Straw has traditionally been used for horse bedding in the UK for centuries now. But why? Well, one may argue there are many reasons, some of which include: being widely available; easy to muck out; cheaper than other bedding alternatives, and providing a warm comfortable bed for your horses. This all sounds great, but straw bedding has many disadvantages that aren’t so pleasant. In this article by P.H. Winterson & Sons, we’ll take you through the disadvantages and explain why other bedding alternatives such as shavings are better than straw bedding. After reading this, the chances are, you’ll want to consider switching your horse’s bedding! Dust and Mould Straw bedding is a byproduct of harvested cereal grain crops such as wheat, oats, and bailey. Similar to hay, a bale of straw needs to be regularly checked for mould or moisture. Depending on the quality, it can be quite dusty. Mouldy or dusty straw shouldn’t be used as bedding because it can cause respiratory problems for you and your horses. If your horse or you suffer from respiratory issues such as asthma, straw is not a suitable type of bedding. Whereas, shavings are a safer, dust, and mould free alternative. Horses Can Eat Their Bedding Some horses are tempted to eat their straw bedding. This problem leads to using more straw bedding than needed, which can be costly. There are many debates about how safe straw is for horses to eat. However, straw is a low-quality forage and if eaten in large quantities, it could impact colic (abdominal pain) which could be life-threatening for horses. On the other hand, shavings are inedible so horses won’t be tempted, they are used for bedding purposes only, and they have significantly lower health risks. Difficult To Muck Out Straw is non-absorbent, which is one of the main purposes of horse bedding. Because it’s lightweight, it’s more difficult to control the dust particles when moved around and put down as bedding. Straw bedding waste is bulky, and rarely odourless. The muck heap tends to be larger, heavier to pick up, and dispose of. For this reason, it’s much easier to muck out shavings than straw. Equine Bedding from P.H. Winterson & Son At P.H....
Read Moreabout The Disadvantages of Straw Bedding for HorsesEveryone loves to relax, sleep and dream in comfort and so does your horse! At P.H. Winterton & Sons, we are a family business delivering premium quality equine bedding to our customers for their equine friends. If you’re looking for new bedding, this article is for you. Let’s go through the best types of bedding we offer.. Cheshire Choice Our high-quality Cheshire Choice equine bedding is made to give excellent results. Did you know this is one of the only horse beddings in Staffordshire that is made from 100% soft wood shavings? Allowing extreme comfort for your horse, while at the same time lasting longer than traditional shavings. Their high absorption levels means you save more new bedding when mucking out the stables. This unique bedding has a temperature adjusting ability, keeping your horses warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Perfect to use all year round! We keep you and your horse’s health in mind so our bedding is free from chemicals and dust to prevent allergies, illness and respiratory problems. Economy-Bale Our Economy-Bale equine bedding is our more affordable and economical bedding choice that still provides premium quality results. This is one of the most affordable equine bedding in Staffordshire and is also double dust extracted which means shavings won’t cause unwanted respiratory problems for you or your horses. The shavings are a mixture of both hardwood and softwood, so it’s easy to muck out your stable, they can also be used in combination with rubber mats. Zebra Fibre Our newest addition to the range, our Zebra Fibre animal bedding can be used for both the agricultural and equine industries. It provides comfort, superb absorption levels, and leaves minimal wastage while mucking out. Switching your bedding to Zebra Fibre means happy animals all around! Equine Bedding at P.H. Winterton & Sons We can proudly say that choosing our equine bedding will be the best decision you make for a boost of comfort and happiness for your horses. If your horses are happy, we are certainly happy! For more information on any of our ranges, please get in touch today. ...
Read Moreabout What’s The Best Bedding For My Horse?We have very recently covered why it is important to provide your cows with comfy and sufficient bedding. So, we thought why not do the same for your horses. Let’s look at some of main advantages of high quality horse bedding in Derbyshire. You would make sure that your bedding is clean and comfy wouldn’t you? So why should this be any different for horses? Horses don’t naturally need soft and comfy bedding, however, at PH Winterton being a provider of high quality horse shavings in Staffordshire we argue that ensuring you have adequate equine bedding is of the utmost importance. So we would like to highlight a few reasons why you should pay particular attention to your horse’s sleeping arrangements. Genuine Comfort We start off with arguably the most obvious reason to provide your horses with high quality bedding, for their comfort. Shavings in particular act as a barrier protecting your horse from the cold hard floor when they are lying down. Accompanying this is the fact that your horse is a lot more likely to lie down when they have comfortable and clean bedding available. Encouragement is key in this regard. If your horse has been on their hooves all day they still might lie down to get their recommended shut ye and get their recommended shut eye. This rings especially true if the bedding looks dirty or uncomfortable. As any dedicated horse owner will tell you, you do not want a tired and unhappy horse. Support Whilst Standing Did you also know that horse bedding can support your horse even whilst standing. The support and stable footing they offer to your horse drastically reduces the chances of injuries such as capped hocks or elbows. They also allow your horse ample room to stand up in their stables with slipping over which could result in a twist ankle or horrible injury. Absorbing Moisture One of the primary reasons to install horse shavings for your horse’s bedding. Your horse’s stall can very quickly become a rather damp and wet place. This is especially true during the winter months when the UK can see an over abundance of rain and storms. Luckily, horse shavings can absorb a lot of...
