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How to Choose the Best Shavings for Horse Stalls

October 19, 2022

Choosing horse bedding is not quite as simple as buying whatever is on sale. You want to choose the best shavings for horse stalls to ensure your horse's comfort and health. There are things you should look for in stall bedding to ensure you are providing a clean, healthy environment for your horse.



Moisture and Absorbency

The right horse stall shavings will be kiln-dried. According to J Gibson McIlvain, the moisture content in kiln-dried wood is six percent to eight percent. Kiln-dried wood is a good option because of its low moisture content. Additionally, you also want shavings to be absorbent. Shavings need to be absorbent to prevent a build-up of ammonia that can cause irritation to the horse's eyes and respiratory system. Typically, the thinner the shavings, the more absorbent they are. With that being said, you also have to be mindful of the potential dust created by thin shavings.


Comfort and Cushioning

Softer woods make for a more comfortable environment for your horse because they offer cushioning. Medium and large types of shavings can provide more comfort for your horse's hooves. This makes for a better bedding material. When your horse is comfortable, you will see benefits to its overall health.


Ease of Use

Ideally, the stall shavings that you choose should be easy for you to use. The bedding should come well packaged and be easy to spread. The right shavings will be easy to muck out and maneuver when it is time to clean out the stall. If the shavings are not packaged well and are difficult to use, you will spend a lot of time on horse stall maintenance.


Multi-Layer Approach

Many horse owners use different types of horse stall shavings in a layered approach. For example, they will use thin shavings as the first layer and then use medium to large shavings for the top layer. The thinner shavings are more absorbent, so they are used on the bottom. The larger shavings are more comfortable, so they use them as the top layer.


The most important part of choosing the right shavings for your horse stalls is to work with a supplier that offers premium choices. The right supplier will put your horse's health and comfort first. Learn more today by contacting Guardian Horse Bedding.


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Why Guardian Horse Bedding?

By Hibu Websites • June 9, 2021
The short answer is Equustock, makers of Guardian Horse Bedding was founded over 20 years ago and is operated by innovative, groundbreaking, professional and dedicated manufacturers who also happen to be lifelong horse and barn owners. The horse bedding industry was started to dispose of waste stream from window/door manufacturers and sawmills. The people putting this product in a bag were not horse owners and knew nothing about the intricate respiratory system of the horse, or the negative health and performance impact "any" bedding can have on a horse. While this by-product material is still used for 50% of the pine bedding in the country (the balance being manufactured shavings) it took our expertise and desire to "build a better mouse trap". With this motivation we were able to wrangle the materials, the industry, and the equipment manufacturers to produce a product that was not only specifically designed for use in a horse stall, but for the pure health of the horse and the people who care for them. We pioneered the proprietary high quality pine pellet bedding and an intentionally manufactured mini flake shaving in 2001. We made it different. We created new, high densification packaging that allowed us to ship 1350 bags on a truck rather than 900. This not only reduced the cost of delivery of each bag but also reduces the carbon footprint of each bag of bedding. We were first to develop a true product line to satisfy the diverse preferences of the horse bedding consumer. Our revolutionary engineering of processes and equipment that …... • Put more bedding in a smaller finished bag making it easier to handle and able to ship more on a truck. • Eliminated dust and controlled moisture to maximize absorbency. • Specifically engineered and classified shaving sizes to satisfy a variety of uses and preference. ….... established the industry trends of the last decade and the expected standards today. We continue to hold close to our chest the proprietary processes that keep us ahead of the crowd. Our customer service is stellar and, our desire to put the best product under any animal keeps us producing high quality products at our multiple plants across the United States. We would love to get to know you. We hope you will love knowing us!
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