2011年4月20日 星期三

A choice of bedding

Options include straw, wood shavings, paper products, rice hulls, and peat moss

Stalls traditionally have been bedded with materials that provide some cushion and absorbency. Good bedding provides a layer of insulation between the horse and a cold floor, cushions a hard surface, prevents bruising of leg joints, and helps to keep the horse clean.

Horses need a clean place to stand and to lie down. If they are constantly exposed to urine and manure, they will be more at risk for thrush or may develop urine scald or other skin problems.

Even in barns where cushiony and easy-to-clean stall mats are used, most horsemen add some bedding material on top of the mats to create a cleaner and more comfortable environment. Bedding absorbs urine and if the soiled wet bedding is removed on a regular basis, it keeps the stall drier and the horse healthier.

Ammonia from urine is damaging to the respiratory system; irritates the air passages; and makes it easier for pathogens to become established. Ammonia also damages a horse's feet by attacking the hoof horn. Ammonia-soaked wet manure packed in the hoofs can contribute to thrush.

The temperature of a cold floor without bedding can chill a horse by drawing away its body heat. Bedding creates air pockets that act as barriers between the floor and the horse. Piling straw bedding thicker on the sides of a stall protects a horse from drafts in cold weather and serves as padding to help it get back to its feet if it happens to roll against the wall.

Bedding can be created from a variety of materials. Factors to consider when selecting bedding will be cost, availability, freedom from dust and foreign material, and palatability. Bedding should be something the horse will not eat. Choose material that will be compatible with the stall flooring, and something that can be readily disposed of.

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