Horse bedding types compared

There is no single "best" horse bedding.

Straw, shavings, pellets, hemp and other materials can all make perfectly good beds when they are good quality and managed properly.

The right choice depends on your horse, your stable and how you want to manage the bed.

The main things to compare are:

• dust
• absorbency
• comfort
• how much waste it creates
• how easy it is to muck out
• storage
• whether your horse eats it
• purchase price
• disposal costs

For horses with respiratory problems, dust and stable air quality move much higher up that list.

Bedding types at a glance

These are typical characteristics rather than guarantees. Quality can vary considerably between brands and batches.

The quality of the individual product matters more than the name on the bag.

A clean, well-produced batch of straw may be more suitable than poor quality dusty shavings, while properly dust-extracted shavings may be a much better choice than mouldy straw.

What should good horse bedding actually do?

Good bedding is not there simply to make the stable look tidy.

It should provide:

• a comfortable surface for lying down
• support while standing
• protection from the stable floor
• grip when the horse lies down and gets up
• urine absorption or effective drainage
• a reasonably dry surface
• minimal dust and mould

UK horse welfare guidance says bedding should be suitable, non-toxic, free from mould and excessive dust and either absorb urine or allow enough drainage to maintain a dry bed.

The bed also needs to be deep and large enough for the horse to lie down comfortably.

A thin scattering of bedding on a concrete or rubber floor is not the same thing as providing a proper bed.

Straw

Straw is the traditional horse bedding and remains widely used across UK yards.

The three main types are:

• wheat straw
• barley straw
• oat straw

Its biggest strengths are cost, availability and the ability to make a large, comfortable bed.

Advantages of straw

Straw is usually:

• relatively inexpensive
• widely available
• easy to source locally
• quick to put down
• comfortable
• easy to build into a thick bed

Straw also gives some horses something to forage through.

Research referenced by the British Horse Society found that horses on straw spent longer lying down and had more opportunity for foraging behaviour than horses on some alternative bedding materials.

Disadvantages of straw

The biggest issue is variation in quality.

Poor straw may contain:

• dust
• mould
• fungal spores
• damp material

This makes it a poor choice for horses with respiratory problems.

Straw also tends to create a relatively large muckheap because more clean material is often removed during mucking out.

Some horses eat their bed.

That can be inconvenient for any horse, but it becomes particularly important for good doers and horses on a calorie-controlled diet.

Wheat straw

Wheat straw is probably the most familiar horse bedding.

It produces a warm, thick bed and is normally easy to source.

It can, however, be relatively dusty.

Barley straw

Barley straw can be inexpensive, but the ears can be prickly.

For some horses this can irritate the skin, making it less attractive than wheat or oat straw.

Oat straw

Oat straw is often softer and more absorbent.

Unfortunately, many horses also find it more appetising.

That makes it a questionable choice for a horse that already treats the stable floor as a buffet.

Chopped and treated straw

Chopped straw bedding takes the same basic material but processes it into shorter pieces.

Commercial products may be:

• chopped
• dust-extracted
• treated to make them less palatable
• blended with other plant fibres
• supplied in wrapped bales

Compared with traditional straw, this normally gives you a more consistent product that is easier to store.

Advantages

Good chopped straw bedding can offer:

• lower dust than ordinary baled straw
• good absorbency
• less waste
• smaller muckheaps
• easier storage
• relatively quick composting

Disadvantages

It normally costs more per bale than ordinary straw.

Availability can also depend on which brands your local feed merchant stocks.

The important word is processed.

Simply chopping poor dusty straw does not magically turn it into a low-dust bedding. Look for a product specifically produced and dust-extracted for animal bedding.

Straw pellets

Straw can also be dried, processed and compressed into pellets.

Depending on the product, water may be added when the bed is first laid so that the pellets expand and soften.

Always follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Advantages

Straw pellets are usually:

• compact to store
• absorbent
• lower waste than long straw
• relatively quick to muck out
• less bulky on the muckheap

Commercial equine products are commonly processed and dust-extracted.

Disadvantages

The initial bed can require a fairly large quantity of bags.

