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angelarab
Platinum Member
 Wales
2876 Posts |
 Posted - 29 Oct 2008 : 09:08:12 AM
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few of the girls have gone onto sawdust at £2 a big bag from local saw mill, i look in envy as they muck out in half the time and are paying less then my £6.60 for nedz or £5.99 for easi bed, would you switch?
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 "Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened."
www.northwalesarab.co.uk |
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pat ww
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3459 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2008 : 09:17:38 AM
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| Do you have a problem with muck removal because some people won't take it with saw dust. I have used it in the past, but as a deep base under shavings on an earth floor that allowed wet to seep through and soak away. I believe it can be itchy. Wait and see how your friends get on with theirs, it can become very heavy to muck out once wet. |
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LYNDILOU
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
13976 Posts |
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alistair leslie
Gold Member
England
1036 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2008 : 09:30:29 AM
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I have found Hemcore ,used correctly as advised is more economical in the long term
Easy picking out and warm and dry plus very little smell and ammonia fumes .
You have to watch for wet patchs seeping through if you leave it to long and dig those bits out and replace .
I have a queue to take it away as it breaks down quickly . |
    
blue moon |
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Vera
Membership Moderator
United Kingdom
8652 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2008 : 09:34:46 AM
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The reason it is so cheap is inthe title saw DUST. If you don't mind your horse breathing in dust then go ahead.
It often contains splinters and shards of wood too.
Seriously I would stick with what you've got! |
    
Hampshire |
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geegee
Platinum Member
England
3682 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2008 : 09:42:44 AM
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I agree with Vera. I work part time for a small joinery company and have access to all the shavings I could ever want.
But, I don't want. Reason being that they are taken from various woods, some have been treated and some havn't. When they become damp they can omit fumes which would irritate a horse's lungs.
And then there is the dust. They are not dust extracted and for that reason alone, I wouldn't use them.
What you save in bedding, you would be spending out on vet bills.... |
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susan p
Gold Member
Scotland
915 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2008 : 09:50:42 AM
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We were at a yard that used untreated sawdust from the local saw mill.
The vet was always out for horses with sticky eyes and nasal discharge YO would not give up on her cheap bedding and blamed viral infections when we had to go to our GP for chest infections and breathing problems we left and moved to a different yard.
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www.blackislearabians.com
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the ways its animals are treated
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precious
Platinum Member
England
2253 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2008 : 09:51:41 AM
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I have tried the cheaper options before going to a saw mill and local woodmen but found that there was very sharp bits in some of the bags i had and it did get onto my chest after a while so i stopped if it affected me it would horses alot more as they are on it alot of there time.
I would shop around for cheaper suppliers of bedding but the propa horse beddings |
     
