CategoriesHorse Bedding Lifestyle Pets Bedding
by 1

Choosing Best Bedding For Your Horse

Introduction

Have you ever considered different options for your horse’s bedding? Would you want to test with a less messy and simpler to keep in your barn and shed? Maybe you’re looking to improve your compost pile and want to discover how horse bedding affects that? 

It’s critical to choose the proper sort of stall bedding for your horse’s health, comfort, and safety. There are several options available, ranging from classic straw and wood shavings to modern alternatives like rubber mats, making it difficult for horse owners to choose. Coconut Bedding is one of the natural and safest bedding options you may choose.

Whatever type of bedding you choose, it must keep your horses warm, dry, secure, and healthy.

There are various equine materials available. Before choosing the bedding you have to check the criteria for selecting the finest horse bedding for you and your horse.  In prior to avoiding any mishaps in the near future, let us take primary measures before preparing them a bed. 

Must read top 9 measures to be taken before laying bedding for your affectionate equines.

Here’s Common Bedding Options

Coconut Bedding

Coco bedding is made of 100% natural, biodegradable and environment-friendly, coconut coir husks, that far outperforms conventional material. Derived from coconut shells, this renewable material is soft and spongy. The fibrous material acts as insulators and offers a cushion- like comfort. The powdery peat material is a super absorbent and absorbs all the urine, lasts longer and emits less odor. We recommend EcoBed Equine Bedding is a highly comfortable, eco-friendly bedding. EcoBed is Safe, light weight, non-dust, allergen free, 100% naturally driven bed from finely Cultured Coconut Husk.

Advantages:

  • Holds up to five times of its weight in urine.
  • Cellulose structure traps the stringy ammonia odor in the urinated bed.
  • Repels flies, even when the bedding is soiled.
  • Low hoofed impact, imparts spongy-cushion bedding.
  • Used bedding can be composted and reused in garden and landscaping.

Disadvantages:

  • May attract mites and bugs over time

Straw

For mares and young foals, clean straw is ideal. Some horses may consume straw bedding, which can be an issue if your horse is on a diet. Oat straw is not only more absorbent than wheat straw, but it is also more delicious. Any straw you use should be free of mould and dust. Saturated straw is difficult to clear out, and separating the manure from the clean bedding can take a long time, slowing down the cleaning process. A box stall should be appropriately bedded with two bales. During cold weather or in preparation for foaling, you may wish to add more.

Advantages:

  • It is inexpensive.
  • It looks great and gives off a natural vibe.
  • It decomposes into wonderful garden manure.

Disadvantages:

  • It causes allergic reactions in certain horses.
  • Some horses eat this bedding, which is not good.

Wood Pallets

Wood pellets are wood shavings that have been compressed and dried. Cleaning stalls using wood pellets, which break down into fluffy, absorbent wood shavings, is simpler for many individuals, and there is less waste bedding. The cost may be higher at first than wood shavings, but because there is so much less waste, the cost may be balanced out. The pellets appear hard and unappealing, yet a squirt from the water hose transforms them into fluffy bedding.

Advantages:

  • This type of bedding has a high absorption capacity.
  • Composting without dust is faster than shavings or straw.
  • It is completely dust free and eco-friendly bedding option.

Disadvantages:

  • When in pellet form, it might be slick.
  • When putting down the bedding, you’ll need to add water, which takes time.

Shredded Paper

Shredded paper is an excellent option if your horse chews his bedding. It isn’t dusty, however it is possible that the inks will cause skin allergies. Because paper is so absorbent, it will easily wick away moisture. It also decomposes fast, allowing your manure mound to decrease as it dries and decomposes.

Advantages:

  • It is affordable.
  • Dust-free and unpalatable – an excellent alternative for horses with allergies.
  • It creates a warm bed.
  • Wrapped bales are simple to handle and store since they are clean.

Disadvantages:

  • It’s important to keep an eye on the bed to make sure it doesn’t get too wet.
  • Easily blown around, resulting in an unkempt appearance.

Rubber Mats

Horses sleep on hard surfaces in their natural form and do not require a soft and comfortable bed, making rubber mats perfect for use in stables. They can save time and effort while mucking out by providing a strong yet comfortable surface with good absorption and cushioning. Rubber mats can be used alone or in conjunction with other bedding. Rubber mats, when used on their own, are unsightly and offer little to prevent a horse from getting cast. We recommend Stable Mats, They are of 100% high quality rubber mats obtained by re-vulcanization and recycling.

Advantages:

  • Protects against capped hocks, etc. by providing a comparably soft non-slip foundation.
  • It’s simple to clean up and can be hosed down.

Disadvantages:

  • It’s not aesthetically pleasing.
  • In the winter, it might look chilly and dry slowly.

Hemp

Hemp is non-allergenic, biodegradable, and dust-free than traditional beddings, thereby enhancing stable conditions and preserving horses’ and owners’ respiratory systems. They also claim to have greater odour absorption, faster breakdown, and more absorbency. Hemp’s greater thermal rating may be beneficial to those who live in colder regions, since it keeps horses warm while they sleep.