Some products need water during preparation, which adds another step to bedding down.

Pellets also need to be properly prepared. A stable covered in hard, loose pellets is not the finished bed.

Wood shavings

Purpose-produced wood shavings are one of the most common alternatives to straw.

They are particularly popular where a horse:

• eats straw
• needs a lower-dust environment
• produces a very wet bed
• is kept on rubber mats

Good quality shavings create a soft, supportive bed and wet areas are normally easy to identify.

Not all shavings are equal

This matters.

Cheap sawmill waste and purpose-produced equine bedding are not necessarily the same thing.

The British Horse Society warns against low-quality sawmill by-products because they can contain:

• excessive dust
• splinters
• unsuitable waste material

Choose shavings specifically manufactured for animal or equine bedding.

For a horse with respiratory problems, look for a properly dust-extracted product.

Large-flake shavings made from suitable material are commonly chosen because they can produce less fine airborne material than cheap, fine shavings or sawdust.

Advantages of shavings

Good quality shavings are:

• absorbent
• easy to handle
• usually unappealing to eat
• widely available
• easy to store in wrapped bales
• suitable for use over rubber mats

Wet patches tend to stay reasonably localised, making them easy to remove.

Disadvantages of shavings

Premium dust-extracted products can cost significantly more than straw.

Wood shavings can also take longer to rot down than plant-based bedding.

That can become important where:

• muckheap space is limited
• the yard pays for muck removal
• manure is composted
• local farmers take the muckheap

Before changing bedding on a livery yard, check what the yard actually allows.

Wood pellets

Wood pellets are made from compressed processed wood.

They are normally watered during preparation so that the pellets break down into a soft, absorbent bed.

Follow the instructions for the particular product because preparation methods differ.

Wood pellets have become popular on UK yards because they can absorb a lot of liquid while producing relatively little waste.

Advantages of wood pellets

They are commonly chosen for:

• wet horses
• small muckheaps
• quick daily mucking out
• limited storage space

The bags are compact compared with large bales of straw or shavings.

Once an established bed is working well, only the wet areas normally need removing before clean material is mixed back into place.

Disadvantages of wood pellets

Building the initial bed can be relatively expensive.

Wet bedding also becomes heavy.

If the bed is allowed to dry out excessively, fine material can become dusty. That is another reason not to assume that anything sold as a pellet is automatically "dust free".

Some research has actually found higher airborne particle concentrations from certain crushed wood-pellet beds than from other materials.

The individual product and the way it is managed matter.

Shredded wood fibre

Shredded wood fibre is different from conventional fluffy shavings.

It is normally manufactured from selected wood and produces a denser bed.

The BHS describes commercially produced shredded wood fibre as low dust, absorbent and relatively resistant to being pushed around the stable.

Advantages

It can:

• stay in place well
• provide a firm bed
• produce relatively little waste
• keep the bed surface dry
• reduce muckheap volume

It is useful for horses that tend to churn a lighter bed into every corner of the stable.

Disadvantages

It does not produce the same fluffy, traditional-looking bed as straw or large-flake shavings.

Different wood-fibre products are also designed to work differently. Some emphasise absorbency while others are intended to form a firm, free-draining base.

Follow the product's bedding instructions rather than assuming every wood product should be managed like shavings.

Hemp and flax

Hemp and flax bedding is made from processed plant stems.

Hemp products in particular are now common in UK equestrian stores.

They can create a dense, absorbent bed with relatively little material going onto the muckheap.

Advantages

Commercial hemp and flax products are commonly:

• low dust
• highly absorbent
• easy to store
• quick to compost
• relatively low waste

They can work particularly well for a horse that produces large wet patches.

Disadvantages

The main drawback is usually purchase price.

The initial bed can cost substantially more to establish than a straw bed.

Plant fibre also becomes heavy once saturated.

Horses do not commonly eat hemp or flax bedding, but it can happen. The BHS advises watching for this because the material is relatively indigestible.

Is hemp automatically better for respiratory horses?

Not necessarily.

This is where bedding marketing needs a little caution.

Many modern commercial hemp products are specifically dust-extracted and genuinely designed as low-dust bedding.

