News:
The Evolution of Horse Bedding
Are You Missing Out?
By April Hall
Take a closer look at the bedding you are currently using in your horse stalls.
See any room for improvement?
Most equine-minded folks are familiar with the traditional options available for
horse bedding. Horse owners have long been using shavings and other materials to
bed their stalls. However, over the past few years the industry has begun to
change in order to meet the demands of savvy horse owners.
“ I wanted more out of the horse bedding I was using,” said Lee Reynolds of
Montgomery Alabama. “I had been using shavings since I was 10 or 12 years old
when I first began taking care of horses, and I’m now 63. The most important
factors for me were of course cost, ease of use, effectiveness and eliminating
odor.”
Pine Pellets: What are They? And How do They work?
Pine pellets are made from recycled sawdust that has been kiln dried to remove
aromatic oils and then tightly compressed to form small pellets. These pellets
pack a powerful punch. Upon getting wet, pine pellets will “puff” to about 4
times their normal size. Four bags of pine pellets are equivalent to a full
pickup truck of shavings. The pellets are like thousands of tiny sponges that
absorb 3 times their weight in liquid keeping the stall dry and clean. They are
completely safe for humans and animals and are environmentally friendly. What’s
more, pine pellets neutralize ammonia, cutting down on intolerable urine odor.
Most users also note that they observe a significant reduction of flies and
other pesky bugs because of this. It’s important to shop around for genuine pine
pellets, which are made from 100% pure yellow pine, not hardwoods or bark.
One of the most significant issue horse owners should be concerned with is
reducing the amount of waste produced. The biggest change you will notice after
switching to pine pellets is that you remove much less of the actual product
with the manure. When shavings are used the waste you remove is 25% manure, and
75% shavings. This is the real problem. With pine pellets, you will see as much
as a 60% reduction in the volume of waste being removed each day. On average a
1,000 pound horse generates 50 pounds of manure per day, according to the U.S.
Department of Agriculture. The use of shavings and other bedding materials
greatly escalates the amount of waste that needs to be disposed of.
No More Mucking Around – Save Time & Money
Mucking the stalls has long been the horseman’s greatest headache. Now, makers
of pine pellets, such as Nature's Earth Product’s Equine Pine, are changing the
way horse owners think about their least-favorite chore. There are several
things to consider when deciding which type of bedding you should use in your
stalls.
Expect to pay a bit more for the initial set up, but in the long run you’ll be
saving money and ending up with less waste to dispose of. When considering
bedding options make sure to take into consideration the product cost, storage,
bedding installation and mucking time, and disposal and handling of manure.
“We originally switched over to pine pellets because of the inconsistency in the
supply of shavings,” said Reynolds. “Now everyone that we introduce it to has
been converted to a loyal customer. It has significantly reduced my product and
labor cost. Needless to say, I will never go back.”
According to Reynolds, who has been using pine pellets for the past two years,
and many other users, it takes less product to fill a stall. It’s easier to
transport, store and needs to be changed a lot less often. After initial set up
you can expect to add one bag of pellets every 5 to 7 days and strip the stall
every 3 to 4 months, depending on the personal hygiene habits of your horse.
Most users say that their stall cleaning time has been cut in half.
Composting 101: Turning Manure into Money
We all know the benefits of composting and there is a list of great reasons why
we should do it. Composting converts manure into nutrient-rich, time-release
fertilizer that is great for plants, the land and the disposal of horse waste.
However, the whole process can be rather time consuming and unpleasant.
Shavings take a considerable amount of time to break down and the ratio of wood
to manure is too high. For this reason compost made from shavings has a high
percentage of carbon-based material, which is detrimental to plant growth.
Pine pellets create very high quality topsoil from waste in a short period of
time. The fibers in wood pellets are finer than those in shavings, more of the
wood surface is exposed to the microbial activity and it decomposes at a much
faster rate. Since less wood is being scooped out and mixed with the manure it
is much closer to the ideal C: N ratio needed for creating high-quality topsoil.
The superiority of compost yielded from pelleted manure gives it a much higher
market value. You’ll find local nurseries and crop standing in line to purchase
your nutrient-rich topsoil, which may help you bring in some extra cash. If you
do decide to sell compost, consider the pellets paid for and more.
Health Benefits
In order to protect against respiratory problems any bedding materials used
should be sterile and free of mold or bacteria. The 100% kiln dried pine pellets
are not only mold and bacteria free, but they also do not contain unhealthy
hydrocarbons, like many unprocessed shavings. Pelleted pine is also great for
horses that have sensitive hooves or are prone to thrush. The pellets are highly
absorbent, soften
over time and take on a texture that has been described as “fluffy.”
“A few of my horses are particularly sensitive and prone to thrush,” said
Antonia Fox of Ocean Breeze Farm in Gulf Shores Alabama who has been using pine
pellets for over 2 years. “It’s vital that I keep their hooves dry and away from
any urine. If my vet has a horse with a leg injury, he’s even been known to come
over and borrow some of my bedding. I don’t think there is anything better than
pelleted pine.”
Many clinics are also having success with pine pellets. Elissa Estes, of the
Equine Podiatry Center in Lexington Kentucky, described how this form of bedding
is beneficial for sensitive horses that require deep bedding.
“Many horses get hot spots with deep straw or shavings,” said Elissa. “When we
began switching their stalls over to pine pellets the sores immediately went
away. Hot spots can be extremely painful for horses and you don’t want to take a
horse to show with sores.”
See for yourself - Try an at home experiment
Most distributors and manufacturers will be happy to send you a small sample of
their product. Nothing speaks louder than hands on experience. For a true
understanding place 1 cup of your current bedding material compacted in a large
glass container or zip lock bag and 1 cup of Pine Pellets in another glass
container or zip lock bag. Next you’ll want to add 1-cup of warm water to each
of the containers and observe for 10 to 15 minutes. You will probably be shocked
by the results. For a demonstration of odor elimination, add 1 teaspoon of
ammonia to the warm water.
The distribution of pine pellets is dramatically increasing throughout the U.S.
