Finding comfortable bedding, while important, is not all you need to think about when choosing the best bedding for your horse. Some issues may affect your horse’s well-being if you don’t monitor the bedding regularly. Here are some common problems you can prevent by keeping an eye on your horse’s bedding:
Too Much Dust
Excessive dust in the bedding can irritate your horse’s respiratory tract. It can also exacerbate existing allergies and respiratory illnesses among horses and the people around them. You can avoid this issue by purchasing kiln-dried and dust-free wood shavings for horses.
Horses Eating Bedding
Horses may view the bedding as fodder; however, they can become ill if they consume too much. Keeping the stable filled with hay roughage and other fodder prevents them from getting hungry and eating the bedding.
Excess Moisture
Another element to monitor is the moisture level. Horse bedding will rot if it stays wet for an extended period. This leads to fungi, mould, spores and other environmental pathogens that can cause skin infections and other illnesses. Keep the stable dry and airy and remove wet bedding as soon as possible to ward off rot.
Toxic Materials
Choose your horse bedding source carefully. Some companies may not be very particular about wood shavings. As a result, they maysometimes use shavings from poisonous trees such as bitter wood and black walnut. These can lead to sicknesses such as colic, skin infections, lameness and inflammation.
Non-Uniform Pieces
Make sure to sift through your horse bedding and remove pieces that aren’t uniform. Irregular pieces can make your horse uncomfortable and affect the bedding’s absorbency and appearance.
Storage
Excess bedding should be stored in a spacious area that shields it from rain, sun and wind. If you have limited storage space, avoid buying horse bedding material in bulk. In addition, pay attention to the packaging. You may get more for your money when you buy bedding in tightly compressed bales, and you’ll also be better able to store them for longer periods.
Do You Need Horse Bedding?
At Klassen Wood Company, we offer a wide variety of wood shavings for horses, such as Canadian white pine, fir and spruce. Our products are all-natural and mould, spore and dust-free. Ourteam is ready to help you find the right horse bedding. Contact us today.
