So, I now have two ponies at home. I also have two kids and my own business, so after a lot of thinking and Googling I've gone for the deep litter system with straw. It takes me literally 30 mins to pick up poos, brush the bed back into shape and then scatter clean straw on top.
My straw is free, as my hubbie makes it, and I intend to muck out when it gets a bit warmer. We can't get the tractor into the stable to dig up the beds, but we can park it outside, and I will then muck the whole bloody thing out in around Feb - NOT looking forward to this, but I'll tank up with Diet Coke and music on my iPod and go for it.
However, it's worked well in one stable - Nemo has quite a thick soft bed now, and it seems clean, he lies down on it, and seems happy with it. (How can you tell if a horse is happy with it's stable!? I have no idea...)
But Candy, my 11.2 hh pony likes to "dig" through hers, hide her poos, and generally make a mess, so it looks like a massive sort of straw porridge. She also has COPD, and after Googling, deep beds are supposed to be a no-no for COPD horses. But she seems fine and has no coughing, although she does bugger all work as no one rides her at the moment, and she spends the life of Riley, lazing around in the field, coming into season and flirting with Nemo, who is confused... How can I stop her digging?!
I look at the lovely clean shavings beds people have and sigh a little. But I would have to BUY shavings, and it must take a while to muck out?
I hope I'm doing the straw bed thing ok - I have no one to ask at home, as hubbie isn't horsey and my MIL who is, is a complete nightmare on a stick (and I have to live next to her...the joys of farming)...
Might post pictures so you can tell me what you think...
My straw is free, as my hubbie makes it, and I intend to muck out when it gets a bit warmer. We can't get the tractor into the stable to dig up the beds, but we can park it outside, and I will then muck the whole bloody thing out in around Feb - NOT looking forward to this, but I'll tank up with Diet Coke and music on my iPod and go for it.
However, it's worked well in one stable - Nemo has quite a thick soft bed now, and it seems clean, he lies down on it, and seems happy with it. (How can you tell if a horse is happy with it's stable!? I have no idea...)
But Candy, my 11.2 hh pony likes to "dig" through hers, hide her poos, and generally make a mess, so it looks like a massive sort of straw porridge. She also has COPD, and after Googling, deep beds are supposed to be a no-no for COPD horses. But she seems fine and has no coughing, although she does bugger all work as no one rides her at the moment, and she spends the life of Riley, lazing around in the field, coming into season and flirting with Nemo, who is confused... How can I stop her digging?!
I look at the lovely clean shavings beds people have and sigh a little. But I would have to BUY shavings, and it must take a while to muck out?
I hope I'm doing the straw bed thing ok - I have no one to ask at home, as hubbie isn't horsey and my MIL who is, is a complete nightmare on a stick (and I have to live next to her...the joys of farming)...
Might post pictures so you can tell me what you think...