Tempted to try Sorbeo bedding? Weigh up the pros & cons…
There is a huge variety of Horse Bedding on the market – from the traditional straw and shavings beds to the more unusual hemp and paper. If you’re struggling to decide which Horse Bedding is the best for you, your pocket and your horse then we think we might be able to help you.
Here’s our quick ‘at a glance’ guide to each type of horse bedding on the market today.
TYPES OF HORSE BEDDING
Wood Pellets
Wood pellet bedding is fast becoming the popular Horse Bedding choice. Wood is heat treated and the pellet is formed using the natural wood resins. Water is added to ‘activate’ the horse bedding.
Pros:
High absorbency
Eco-friendly
Keep your muck heap to a minimum
Decompose quickly
Save time and money
Easy to store – low bulk
Cons:
Some companies use compressed sawdust which is not a proper pellet which produces a very dusty bed.
Beware imported pellets – as their source is unknown
Watch the amount of VAT you pay…. Horse Bedding is subject to 20% VAT. Some companies sell at 5% VAT which is highly illegal.
There are only a few wood pellet producers in the UK – Sorbeo makes its own pellets, in its own factory in Scotland.
Straw
An old-fashioned horse bedding and one of the cheapest there is.
Pros:
Cheap
Rots down well to produce garden manure
Aesthetically pleasing
Good for foaling
Cons:
Can be messy to store
Creates a large muck heap
Expensive to dispose of
Can create allergic reactions
Horses tend to eat it
Paper and Cardboard
A mixture of shredded newspapers, magazines.
Pros:
Dust free and horses don’t like to eat it
Good for allergic horses
Warm
Bales are easy to handle
Cons:
Can be expensive
Costly to start-up bed
Blows around yard
Difficult to dispose of
Beds tend to become soggy
Wood Shavings
A popular choice of Horse bedding. Prices and quality vary.
Pros:
Horses won’t eat this bedding
Available everywhere
Bales easy to handle and store
Cons:
Very difficult to dispose of as the shavings don’t rot
Wet beds produce ammonia
Can have high levels of dust
Can be expensive
Hemp
Horse Bedding made from the chopped stems of hemp or flax offers an alternative to shavings and paper.
Pros:
Good for deep littering
More absorbent than shavings
Breaks down rapidly
Non-palatable
Cons:
Expensive
Rubber Matting
Widely recognised at the complete horse bedding – but often users add Horse Bedding to soak up moisture.
Pros:
Minimises the risk of injury – non-slip base
Easy to muck out – bedding can be hosed
Stable is generally warmer
Cons:
Expensive set up costs
Can be cold in winter
Slow to dry
Not aesthetically pleasing
If in doubt, always choose Sorbeo Horse Bedding – best horse bedding! Made in Scotland.