But research comparing raw bedding materials has shown that particle generation can vary considerably between different preparations, including hemp.

So choose a specific low-dust equine product, not simply a raw material because the word "hemp" appears on the packet.

For a horse with equine asthma, your vet's management advice should take priority.

Paper bedding

Shredded paper has been used as horse bedding for years.

One of its biggest advantages is very low dust.

It is also generally unappealing for horses to eat.

Advantages

Paper can be useful for:

• horses with dust sensitivities
• horses that eat straw
• situations where wood products cannot be used

It can form a warm bed when enough material is provided.

Disadvantages

Paper can become unpleasant when wet.

Long strips can:

• stick together
• become soggy
• make droppings harder to separate
• increase bedding waste

Printed paper can also stain light-coloured horses.

It is light enough to blow around the yard surprisingly easily.

Cardboard bedding

Shredded cardboard has many of the same advantages as paper.

It tends to be:

• low dust
• relatively unpalatable
• easy to identify when wet

Wet cardboard clumps together, which can make wet patches straightforward to remove.

The downside is that clean cardboard can become mixed into droppings during mucking out, creating unnecessary waste.

Like paper, lighter products can also move around the stable and leave bare areas if the horse is particularly active.

Miscanthus and other plant-fibre bedding

Miscanthus bedding is increasingly available from UK suppliers.

Miscanthus is a tall perennial grass grown as an agricultural crop. For bedding it is chopped and processed into a fibrous material.

You may also see bedding made from materials such as:

• oilseed rape straw
• other chopped crop residues
• blended plant fibres

Several UK producers now manufacture these products domestically.

Why people use them

Purpose-produced plant-fibre beds can offer:

• good absorbency
• relatively low waste
• quick composting
• compact wrapped bales
• lower dependence on timber products

Many commercial versions are also dust-extracted.

The important caveat

There is much less standardisation between these products than the name might suggest.

"Miscanthus", for example, tells you what plant the material came from.

It does not automatically tell you:

• how finely it was chopped
• how much dust was removed
• how absorbent it is
• how it should be managed
• how clean the finished product is

Judge the actual equine bedding product rather than the crop name alone.

What about sawdust?

Very fine sawdust is not the same thing as good quality equine shavings.

Fine material can become airborne easily and quality varies considerably depending on its source.

Avoid simply collecting waste sawdust from a workshop or sawmill for your horse.

You do not necessarily know:

• what species of timber was processed
• whether treated timber was involved
• what other contaminants are present
• how dusty the material is
• whether sharp fragments are mixed through it

Buy bedding produced for animal use.

Rubber matting

Rubber matting is extremely common in modern stables, but it is important to understand what it actually does.

Rubber matting is flooring, not absorbent bedding.

It provides:

• cushioning
• grip
• insulation from concrete
• a more comfortable standing surface
• some protection when the horse lies down

It can also significantly reduce the amount of disposable bedding needed.

Do you still need bedding over rubber mats?

Yes.

Current UK welfare guidance says disposable bedding should still be provided where rubber matting is used.

The BHS goes further and specifically says that it does not endorse keeping horses on rubber matting with no bedding.

Bedding is still needed to:

• absorb urine
• keep the lying area dry
• provide additional comfort
• encourage normal urination
• contain droppings

You do not necessarily need the enormous depth that might be used over bare concrete, but "rubber mats" should not mean "bare rubber floor".

Cleaning underneath rubber mats

Loose mats can allow urine and bedding material underneath them.

If that happens, you can end up with a surprisingly unpleasant layer underneath an otherwise clean-looking stable.

The BHS recommends lifting and thoroughly cleaning beneath conventional removable mats around once a month, and more frequently where necessary.

Properly installed sealed or poured flooring is different because liquid cannot get between individual mat joints in the same way.

Which bedding is best for a horse with asthma?

For a horse with equine asthma or another respiratory problem, choose a specifically low-dust bedding.

Current BHS respiratory guidance gives examples including:

• dust-extracted wood shavings
• paper
• cardboard
• pelleted straw

But bedding is only part of respiratory management.

