Pellet Bedding and Freezing Temps??

[Savannah_KP]

My horses have only lived outside with a shelter, but my barn will be done soon and I plan to use the stalls for feedings and only the very worst of weather, otherwise the horses will be outside with shelter. Stalls have rubber mats on top of concrete.

I would like to use pelleted bedding as I have heard rave reviews about it, but does it clump and become hard in freezing temps or will that only occur in the pee spots? I live in Vermont, so freezing temps are here to stay for the next couple months…

How much water do you typically add per bag to fluff it, or do you just eyeball it until the pellets get fluffy?

Thanks!

[Simkie]

What planting zone are you in? In southern MN (zone four) I did have some problems with the bedding freezing when it got REALLY cold–talking about the daily highs not cracking 0 and lows in the -20/-30s range (before wind chill!) The top surface of the bed would freeze and it was pretty much impossible to clean without tossing a boatload of good bedding, because the good stuff looked identical to the pee clumps. I’d pick the poop and wait a couple days for the weather to break to clean out the wet. But even in MN that was a few days a winter phenomenon. It’s NEVER happened to me here in CT (zone 6.)

Past the initial set up of the bed, I don’t add water to the pellets, PARTICULARLY in winter. Just add to the existing bedding. The horse will break them down, and the humidity in the air will help. If you’re particularly dry and windy the rest of the year, you may need water then–I do about 15 seconds spray from the hose into the bag when I need to puff up the bedding.

[Savannah_KP]

@Simkie, I’m zone 4b, so similar to your experience in MN. So sounds like there may be some days I have the clumping issue, but that will be in extreme deep freeze times. I figure since the horses won’t be in that much, it may not be a horrible issue. Thanks for the info!

[Simkie]

Good luck! I’ve also read that some people add salt to the bedding to prevent the clumping. I never got to that point, but did consider it once or twice.

[2DogsFarm]

My Herd of 3 lives pretty much as you describe.
They have free access to stalls, but rarely choose In over Out.
And I have zero shelter in my pastures. :no:
Go, figure.

I use pelleted bedding & until temps dip below freezing, I add a 2gal bucket of water to a bag once it is sitting upright & slit open at the top in a stall.
I then go about my chores - some 10-15min - to let the water absorb, cut the bag open & spread the now almost 100% fluffed pellets.

Once we hit 32F or lower I don’t add water unless the stalls feel warmer than outdoors.
Dutch doors at the back remain open at all times, but unless wind is blasting from the East, they remain warmer than outside. Even if some pellets feel frozen when dumped, I can generally stomp on the clumps to break them up.

Like @Simkie said: just dump dry pellets & spread with your fork. They break down quickly.
I just added a dry bag to each of my stalls & watched my mini roll on the fresh pellets.
{shrug} Whatever floats his little horsy boat… :rolleyes:

[S1969]

Yes, same as 2Dogs. One thing that is particularly dangerous in cold weather is to dump water directly onto the pellets on the stall floors and walk away. I had a boarder do that once and had a frozen block of pellets stuck to the mat for weeks.

Best solution - rehydrate, then dump. Or, at least, dump water and stay in the barn, flipping the pellets a few times as they rehydrate.

Sometimes there will be some clumpiness, but churning it up with your boots usually breaks that.

[Pennywell_Bay]

I use pelleted bedding (Indiana) and I do not wet it (it works for me) and I obviously have no issue.

[enjoytheride]

I use pelleted bedding. If the stall is bare I will add water. After that I add the bag dry. I want it absorb liquids and it can’t do that if it’s fluffy already.

It has to be saturated to freeze, like if you dumped a bucket in the stall, or it’s so cold the pee spots freeze.

[Simkie]

@enjoytheride

It has to be saturated to freeze

That is definitely not true, although doubtful you get cold enough in Indiana to have the bed freeze. But it will, if it gets cold enough.

[She_s_Pure_Gold]

I use a mix of pellets and shavings. In the winter if temps will be below freezing, I do not add water to pellets. I scrape the existing bedding back to the bare floor, add 1/2-1 bag of pellets dry, and then recover with existing bedding. Doing it this way I do not have issues with them freezing and I think it’s more comfortable for my horse to not be walking on the hard pellets (but it probably just makes me feel better, I doubt he actually cares…). It also helps with absorption of pee to have the pellets at the bottom of the bedding, I think.

Several years ago a friend was farm sitting for me during an extended, very cold spell in the winter and she added water to the pellets…I think it took a month before I saw the stall floors again!!! Froze completely solid. Have not watered them down in sub-freezing temps since!

[S1969]

@Simkie

That is definitely not true, although doubtful you get cold enough in Indiana to have the bed freeze. But it will, if it gets cold enough.

But if the pellets are not totally wet they might crystallize but not freeze into a solid clump. You (or horses) would still be able to break up the bedding by walking through it. That said, if your horses are stalled and it’s very cold, it might make a cold bed for them to lie on. In that case, a layer of shavings on top might make it more comfortable.

I can’t imagine not wetting pelleted bedding. Hugely wasteful and hard nuggets.

[Palm_Beach]

@Savannah_KP

My horses have only lived outside with a shelter, but my barn will be done soon and I plan to use the stalls for feedings and only the very worst of weather, otherwise the horses will be outside with shelter. Stalls have rubber mats on top of concrete.

I would like to use pelleted bedding as I have heard rave reviews about it, but does it clump and become hard in freezing temps or will that only occur in the pee spots? I live in Vermont, so freezing temps are here to stay for the next couple months…

How much water do you typically add per bag to fluff it, or do you just eyeball it until the pellets get fluffy?

Thanks!

If they are only coming in to eat, I’d use the least dusty bedding like SaniCare. To keep pelleted bedding damp enough to not be dusty, you will have some freezing and clumping, but not frozen rock-like clumps.

