wet patches with dry stuff (they all bank so they have dry stuff stored in the banks) daily (unless it's really sodden...and I meen squelching), then once a week dig out the worst of the wet, mix the damp with the dry and then lay another bag on top.

I noticed last night that he has some hives over his withers though and he is mega itchy....I really, really hope hes not allergic to the pellets :( He can be a sensitive wee thing sometimes.
 
Laura_107 said:
I put off going to pellets as so many people at my yard had horrible, thin, mud coloured beds.
Click to expand...

Yup that sounds like Oscar's bed! I hate it!! But I have bought a new pallet of 5 Star pellets as I was using Verdo before I read the poor reviews of it. Xavier is much neater than Oscar and his bed looks fine.
 
KP nut said:
Yup that sounds like Oscar's bed! I hate it!! But I have bought a new pallet of 5 Star pellets as I was using Verdo before I read the poor reviews of it. Xavier is much neater than Oscar and his bed looks fine.
Click to expand...

I wish I had known you were thinking of Verdo, I would have warned you about them, I bought a pallet once when they were on special offer, ended up throwing half of them away - they really don't compare to a good quality brand.
 
@Kite_Rider you did warn me! But I was sharing a pallet with a friend and I got the info about Verdo too late. I hope I get on better with 5 star.
 
Hey! I’ve just bought some wood pellets and some shavings to go over the top! The man at the store said to literally throw the pellets down and then put the shavings on top but I have since read up and most people seem to be wetting their pellets? Can anyone tell me if they have put theirs on dry and then the shavings on top? Thanks!
 
On it's own, I'm not a fan but used as a base layer with shavings I love it!

I put the pellets down dry, as my horse is so disgusting when stabled!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Huxley56
newrider.com
Top Bottom