Also consider:

• forage dust
• ventilation
• mould
• mucking-out practices
• neighbouring stables
• bedding and hay storage

Ideally, remove the horse from the stable while mucking out and allow airborne dust to settle before bringing them back in.

If your horse has an ongoing cough or diagnosed equine asthma, follow your vet's management plan.

Which bedding is best for a wet horse?

For a particularly wet horse, absorbency and mucking efficiency matter more than making the prettiest bed on the yard.

Options often used include:

• wood pellets
• hemp
• flax
• chopped plant fibre
• good quality shavings

A highly absorbent product may cost more per bag but still work out cheaper if significantly less clean bedding goes onto the muckheap.

Stable drainage matters as well.

No bedding will perform properly if urine is continually collecting underneath the bed because of an unsuitable floor.

Which bedding is best for a horse that eats its bed?

Avoid traditional straw if your horse continually eats large amounts of it.

Alternatives include:

• wood shavings
• wood pellets
• paper
• cardboard
• some treated chopped-straw products

This can be particularly important for overweight horses and good doers where unrestricted straw consumption makes calorie control harder.

Do not assume every alternative is completely inedible. Monitor the horse whenever you introduce a new bedding material.

Which bedding is cheapest?

If you look only at the price of the material, traditional straw is often the cheapest option in the UK.

But bale price is only one part of the calculation.

The real cost includes:

purchase price + amount used + time mucking out + waste disposal

A £12 bale that lasts a week can be cheaper than an £8 bale where half of it disappears onto the muckheap.

Likewise, a yard paying for muckheap removal may save enough through a lower-waste bedding to justify a more expensive product.

This is one reason different yards reach completely different conclusions about which bedding is "cheapest".

Your livery yard may choose for you

Many livery yards restrict which bedding can be used.

Reasons include:

• bulk purchasing
• storage
• muckheap management
• waste removal
• staff routines
• availability

Some include a particular bedding in the livery price and charge separately if you choose another type.

If bedding arrangements are important to you, check them before moving yards.

Our DIY, part and full livery explained guide covers what is commonly included with different livery arrangements.

Deep litter versus full mucking out

The bedding material and the mucking-out system are two different decisions.

Full muck-out

A full muck-out removes:

• droppings
• wet bedding
• heavily soiled material

before the bed is rebuilt.

The British Horse Society currently recommends a full muck-out every day as the best option for the horse's stable environment.

Deep litter

With deep litter, droppings are removed but the lower wet layer is largely left in place and fresh bedding is added over the top.

It can reduce:

• labour
• bedding consumption
• day-to-day cost

But it also allows urine and manure to remain in the stable for longer.

The BHS describes deep litter as the least suitable option for respiratory health because decomposing waste can increase ammonia exposure.

Some commercial bedding products are marketed for semi-deep or deep-litter systems. If you use one, follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully and monitor the condition of the bed.

For a horse with respiratory disease, discuss bedding management with your vet.

Ammonia matters

That familiar stable smell is not something to aim for.

Urine and manure can produce ammonia as they break down.

Poor management can allow ammonia to accumulate around the horse's breathing zone.

Good stable management therefore matters whatever material you choose.

Keep the stable:

• well ventilated
• reasonably dry
• free from excessive wet bedding
• regularly mucked out

Interestingly, research does not show that one bedding material always produces the least ammonia in every situation.

Different studies have produced different rankings for straw, shavings, pellets and other materials.

That tells us something useful:

the way the bed is managed matters just as much as what the bag says.

Dust matters to people too

Stable air is shared by horses and humans.

A groom mucking out several stables every morning may be exposed to considerably more airborne bedding dust than someone visiting one horse for half an hour.

If you suffer from:

• asthma
• allergies
• respiratory irritation

your own health is another good reason to choose low-dust products and maintain ventilation.

How thick should a horse's bed be?

There is no useful universal answer such as "exactly 10cm".

Stable flooring, mats, horse size and bedding type all affect the amount required.

What matters is that the bed provides enough material for the horse to:

• stand comfortably
• lie down
• get back up safely
• roll without simply exposing the hard floor
• urinate onto an absorbent area

The newest Scottish equid welfare guidance specifically notes that bedding type and depth can affect sleep quality.