Advantages:

  • It is high absorbent and dust free material.
  • Lightweight and simple to muck out.
  • It quickly decomposes into fine compost.
  • Wrapped bales are simple to handle and store since they are clean.

Disadvantages:

  • Relatively Expensive

Wood Shavings

Shavings are a popular bedding option for horses. To pull dung out of the shavings without removing too much bedding, a special manure fork is required. As you spread the bedding, keep an eye out for wood splinters. Black walnut shavings can create serious issues, therefore softwood shavings are preferred. If you’re buying shavings from a local woodworker or timber mill, make sure you know what kind you’re getting. In a stall, about four inches of bedding makes it pleasant. You can use less stall mats if you utilise them.

Advantages:

  • It’s readily available in local store.
  • Easy to handle and store.

Disadvantages:

  • This bedding material is difficult to dispose.
  • Wet shavings causes ammonia.

Conclusion

Getting the appropriate bedding may be a trial and error affair. If you don’t like one type of bedding and want to try something else. Coconut Bedding is highly comfortable, eco-friendly bedding and it’s completely safe for your horse. The modern Stable Mats are 100% high quality rubber mats and non–slippery, non-abrasive, yielding a stable footing for the living. Whatever bedding you pick for your horses, it must keep them warm, dry, safe, and healthy.

CategoriesCoco Coir Bedding Lifestyle Tips & Tricks Worm Bedding
by 0

Why do Vermiculturist reach out for Coco Coir bedding ?

Worm Farming is a professional cultivation of worms for the cause of converting waste such as fruits, vegetables, food and animal faeces into organic fertilizers. 

A worm, as a key asset in balancing effective and efficient fertigation of compost needs to be well grown. 

Bedding gives off a fresh environment for worms, a space to move around and shelter.  

The worm bin bedding should regard every detailing that concerns worm growth-content-productivity. 

Worm farmers/ Vermiculturist decide on choice of bedding used for their worms based on the factors below. 

  • Non-abrasive
    The worm’s skin is delicate and can be easily hurt. 
  • Light weighed
    The bedding should be light-weighted, easy to carry even when wasted. 
  • Deeply aerated
    It is crucial for any bedding to allow air-water flow and lesser thick odor. 
  • High moisture
    Must retain water for a longer duration.
  • Neutral pH
    Neither being acidic nor basic gives bedding a neutrality as a bedding substrate. 
  • Fibrous nature
    Bedding must be made of fibrous material like cellulose in order to convert into carbon molecules after breaking down from energy conversion. 

Likewise, any Worm Bedding needs to qualify the above said quality to be a supple bedding choice. Sometimes, worms do eat their bedding, so it is precarious to use biological bedding. 

As such, Coco Coir Worm Bedding is one-among-many that benefits worms in multiple ways. 

Coco Coir is a fibrous material derived from coconut husk, is an all-natural, non-toxic, non-abrasive, cost-effective product that improves worms’ inhabitants. 

Coir is light- weighted, readily fluffed, has air pockets for easy air-water flow, enables free access for worm movement. 

It is a super absorbent(50-60% moisture) with high saturation, holding water(every 1lbs brick holds 6lbs of water) and nutrients effectively, keeping the worm bin moist-damp. Thus foul odor managed. 

It is a harmless choice that is non-toxic, chemical-free, inert to chemical reaction that supasses any other worm bedding available. 

CategoriesCoco Coir Bedding Horse Bedding Tips & Tricks
by 0

Top 9 Measures before laying Horse Bedding

Horses are the charming and a faithful companion, being along the human race imparting an immense love and care towards their partner. And it is also an apt investment done at once for the latter’s yield. The last thing you want to do is endanger their health or even their life without a prior knowledge in the aspect of bedding. So better be prepared than repent.

The word bedding is a consoling term that eases the seekers with peace and comfort, at the same time delivers a tacit boon for the owners. For horses, by default they don’t require a soft-sponge like bed but a sturdy, durable and hard to wear out. According to what so said, below are the critical criteria that are to be met, before making a bedding:

  • Safer for horse
  • Absorbent and Dust free
  • Hoof supportive- Resilient
  • Cushioning hocks and joints- Sturdy
  • Hygienic
  • Space and time feasible
  • Easy available
  • Biodegradable
  • Economical

Safer for horses

If you are approaching a non-traditional product, be sure to check with your vet or other knowledgeable resource because some materials are extremely toxic to horses. As some kinds of chipping served as bedding are not recommendable, as they are toxic to horses when eaten, especially those used in landscaping (such as black locust, parts of oak trees, horse chestnut, etc.). Also, horses could be tempted to eat the molding green material in the chips, you should evaluate any health risk before choosing.

Absorbent and Dust free

You’ll want an absorbent bedding with low dust, mold and foreign object count. Also, the greater the bedding’s absorbency, the lower the ammonia level will be in your barn, and breathing ammonia can damage lung tissue in you and your horse.

