If you’ve looked for any kind of animal bedding lately, you’ll know there’s no shortage of options available. The choice for horses can range from timber-based products like pellets, sawdust, shavings and paper, right through to straw or peat moss. With so many possibilities, it can be hard to figure out which bedding might be the best for you and your horses. If you’ve been curious about the benefits of wood pellet horse bedding, look no further! We’ll make sure you have all the info you need to make an informed decision.
What is Wood Pellet Horse Bedding?
We manufacture our pellets from compressed wood taken from sustainably managed forests across the UK and Ireland. By compressing wood into pellets rather than turning them into shavings or sawdust, the wood can maintain a consistent shape. This consistency aids in absorbency and makes them easier for you to clean up once soiled. Like many other forms of horse bedding, wood pellets are 100% natural and free from any additives that might irritate or harm your horses.
Hypoallergenic
Our wood pellet bedding has a lower dust content than other forms of bedding thanks to the manufacturing process. Some particularly sensitive horses will have a much more pleasant experience with wood pellets than with dust-extracted sawdust or shavings. This reduction in dust can prevent respiratory issues and make these horses much more comfortable.
Absorbency
Wood pellets are one of the most absorbent bedding options available. Pet owners and grooms alike have been using them as natural cat litter and stall bedding for years. Pellets can be 2.5 times more absorbent than shavings and one 15kg bag can absorb as much as 11 gallons of water. So, while alternative options might compete with wood pellets on cost, their absorbency usually pales in comparison, making pellets a much more cost-effective option.
A small side note: while the fact they are used as a cat litter shows the absorbency of pellets, we recommend you use just a tad more to bed your stalls than you do to fill your litter tray!
Cleanliness
Pellets quickly absorb soiled and saturated spots and odours resulting in fresher stalls for longer. Not to mention, wood pellets make a less attractive home for insects and moulds, improving the overall hygiene of stables and stalls and preventing the transmission of nasty bacteria and infections.
Timesaving
With wood pellet bedding, it’s not difficult to see which areas are soiled or wet which makes it much easier for grooms to identify unhygienic spots. Once identified, smaller areas can be cleared rather than mucking out entire stalls, saving you time and reducing the amount of bedding material you go through.
Cost-effectiveness
Already covered in the last 3 benefits, it’s clear that pellets can offer a very cost-effective option, helping you cut down on time and money. Wood pellets can also reduce cleaning product costs by reducing how often you need to fully clean out stalls.
Consistency
Whether used in whole pellet form or moistened to create a sawdust-like texture, pellets remain consistent in size and shape as well as firm under the hoof. This makes it a much more comfortable bedding option for horses and helps to maintain hoof health.
Temperature Control
Wood has natural insulating properties which results in it retaining heat longer in winter and taking longer to heat in summer. When you change the natural makeup of wood by turning it into sawdust or shavings, you lose a lot of these insulating properties. However, when compressed into pellets these properties can become prevalent again. As a result, pellets offer a much better thermal mass than sawdust or shavings which can result in cooler stalls in summer and warmer stalls in winter.
Compostable
Our pellets are 100% natural and fully biodegradable. Once soiled they can be broken down into a quality organic fertiliser.
What is the Environmental Impact of Using Wood Pellets?
The simple answer is that wood pellets, as a product, have a low environmental impact. Of course, it’s not always that simple when you consider shipping and manufacturing. However, here are a few things we can absolutely guarantee with our wood pellets:
- We source pellets exclusively from sustainably managed forestry
- Our pellets are made using by-products so trees aren’t unnecessarily felled just to create our products
- Pellets don’t contain any unnatural chemicals – They’re 100% wood
- Pellets are 100% biodegradable and can even be used as a fertiliser
How Many Bags do I Need?
Setting up a 12 x 12 stable for one horse usually requires 8 to 10 bags of pellet bedding. As the pellets soften, they create a bedding layer around 4 inches thick. This depth efficiently absorbs wet spots, trapping them beneath the surface and reducing ammonia levels. Consistently maintaining 4 inches of bedding proves to be a cost-effective strategy in the long term.
Do I Need to Soak Wood Pellets?
You don’t need to soak wood pellets for them to be effective, but doing so will create a comfier bedding. When you add fresh water to pellets they become softer once dried, making them even more absorbent as a result. Using thick, soft wood pellets will get you the best mix of comfort and absorption for your bedding.
Where can I get Them?
Take a look at our high-quality wood pellets by clicking here.