A large horse on a thin decorative scattering of shavings does not have a proper bed simply because the concrete is technically covered.

Does bedding need banks?

Banks are commonly built around the sides of traditional beds.

A good bank can help provide additional material around the edge of the stable and is traditionally used to reduce problems if a horse becomes cast.

If you use banks, keep them clean.

Old banks that are never turned can hide:

• damp bedding
• mould
• dust
• old droppings

The BHS recommends rotating banks when maintaining a bed rather than allowing the same material to sit untouched indefinitely.

Muckheap and disposal

Before changing bedding, find out what happens to it after it leaves the stable.

Different materials break down at very different rates.

Long straw and many plant-fibre products generally compost relatively readily.

Wood shavings can take much longer.

Your choice may therefore affect:

• muckheap size
• collection frequency
• disposal cost
• whether a farmer will take the manure
• whether the yard allows the bedding at all

A bedding that creates very little waste can be particularly valuable on a small yard with limited muckheap space.

Bedding storage

Bedding needs to stay clean and dry before use.

Wrapped products such as shavings, pellets and hemp are generally easier to stack and protect from the weather.

Loose straw needs suitable dry storage.

Damp bedding can develop:

• mould
• fungal growth
• unpleasant odours

At that point, cheap bedding becomes very expensive bedding because it is no longer suitable to put underneath a horse.

Bedding is also a fire load

Hay, straw, shavings, paper and most other bedding materials will burn.

Large quantities should therefore not simply be stacked around occupied stables because it is convenient.

The British Horse Society recommends storing combustible bedding and forage away from stabling.

Keep:

• gangways clear
• escape routes clear
• bulk bedding stores separate where possible
• muckheaps away from the stable buildings

A beautifully managed bed is not much use if fifty spare bales are blocking the evacuation route.

Changing bedding

Most horses cope perfectly well with a bedding change.

But monitor the horse during the first few days.

Check:

• whether they are willing to lie down
• whether they eat the bedding
• whether they begin coughing
• whether the bed becomes excessively wet
• whether they churn it around the stable
• how much bedding you are actually using
• how quickly the muckheap grows

A bedding that works brilliantly for one horse can be hopeless for another in the stable next door.

How to compare the true cost

Rather than comparing only the price per bale, track the bedding for a month.

Record:

That gives you a much better comparison than saying that one bedding costs £2 less per bale.

So which bedding should you choose?

Choose traditional straw if:

You want an inexpensive, deep traditional bed, have good quality straw available and your horse does not suffer from respiratory problems or continually eat it.

Choose dust-extracted shavings if:

You want a widely available, non-palatable bedding with good absorbency and lower dust than typical straw.

Choose wood pellets if:

Your horse is particularly wet, storage is limited or reducing muckheap volume is a priority.

Choose hemp or flax if:

You want a highly absorbent plant-fibre bedding and are prepared to pay more for the initial bed.

Choose paper or cardboard if:

Low dust and low palatability are priorities and you are happy with the different mucking-out characteristics.

Choose processed plant fibre such as miscanthus if:

You have a reliable supplier and the particular product's absorbency, dust extraction and management system suit your horse.

Use rubber matting if:

You want better flooring, additional grip and cushioning or to reduce your ongoing bedding consumption.

But still put suitable bedding on top.

The simple answer

There is no horse bedding that wins every category.

Straw is usually cheap and comfortable but can be dusty, bulky and edible.

Dust-extracted shavings are versatile, absorbent and relatively low dust but normally cost more and rot down slowly.

Wood pellets are highly absorbent and create relatively little waste but cost more to establish and need correct preparation.

Hemp and flax make absorbent, low-waste beds but tend to have a higher purchase price.

Paper and cardboard can be very low dust but are not always the easiest materials to muck out.

Rubber mats are useful flooring but should still have absorbent bedding on top.

Whatever you choose, buy a good-quality product and keep the bed clean, dry and well ventilated.

A well-managed average bedding will usually make a better stable than a premium bedding that is badly managed.