Read Moreabout Do You Need Horse Bedding in Derbyshire?The temperatures have started to drop and winter is truly on its way, but what does this mean for our horses? As the leading provider of equine bedding across the country, PH Winterton understands the importance of keeping your horses healthy during the colder months of the year. For our latest blog, we will share some essential winter care tips to help you get through without any issues. Do daily routines change? It is common practice to turn horses out all summer and then stabling them during the winter, which represents a substantial change in their diet and management. We would advise completing this gradually over 10-14 days to help prevent colic. Start this change by bringing your horse in for a few hours a day with hay then slowly increase the amount of time to help avoid sudden disruptions to their routine i.e being out all the time to being based in a stable for a large chunk of the day. With reduced daylight hours and poor weather, it can be challenging to maintain your horse’s fitness with some owners deciding to give horses a rest period at this time or riding less. What are winter ailments for horses? The winter months can increase the risk of your horse developing conditions such as mud fever and rain scald due to wet and muddy conditions. Mud fever explained Mud fever is usually caused by bacteria and can be common in winter when horses are exposed to persistent wet, muddy conditions. Wet conditions will cause the skin to soften and mud rubs against this softened skin which causes damage to the surface where bacteria can enter. What is rain scald? Rain scald is a non-contagious skin condition caused by the same bacteria as mud fever. Scabs form in places along the horse’s neck, back and hindquarters instead of the lower legs. Why is high-quality equine bedding so important? One of the most important parts of keeping your horses happy during winter, and any other time of the year, is giving them the best equine bedding to rest on. PH Winterton offers three different kinds of horse bedding to suit all customer requirements. These include our premium brand Cheshire Choice, our...
Read Moreabout How Equine Bedding Helps Horses During WinterIf you have never invested in horse bedding such as shavings before, you may not know about the different types available on the market. PH Winterton is a specialist in equine bedding, with three different types of bedding to suit any requirement or budget. Understanding Horse Bedding Wood Shavings – Wood shavings have been a popular horse bedding for decades now. They are often used for horses that suffer from respiratory disease or those that eat other types of bedding. Sawmill waste shavings, such as those provided by PH Winterton, are the most popular as they are high quality and have a low dust content. Wood shavings also provide excellent support for the horse’s hooves as they compact inside them. They are typically packed in polythene wrapped bales which makes them easy to stack and store – meaning you will be able to buy in bulk if that’s your preference. Flax and hemp – Flax and hemp bedding materials are often more expensive which limits their appeal. Also, there have been instances of horses eating the bedding. The same as wood shavings they are packaged in heavy-duty plastic bags for easy storage. Paper – Paper is usually shredded and consists of a mix of newspaper, magazines and other unwanted printed matter, with differing absorbency. The long paper stripes tend to be harder to muck out as they can stick together and become difficult to separate from the droppings. While cheap, paper, when wet, can become very soggy and less user-friendly. Rubber matting – Rubber matting is often considered a partial alternative to bedding in stables. Some people will combine horse bedding with rubber matting. Rubber matting on its own can lead to wet floors, dirty rugs and horses. The majority of horses don’t like to urinate on hard surfaces, so adding bedding such as shavings help prevent this issue. Hygiene standards need to be observed when using rubber matting, as they will need to be uplifted and thoroughly cleaned underneath to prevent a build-up of ammonia and dirty bedding material. Get horse shavings in bulk from PH Winterton If you have any questions about PH Winterton’s range of horse bedding, please do not hesitate to contact us now. We...
Read Moreabout Why shavings are the best kind of horse beddingOne of the highlights of the horse racing calendar is just around the corner with the Coral Summer Festival set to take place from 2nd July 2021. While ensuring your horse is ready to compete, another vital part of your preparation is ensuring you are investing in the finest equine bedding from P.H Winterton. For this post, we will tell you everything you need to know about this illustrious event plus the benefits of choosing our bedding to help your horse getting its 40 winks. The Highlights of Coral Summer Festival Here are some of the highlights of the upcoming Coral Summer Festival – Coral-Eclipse Day – One of the most anticipated days in the flat racing calendar, includes the prestigious Group 1 Coral-Eclipse, Group 3 Coral Charge plus two listed races. Ladies Day – Ladies Day will take place on 2nd July, a perfect summer day out, celebrating getting together with friends, fabulous outfits plus the thrilling flat racing around one of the most stunning racecourses in the UK. The same day the Style Awards will celebrate the best-dressed people on course, giving everyone the opportunity to get dressed up and make a statement at the races. The Top Choice for Equine Bedding P.H Winterton and Son provide the highest quality of shavings to give your horses cosy, warm and dry equine bedding whilst taking into account affordability and economical factors that are important for our customers. We stock large quantities of horse bedding at our site in Staffordshire, meaning we can supply between 1 and 18 pallets at a time. We know the British weather can be unpredictable, which is why we offer outside storage covers to protect our bedding against adverse conditions. Need more information? Get in touch If you would like more information about any of the horse bedding products we supply, please do not hesitate to contact us...
Read Moreabout Prepare for Coral Summer Festival with the finest equine bedding