[x]

I use pelleted bedding and am in the northeast and in cold temperatures. I never add water as the horses break them down with no problem. I never really have serious freezing issues. It acts just like good dry sawdust.

[Simkie]

@S1969

But if the pellets are not totally wet they might crystallize but not freeze into a solid clump. You (or horses) would still be able to break up the bedding by walking through it. That said, if your horses are stalled and it’s very cold, it might make a cold bed for them to lie on. In that case, a layer of shavings on top might make it more comfortable.

I can’t imagine not wetting pelleted bedding. Hugely wasteful and hard nuggets.

So that’s not true, although you probably don’t get the temps :lol:

There is a point where the surface of the bed freezes and no amount of pounding it with the fork breaks it up enough to clean. Seriously. Go live in Minnesota for a winter if you don’t believe me

Not sure why you think not wetting the bedding is wasteful. The pellets expand with atmospheric humidity and the general moisture in the bed. They break up quickly.

​​​​Dryness in the air, and wind, seem to be most important in determining which method to use. If the climate is dry and windy, adding water is pretty important in keeping down the dust.

[S1969]

@Simkie

So that’s not true, although you probably don’t get the temps :lol:

There is a point where the surface of the bed freezes and no amount of pounding it with the fork breaks it up enough to clean. Seriously. Go live in Minnesota for a winter if you don’t believe me

Not sure why you think not wetting the bedding is wasteful. The pellets expand with atmospheric humidity and the general moisture in the bed. They break up quickly.

​​​​Dryness in the air, and wind, seem to be most important in determining which method to use. If the climate is dry and windy, adding water is pretty important in keeping down the dust.

Well, I live in NY. I think we get cold enough temperatures to test this theory pretty well. We tend to have a few weeks together below zero every winter, and last winter had a week of about -20F.

I guess everything is weather dependent, and possibly depends on the brand - my pellets definitely do not pull enough moisture from the air to break down, and especially not in winter. They remain as hard and solid as they are in the bag - which, if you buy the Tractor Supply brand, is a good thing, because the bags have air holes in them.

I have never had a bed freeze solid unless it was oversaturated. So there is definitely a learning curve to knowing how much is enough without being too much. Too much water and it’s wet to the touch…and probably will freeze. Same for big urine spots - they can definitely freeze solid and for that reason it’s really important to pick stalls often because if not, you can have a big problem.

[Simkie]

@S1969

Well, I live in NY. I think we get cold enough temperatures to test this theory pretty well. We tend to have a few weeks together below zero every winter, and last winter had a week of about -20F.

It looks like there’s one small portion of NY that’s zone four. The rest is 5-6. There’s a fairly large chunk of the US that gets colder than where you are. That’s marvelous that you don’t have problems with pelleted bedding freezing in winter–lucky you, seriously, because it really sucks!–but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t happen. It does. And it can happen whether or not you add water to the pellets when you bed or rebed the stall.

[Savannah_KP]

I guess I can try the pellets, see what happens this winter and if they get too firm, I can top with fluffy shavings Thanks to everyone for their input!

[Pennywell_Bay]

@S1969

I can’t imagine not wetting pelleted bedding. Hugely wasteful and hard nuggets.

How so? I find dry pellets to be most efficient for me and I don’t wet them. I do add them to existing bedding and after a short time of my horses being in- you can’t tell they are there and they definitely aren’t hard nuggets. I’m interested in why you’d make such a broad statement.

Even when I do strip and have to add just pellets (very rare for me) I guess my horses are giant elephants- as it seems to pulverize to sawdust fast. And I don’t notice any more dust than with other stuff so…

My guys lay down and don’t seem to mind, it isn’t like they are sleeping right on dry pellets. As has been mentioned, ad nauseum, on multiple threads- some people use it as the kitty litter effect of the pellets or for slobby horses.

[Kottbulle]

I live in Southern Michigan where it can get very cold… Not below zero for days but in the 10-30s for the next few months. I have been using them for several years… They can get some frozen clumps if you don’t fluff after wetting. OR you leave them piled up. But its nothing that a good stomp or smack with the back of the pitch fork doesn’t usually break up. My technique for soaking them is to empty a bag in a muck bucket, pour a full water bucket (4-5gallons) on them and let them sit for 10-15 minutes. I do this in the stalls, and then dump into a corner and spread out accordingly. I don’t have to worry about the water running out and soaking the rubber mats, and it makes for fluffy soft shavings. like sifting thru sawdust without all the dust! only time I’ve had a problem with this technique is if i forget to dump the buckets and they sit all day, then they can be a frozen block you can’t easily get out. Overall the ease of cleaning stalls with the pellet bedding far outweighs the occasional hassle of some frozen chunks. plus they take up hardly any room to store which i love!

[S1969]

@Pennywell Bay

How so? I find dry pellets to be most efficient for me and I don’t wet them. I do add them to existing bedding and after a short time of my horses being in- you can’t tell they are there and they definitely aren’t hard nuggets. I’m interested in why you’d make such a broad statement.

Even when I do strip and have to add just pellets (very rare for me) I guess my horses are giant elephants- as it seems to pulverize to sawdust fast. And I don’t notice any more dust than with other stuff so…

My guys lay down and don’t seem to mind, it isn’t like they are sleeping right on dry pellets. As has been mentioned, ad nauseum, on multiple threads- some people use it as the kitty litter effect of the pellets or for slobby horses.

Well, since they expand about 4x as much if you rehydrate them, you need far less bedding than if used dry. They are designed to be rehydrated.

We tested them once when my kids were in 4H; can’t remember the exact volume difference but it was significant. Not rehydrating them definitely results in lower volume - and, at least in my stalls and with the brand I use (TSC) they often never break down anyway.