The biggest threat comes from airborne dust and spores that can attack the horse’s respiratory system, ranging from mild inflammation and mucus production to chronic, career-ending Recurrent Airways Obstruction disease (RAO – sometimes still referred to as COPD or the ‘heaves’). That’s why the choice of a dust-free bedding and the proper management of the stable environment are critical for equine professionals and owners. 

Hoof Supportive

Like its respiratory system, the horse’s hooves are evolved to cope with very different conditions than those found in most stables today. The best bedding must provide firm, resilient support under the hoof, particularly the fog and a moisture-controlled environment that will keep the hoof dry, but won’t dry it out.

Cushioning Hocks and Joints

In a modern stable with solid walls and a concrete floor, a good, deep, aerated bedding should provide a insulation between the horse and the floor, and a protective cushion that will help prevent the kind of common damage such as capped hocks that can so easily occur when a horse is lying down, getting up or rolling in the stable.

Hygienic

Essential stable hygiene is something traditionally dealt with by periodic disinfecting. If not, later at some point of time, bedding may turn into a host for bacteria and fungi that will quickly re-contaminate the stable, especially when wet, generating pathogens that can invade and infect the respiratory system, cuts and grazes on the legs, and cracks or splits in the hoof. So go up with the periodic check for bedding hygiene and the bedding that embraces anti-fungal, anti-allergen naturally.

Space and Time feasible

The compressed blocks mean it’s easy to store and transport and the storage of bedding will be a major issue for people with shorter on land space. Stacked in the racks of the storage room or bed spread in the stable, it’s required to be less space consuming and laying the bed along the stall using a paddock is much easier than thought.

Easy Available

Bedding availability throughout the year and their accessibility in your locality is the foremost necessary that you should take care of. Along with the transport or delivery and shipping feasibility are to be checked.

Biodegradable

The bedding has to be 100% organic, environmentally friendly and reduce the stable waste. If the stable waste were to compost, beddings make the major contribution to the compost piles. On an average, it may take 6 months or so for compost bedding to break-down into muck heap.

Economical

Cost is inevitably a factor in an owner’s choice of bedding, but values are the far more important measure of cost effectiveness. Being environmentally sustainable, easily available, it has to be affordable for all hobbyist and professional owners of the barn, on buying new one that are highly absorbent doesn’t need to use as much. Buying in bulk may save you some money, too.

On the whole, buying an ideal product in terms of superior quality and cost-effective with easy handling and maintenance and with little waste, saving you both time and money is a suggestion we render on part of our team.  

 Hoping you a thoughtful day, be safe and healthy.

CategoriesCoco Coir Bedding Dairy Farm Lifestyle Reptile Bedding Tips & Tricks
by 0

Step by Step guide for Barn bedding

Here we depict a deliberate process on how to make bedding for your pretty horses step by step.

With this in mind, let us make a quick visit to a stall where bedding is made out of the owner’s preference as ground substrate cautionaries for equines.

One will always be spirited when one is making comfort for their beloved ones, if they are energetic, ever cheerful companions like Horses, then one will exhaust all his energy to get it best done. But here is the simplest, tactful and handful advice for all dedicated fellow horse lovers.  

Before we jump into the main topic let’s have a brief talk on maintaining the clean barn, the bedding laid within the clean barn will be more efficient.  Here are some right tools to make the job easier, and stall cleaning an exceptional good. 

  • Apple picker
  • Shavel
  • Broom
  • Absorbent Deodorizer
  • Sprinkle can
  • Muck Bucket or wheelbarrow

For one to be precise, stall cleaning  is much of saving time, money and  energy of caretakers’ , prioritising hygiene at most. Also lessening bedding consume.

Live threats are also resolved when maintaining stall hygiene diligently. 

Simple cleaning process

  • Toss clean, unsoiled bedding against the walls and into back corners.
  • Toss manure and dirty, wet bedding into the center of the stall or directly into a muck bucket or wheelbarrow.
  • Rake out center of the stall.
  • Sweep the center of the stall thoroughly and pick up any remaining dirty material with a shovel.
  • Sprinkle absorbent deodorizer on any wet spots.
  • Leave the empty stall to air dry with bedding pushed back as long as possible until you prepare new bedding. 

Swift and Tactful bedding process

Based on the layout of the stall, the bedding backpacks are brought into the stall. Most often one using rubber mat as rigid grounding of 3.6mm(12’) x 1.8mm(6’) bed size requires 3-5 bags per yard.

  • Put the bag packs in 2 cross lines, and fold the end hinge inboard to avoid further trouble of out flow.
  • Pouring cold water, it may take an hour to absorb for it to fluff all up. Else the warm water will do in 20mins.
  • Invert the bag upside down, break with force and crumble all.
  • Spread out up to the layer 5inches, the volume of spreading on your wish, as horses like fluffy to their feet.

It’s preferred to take inhabitants out for a walk while clean and bedding since it provides them with fresh air and sets one’s mind at peace.