Do you recommend using shavings in your trailers??

YesI use shavings. (Not sawdust) I keep it about 4" deep.

I pick the apples out every trip or two.

About 3-4 times a year, I sweep everything out and start fresh.

I tried once throwing some hay on the floor once when I didn't have any shavings. But it got slimy as the horses pee'd on it. Made the floor too slippery.

 have used both shavings and straw...personally I don't have a preference. Good fluffy straw works good  in a trailer as well as shavings. But I do like to have something on the floors.....

Shavings will trap and hold moisture against whatever they are placed. It would be better saving them separately in a feed bag and allowing the floor to completely dry out after you have washed it down for the last time of the year. Another thing many people do is to put blocks under the mats to allow air flow to the flooring. This will reduce corrosion.

Gard

Getting stuff in your eyes is different than a horses-they can bury their heads in straw or hay and are fine. We can't do that. So its not a fair compairison.

I do like to clean out the old straw/shavings when they get dirty and wet. I just add some new bedding after since I use the trailer year around.

they can bury their heads in straw or hay and are fine

I don't know about your horses, but if mine tried to burry their head in the hay they would get it stuck in the hay bag.  I don't use shavings and I don't give hay unless its a LONG ride. 

http://www.woodypet.com/index.html

I agee with Terri - don't feed hay while in transit and don't use shavings because of the dust/debree flying around. 

I have a question, though regarding Martyg's comment about hardwood shavings --  I am under the impression that there are some hardwoods that are toxic to horses and can cause laminitis if used for bedding, specifically black walnut and possibly cherry wood.  Anyone else know of anything about this?

... and a question to Paul Christensen;  I do use woodypet in my stalls in combination with softwood shavings, but in a trailer, how long would it take for them to become effective at urine absorbtion and would they not create a somewhat slippery surface until they break down?  Also, once they break down, do they not become just as susceptible to blowing around in the wind as regular fine shavings?

I do a lot of woodworking in my shop and collect the wood shavings that we use for bedding. In conversations with our vet, he agreed with your knowledge of Black Walnut causing problems. He disagreed with the Cherry and in fact we have been using this wood species for many years with no difficulties. My cabinet making involves mostly Cherry and it is the greatest bulk of my sawdust.

Whenever I work with Walnut, I have to dispose of it in an area not accessable by our horses, and cannot mix it with any sawdust that will be used as bedding.

We purchase wood shavings in 20 yard amounts and prefer oak for bedding. We get it dry and delivered, very nice to work with and not as dusty as some other types. Popular, Pine, Spruce and Ash also work well.

BOL  Gard