Posted 2007-11-17 7:57 PM (#71396) Subject: Pellets for horse trailer
Veteran
Posts: 187 Location: KS
I was at a meeting the other night and won a bag of the pellets. I have never used these before, because I don't stall my horses. I was wondering if they could be used in the trailer instead of shavings. The bag said that you need to sprinkle them with water. Would they be slippery and when they dry, do they shrink back up? Thanks for any information.
Posted 2007-11-18 3:19 AM (#71408 - in reply to #71396) Subject: RE: Pellets for horse trailer
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Danielsville Georgia
Plus if they don't fluff up there like walking on ball bearings.I tried them in stalls and trailer.To me just another gimmick that did not perform like saw dust or shavings.
Posted 2007-11-18 6:31 AM (#71416 - in reply to #71396) Subject: RE: Pellets for horse trailer
Regular
Posts: 93 Location: Southern Indiana
Pellets in stalls are great in wet areas--super absorbent like kitty litter. We use them exclusively and our horses are dusty but easily wipe or rinse well. We never wet them, we just wait for the urine to do that!!! I have used them in our trailer and kwikly switched back to bagged shavings to keep from roller skating in trailer. Horses never slipped, their weight would crush the pellets on contact--I just don't like the possibility of slipping while handling a horse........Best of Luck
Posted 2007-11-18 6:56 AM (#71418 - in reply to #71396) Subject: RE: Pellets for horse trailer
Member
Posts: 34 Location: Amarillo, TX
I too use the pellets both in my trailer and my stalls. I wasn't too sure of them at first, but I prefer them now. They are very absorbant and I find less waste compared to regular shavings. Sometimes I give them a light sprinkle, sometimes I dont and I don't find any difference in how they perform - or the dust level. They probably are a tad dustier than conventional shavings, but since I believe they are more absorbant, that wins out. I've not had a problem using them when hauling, in fact, on our last haul, all the urine was contained in the pellets and didn't even get between the mats and the aluminum floor. I was very pleased.
Posted 2007-11-18 7:17 AM (#71419 - in reply to #71396) Subject: RE: Pellets for horse trailer
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
OK. Now with all the good and bad of wood pellets for bedding on this thread and others.....What brand do tou use and where do you buy them? I know that the "Tractor Supply" sells a wood pellet for bedding, but which brand is the best and how much are you paying for them? You buying by the bag, ton, pallet, etc. ??
Posted 2007-11-18 4:08 PM (#71433 - in reply to #71396) Subject: RE: Pellets for horse trailer
Veteran
Posts: 187 Location: KS
Once the pellets get wet, do they just swell and stay like pellets or do they turn into sawdust. Just wondering because so many are saying how dusty they are.
Posted 2007-11-18 6:19 PM (#71439 - in reply to #71396) Subject: RE: Pellets for horse trailer
Member
Posts: 34 Location: Amarillo, TX
I bought mine at Tractor Supply when they were on sale. I use a couple bags per stall. My horses are only in over night, so they aren't on them 24/7. The pellets do crumble into sawdust, I have not had any problems with that. If it seems excessively dusty, I will just sprinkle them down and that helps. They really absorb well and that is the number one thing I need in my barn.
In the trailer I just poured in a bag. The horse crushed some, but in large part they stayed whole. They absorbed the urine well and I did not notice any dust on the horse or swirling in the trailer.
The pellets may not be for everyone, but for me, I just found them easier to deal with than the bagged shavings. These take up less room in storage, and I think enable me to keep the stalls cleaner. My horses drink a lot of water and they pee a lot. I am able to keep their stalls very clean and neat and at minimal effort. That was what I was after and I think the pellets help me accomplish that more efficiently.
Posted 2007-11-18 8:35 PM (#71448 - in reply to #71396) Subject: RE: Pellets for horse trailer
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 309 Location: MO
I use pellets (Woody Pet is one brand) in the trailer and then cover with shavings. Works great! A bag of pellets absorbs the urine and the shavings helps the dust and is easy to clean.
We travel with two horses in a 3 horse LQ trailer. We use the front stall for storing hay and camping supplies. I pile a "dam" of pellets by the stud divider and it gets any urine that might flow under the divider.
Posted 2007-11-18 8:47 PM (#71451 - in reply to #71396) Subject: RE: Pellets for horse trailer
Regular
Posts: 93 Location: Southern Indiana
I purchase my pellets by the pallet- 50 bags per pallet at 3.50 per bag. I love the fact that my pellets are dry when I put in my clean stalls- Used to have saw dust delivered- FOr us, it was always already wet when we put it in our stalls,even though I had a nice custom tarp made to cover the pile.......The pellets keep a stall much cleaner for longer. I also like the smaller space needed to store my bags of pellets. Best ofLuck!!
Posted 2007-11-18 8:57 PM (#71452 - in reply to #71396) Subject: RE: Pellets for horse trailer
Location: Central Arkansas
We use them in our stalls and our trailers. They are made in the next town over from us. So when the factory runs a special, I run over and buy a couple of pallets. That way, I can usually get them for under $3 a bag. The same bag that TSC sells for $6.97!
You are suppose to wet them until they desolve. Then, they basically are about like sawdust. After they are desolved, they will still clum up nicely when urinated on. Then you just pick up the pop and the clums.
They reccomend that you do not bed newborn foals on them until they are over 6 weeks old.
I have some 12 x 24 stalls with runs that have not had any bedding added in over 3 months! But, the critters have free access to a large grassy paddock so they do alot of their "business" outside. And even after that long of time, the bedding still has a rich pine smell to it. I am truly amazed.
Posted 2007-11-19 9:05 AM (#71474 - in reply to #71452) Subject: RE: Pellets for horse trailer
Veteran
Posts: 196 Location: WI
I found that the wood burning SOFTWOOD pellets are cheaper than the stuff marketed as "bedding". It's the same product, just the bedding pellets are crumbled smaller than the burning kind - and because of this I highly recommend spraying them down so they crumble up if you put them in your trailer. They are fine to use in a stall without moistening. Also, the wood burning kind seemed less dusty, and I assume that is from them not being so crumbled up. We really liked using them in comparison to bags of shavings, as the shavings were never always the same consistency - sometimes fine, sometimes too coarse. Pound for pound they are waaaay more absorbent than shavings.
Posted 2007-11-19 10:09 AM (#71481 - in reply to #71419) Subject: RE: Pellets for horse trailer
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Originally written by retento on 2007-11-18 7:17 AM
OK. Now with all the good and bad of wood pellets for bedding on this thread and others.....What brand do tou use and where do you buy them? I know that the "Tractor Supply" sells a wood pellet for bedding, but which brand is the best and how much are you paying for them? You buying by the bag, ton, pallet, etc. ??
Posted 2007-11-19 2:12 PM (#71494 - in reply to #71396) Subject: RE: Pellets for horse trailer
Regular
Posts: 71 Location: Northern CA
I use six bags of pellets (Mallard Creek) in a 4H Slant load trailer. I wet the top of the trailer matts, add the pellets and then wet the pellets themselves. I then use a stall fork to rake all the bedding into the center of the trailer, give it another sprinkling and then I spread it all over the trailer floor. This results in some of the pellets being whole (about 30%) and about 70% of them that are broken down and "fluffed" up. I have never had a major problem with dust, but when the pellets are all they way broken down, I finely sprinkle the bedding with water prior to using the trailer. Much more absorbent and used this way, much easier to clean out than shavings. I have found that my aluminum floor never has any moisture on it with the pellets, but when using shavings, moisture does seep under the matts to the floor. Just my experience.
Pellets for horse trailer
