WHAT IS HORSE PELLET BEDDING
LacWood makes HORSE PELLET BEDDING only from pure softwood fibres; a natural organic product safe for horses and the environment. Our pellets are the cheaper, safer, and most efficient way of caring for your horses needs.
WHAT IT IS NOT
Horse bedding pellets are not wood shavings. Pellets made from pure softwood fibres do not cause hoof-heating tannic acids, which can result from any bedding using oak, or cause allergies or stain a light-coloured horse’s wet coat, which can result from shavings made with cedar. Softwood bedding pellets do not contain any woody material salvaged from urban or treated woods, or used lumber and construction materials from building sites, which can seriously harm an animal because of the unknown chemical contaminants and toxins. Bedding pellets made from pure-fibre will not rapidly ferment if exposed to moisture, resulting in heat which can irritate an animal’s skin.
HOW DOES HORSE PELLET BEDDING WORK
To make wood pellets, LacWood ensures all organic wood shavings are dried and hammer milled to consistent size and then compacted into pellets. Lignin, a natural binding agent found in wood fibre holds pellets together in a compressed form. The pellets are then bagged and packaged on skids in weatherproof wrapping.
Our pellets, which are made with pine and spruce fibres, are best since they contain natural agents which help remove the smell of ammonia from urine. Overall, pellets work as a natural antiseptic and produce a light, fluffy bedding for horses, other livestock and even kitty’s litter box. The pellets are pleasant smelling, sterile and soft to the touch.
HOW MUCH TO USE
One 40 lb bag of pellet bedding will cover a 12’X12’ (144 square foot stall) with a one inch layer, once moistened and spread. So, four bags will provide a depth of 4”, which is the recommended minimum, and six bags will give you a depth of 6”. It all comes down to personal preference and individual animal needs.
For larger spaces, use this formula: ___ sq ft divided by 24, multiplied by ____ inches (depth needed) = number of 40lb bags.
HOW TO USE
Different horse owners use different methods to prepare bedding pellets. Some will lay the bags flat on the stall floor, and using a box cutter, slice a diagonal X from corner to corner. Fold the bag flaps out of the way and gently pour one gallon of potable water per bag over the entire surface of the pellets. The water will cause the pellets to begin to break down and quickly expand, and after about 15 minutes, empty the contents of the bags onto the stall floor and spread evenly wall to wall.
Some owners will simply pour out 4-6 bags of pellets, or equivalent amounts from a bulk bag, on the floor of a clean stall, spread the pellets evenly wall to wall and then gradually fine spray the area with water from a garden hose. The pellets will react with the water, begin to break down and quickly expand, and after about 15 minutes the soft bedding should be raked and spread to an evenly desired depth.
STALL MAINTENANCE
Each day the soiled pellet bedding should be sifted. Urine-soaked clumps and manure, which has had moisture wicked away from it, should be removed. All of this disposable material is valued as gardening compost, and in fact, can be sold. After conversion to pellets, the stall only has to be stripped every couple of months, not weekly (Equine Canada’s Horse Life Magazine – March/April 2008).
OUTDOORS
Once spread over the desired area, the horse will work the material into the ground. You could also speed up the conditioning process by mixing, spading or mulching the product into the soil yourself.
THE BENEFITS
COST
Compared with wood shavings, LacWood’s bedding pellets are known to be 9x more absorbent, last longer and reduce storage space by 50%+. A little really does go a long way. In general, using pellets instead of shavings or straw reduces labor, and hired labor costs, both for maintenance and disposal. Pellets are more expensive that shavings but the average reduction in the amount of bedding product required using pellets will be 30-50%, resulting in cost savings of 25-50%. If you pay to have manure hauled away or pay someone to spread it, you will save by reducing disposal costs 30-50% as well.
The pellets absorb moisture (water/urine/ammonia), stick to manure (similar to cat litter) and help keep your stable cleaner, dryer, longer. These pellets make cleaning easier, meaning you can spend more quality time with your horse.
HEALTH
Using LacWood’s pellet bedding reduces your animal’s chance of contracting respiratory problems, which means cutting down on unnecessary and expensive veterinarian bills. They will help in keeping your animal healthier, cleaner, and reduce episodes of thrush.
ENVIRONMENT
When used outside, no need to remove it. It’s safe on the environment and can be composted. The soiled bedding can be spread on land or mulched. Pellets actually improve soil drainage, help soften hard ground and can even break up heavy clay soils. They also help minimize mud from rain and leave the ground less slippery.