# Bedding or no bedding in horse trailer?



## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

I'm really hoping to hear opinions together with pros and cons of using shavings/sawdust in trailer. I do use a little now and thinking if I can stop (as it makes lots of mess in trailer). My concern is if the mats become too slippery whey they pee or poop (although pee happened just once so far in 2 years).


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

I wouldn't use any if it's an open style trailer or if you have the windows open while traveling. The wind can pick up the dust and the horse can breathe it in. In an enclosed trailer, you could use some but I don't think you need to. We have an open, slant load 2 horse, looks like a stock trailer, and we don't use any. We've never had any problem with the rubber mats getting slippery from pee or poop.


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## eventerdrew (Mar 13, 2009)

the one and only time I didn't use shavings in my trailer, my horse fell and spooked herself. It took her months to get over the fear of getting in the trailer again.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

Bedding in a trailer is generally not a good idea. Staw or shavings make the floor much more slippery than just a good rubber mat. If you don't believe me ride in the back of your trailer while it's being pulled down the road.


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## zurmdahl (Feb 25, 2009)

I would put bedding in, it can get very slippery if your horse pees. I know of a horse who fell while backing out of his trailer and broke his leg and was put down. It is way too much of a risk in my opinion especially since it's so easy to just put shavings in the trailer, I don't see any benefit to not putting them in except that it might save you some money.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

The only time I ever put bedding in a trailer is for very long hauls, or if the horse is going to be standing in the trailer for long periods of time. I want the shavings to absorb the pee so it doesn't get down to the floorboards of the trailer. Most horses won't pee in the trailer unless they really, really, have to, so most of the time, bedding isn't necessary. When I do use bedding, I only put it in the back half of the area.


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## oberon the beasty (Apr 3, 2011)

I wouldn't put it in b/c it would be a pain to clean up and if it got wet it would become moldy.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

We always use bedding. I think it gives them extra traction. If I was pulling a stock trailer with tread plate floors and open sides I may think differently. If you have rubber mats, they can get really slick with a little horsey pee pee on them. 
I only spread it aft of the front feet putting it heavier in the rear.


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## oberon the beasty (Apr 3, 2011)

eventerdrew said:


> the one and only time I didn't use shavings in my trailer, my horse fell and spooked herself. It took her months to get over the fear of getting in the trailer again.


Did u have rubber mats on the floor or just the shavings?


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

> it would be a pain to clean up and if it got wet it would become moldy


???????????????????

If you put bedding in a trailer, you muck it out in the same way you muck a bedded stall; you don't leave wet or dirty bedding in the trailer.


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## eventerdrew (Mar 13, 2009)

I have some kind of rubber something... I can't remember what it's called but it's in my 2 horse straight load Trail-Et. 

It's in the shape of wood... but it's rubber. hard to describe


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## oberon the beasty (Apr 3, 2011)

Oh yeah I know what u mean!!!
That sucks that u had to do all the retraining!!!!!!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## BarrelracingArabian (Mar 31, 2010)

we have shvings in our trailers and the horses have never had an issue with slipping/falling but they are initially not needed i think its just a preference to the owners


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## eventerdrew (Mar 13, 2009)

yeah it did suck! But she's better now  Loads like a champ!


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## oberon the beasty (Apr 3, 2011)

BarrelracingArabian said:


> we have shvings in our trailers and the horses have never had an issue with slipping/falling but they are initially not needed i think its just a preference to the owners


Yeah I get that some people would prefer them instead of using mats
b/c they are less slippery
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Tasia (Aug 17, 2009)

Well I have rubber mats, Shavings are appealing to the eye but my father insists that a little staw so they can poop on it is just fine.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

Honestly K_V, if you're only going for a short ride I wouldn't worry about it. If you decide to use them try Guardian swift pick mini flake pine shavings. We started using it last year and it's really a great product. It makes cleaning out the trailer much easier. I'm pretty sure its available nationwide


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

We use shavings but they're beetle kill pine shavings so pretty coarse and large for shavings. Not slippery at all but absorb well which is good because living in the middle of nowhere, trailer rides are not short.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Thank you, All! I think 1 hour drive should be considered as short..? :wink: As I said I had my qh to pee just once but it was a longer ride and she was too excited there at the lesson, so I assume simply forgot to do her business. However it was a BIG pee - we left a lake behind us at the gas station...  Yes, I have rubber mats in trailer. 

Vida, I never heard about the product you are talking about. I just buy big scoop of shavings to use in stalls and use them in trailer as well. OF COURSE poop/wet stuff gets cleaned after each trip. 

I'm still confused if mats or shavings give better traction. I have mats next to the feeder and they do get pretty slippery when we have too much rain...  On other side wet shavings probably slippery as well. Oh, well......


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

maura said:


> The only time I ever put bedding in a trailer is for very long hauls, or if the horse is going to be standing in the trailer for long periods of time. I want the shavings to absorb the pee so it doesn't get down to the floorboards of the trailer. Most horses won't pee in the trailer unless they really, really, have to, so most of the time, bedding isn't necessary. When I do use bedding, I only put it in the back half of the area.


 Most floorboards are treated and painted, unless someone replaced them with ones that aren't or it's an older trailer. So the pee doesn't get absorbed easily into the boards anymore than the water from the road.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Aw crap! I didn't know this was even up for debate. I just got my first horse trailer and now don't even know if I should use shavings. My guy likes to pee in the trailer, so I was thinking put them just under where he would pee, not so much where he'd be standing, since I have rubber mats?


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## ChestersMomma (Apr 3, 2011)

kitten_Val said:


> I'm really hoping to hear opinions together with pros and cons of using shavings/sawdust in trailer. I do use a little now and thinking if I can stop (as it makes lots of mess in trailer). My concern is if the mats become too slippery whey they pee or poop (although pee happened just once so far in 2 years).


I've hauled with and without and don't have any real feelings either way. I know when hauling with sawdust, it's more to clean at the end of the day IMO. I didn't notice the horses slipping anymore without the sawdust.


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