Gemma Thompson
Birmingham West Midlands
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Pixie
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
6586 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2008 : 09:55:23 AM
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red wood when mixed with urine gives off a noxious (sp?) gas and is quite dangerous to horses. don't use saw dust its not worth the saving you will make versus the vet bills you could easily end up and that just the financial aspect.....Let along the risk to your horses health.
That sounded a bit harsh - wasn't supposed to sound like that. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. |
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Acorn Arabians
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2052 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2008 : 10:17:17 AM
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| So long as its white wood or pine you will be absdolutely fine, I used it for many years and had no problems with it whatsoever even foaled down on it too. So go for it, totally recommend it! |
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rafabreeze
Gold Member
757 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2008 : 11:28:34 AM
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| I wouldnt use saw dust, one of my boys has a dust allergy and it would be horrendous for him. I use shavings for one and straw for the other. Isnt saw dust rather dusty anyway even for a horse without an allergy? Georgina x |
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MinHe
Platinum Member
England
2927 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2008 : 12:42:16 PM
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My ex worked for a major woodworking company, and though I could have had any amount of sawdust/shavings free, he utterly refused to let me use it, because of the likely health problems (which being in the business, he knew all about).
Virgin pine shavings are OK. but as other people have said, unless you can be 100% certain that is ALL there is in it, it is simply not worth the risk. It isn't just hardwoods (which can cause skin irritation as well as respiratory problems) - MDF dust is seriously dangerous, which is why anyone working with it in their employment HAS to wear proper gear and also use a dust extractor.
Another point - if you deep litter, you may well end up with a layer of your own "MDF" at the bottom of the bed after it had been wet and compacted a few time...not easy to mu k out!
Keren |
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angel2002
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2502 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2008 : 1:28:34 PM
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Totally agree with Acorn Arabians, I have been using sawdust with rubber matting for around 6/7 years now, never had a problem with it, the stuff I get looks and feels like grains of sand and is no different than some supposed good quality straw for 'dust' content.
All my horses are bedded on it, NEVER had a problem with breathing, bad eyes or splinters. I pay less than £3 a bag including delivery and each bag does 3 horses for a week! :))
As for removal, you will find that you will not need your muck heap taking as often, my farmer neighbour has no problems taking mine as it breaks down a lot quicker than shavings. As an example, my very well rotted muck heap hasn't been taken for nearly 4 years :))
Goergina, hope you don't mind me saying, did you know that if your horse has a dust allergy that sawdust, shavings and straw are not the best thing to be using? That also goes for the horses stabled next to yours, the dust travels from their stable to yours. Personally I have never seen true 'dust free' shavings or straw and would advise rubber, paper, peat or something similar for a horse with a dust allergy especially if you have to keep your horse in a stable. Best all round if you can leave them out 24/7, I know I would if I had enough land :)) |
Angel
Passion Arabians
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pascoe
Gold Member
England
584 Posts |
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angel2002
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2502 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2008 : 2:00:57 PM
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| Have replied :))) xx |
Angel
Passion Arabians
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pascoe
Gold Member
England
584 Posts |
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NUTTER
Platinum Member
England
2452 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2008 : 3:25:25 PM
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Dont know if they are bagging it themselves ? but i know a few and i did for a while myself go to saw mill and get it free..
It was dust extracted..
However my husband went balistic when i took him with me one day to get it and said DE or not to leave well alone as bagging it was dusty and he said great having it free but will it be worth it down the line when you become ill from self bagging..
Have to say yes shavings cost more but you know they are safe..
As a couple times forgot now which wood/tree it is but had the shavings and the horses urine and paticular shavings gave of a foul smell and turned a funny colour..
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Red Rum
Gold Member
England
508 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2008 : 3:27:27 PM
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Please Please donot use sawdust you will be asking for trouble and your horse may get COPD it may be cheap now but not in the long run.
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Songbird
Bronze Member
England
152 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2008 : 6:41:12 PM
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| We have used it in the past when a local saw mill supplied us at the princely sum of 50p per large bag. We didn't have any problems with it and some of our livery clients used it on a deep litter basis and swore by it. I didn't use it for my own horse as he has dust allergy but apart from it colouring white tails it was OK. |
Kit Rolfe |
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TAE
Bronze Member
232 Posts |
Posted - 31 Oct 2008 : 9:42:35 PM
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There are different types of saw dust. Sawdust from joiners etc can be very fine and dusty, it'll get in your throat when you handle it and never use oak as the tannin can cause respiratory problems.
However the sawdust from a sawmill using large tooth saws on green timber can be great!As described earlier it's more like sand than a dust and used as deep litter can be one of the best beds avaliable. I used it for several years untill the local mill closed down, and I couldn't find anywhere producing this heavy sawdust locally. I never had any problems and mucking out is easier but it is hard work come spring! |
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sasha
Gold Member
United Kingdom
518 Posts |
Posted - 01 Nov 2008 : 09:01:01 AM
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I get huge bags from our local sawmill for free.
I put a layer of straw over the top, but because my horses are on rubber mats, I don't use a very big bed anyway. |
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helena
Bronze Member
USA
54 Posts |
Posted - 02 Nov 2008 : 3:19:05 PM
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I used to get free sawdust from a local saw mill, I used it for a couple of months but stopped when my horse developed a bad cough, especially when riding.
Once I switched back to kiln dried shavings he was fine again. |
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