Probably a very stupid question....!!

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pitpony

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Aug 17, 2007
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I posted earlier in the week about bedding (I'm about to go diy for the first time and am looking at different types of bedding.

Actually, its two stupid questions:

Do you need rubber matting under straw?

How (and this is the really stupid one) do you muck straw out? My mare is on Bedmax atm and I muck her out three times a week (I'm currently on part livery), but I wouldn't have the first idea about straw! Do you chuck it all out every day? Do you just spread it on the floor or is it banked?

Those of you who use straw: Is it good for absorbtion? My mare is small, but my, does she pee!!!!!

Oh, one last question-I'm guessing you don't use a shavings fork????

Ok, lots of stupid questions!!!!!:)
 
Not stupid at all!

No, you don't need rubber matting under straw, you can use it if you want to but you certainly don't need it.

I muck out by first of all taking out all the piles of droppings. Then I fork the top layers of bedding up against the wall until I reach the wet patches which I also take out. Fork up the rest of the bed & sweep the floor. After that I pull down the forked up bedding & shake up the walls. Bash the bed fairly flat with the back of the floor, this will also firm the bed up & it will be less easy to churn up. Finally add clean straw if needed.

I keep my beds really thick, I find it keeps the wet away from the surface & the whole bed stays cleaner. Straw varies in absorbancy depending on the type. I find barley straw isn't absorbant enough, wheat is probably the best for that. Straw beds are best mucked out every day, but if you keep them thick enough you can get away with skipping the piles one day & doing a full muckout the next.

I use a normal manure fork, shavings forks are hard to do straw beds with.
 
Once you get the hang of it, mucking out a straw bed is really quick. I have straw on earth beds so the wet just drains away. You can use shavings under straw to soak up the wet. Make sure you get a long-handled pitchfork, as it's much better for your back.

And sorry to say it, but be prepared to smell of wee after you've mucked out. :cool:
 
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