Anybody bed with peat moss?

[War Admiral]

I'm toying w/ switching over to peat moss bedding - mostly b/c of the difficulty in obtaining regular shavings, sawdust and pelleted bedding on a regular basis in my area. (I only keep one horse at a time, so shipping in by the semi-load isn't really feasible.) The other alternatives discussed here are likewise unavailable. :( Peat moss however seems to be readily available everywhere I call, and seems to be the same cost per bag as pelleted bedding...

So, those who have used it, what do I need to know? Stall floors are clay - should I bed right on top of that or use mats? How much to use? How absorbent is it? Any down sides I need to know about?

Any comments/suggestions would be most welcome!

[2 tbs]

I know a horse with heaves who is bedded on it but she doesn't live in her stall. She roams 24/7 except to eat and when farriers/vets/manure removal are at the farm.

I know nothing about it except it works for her. I brought it up on a recent thread asking what to use when a horse has respiratory but someone posted info stating it was bad to use for that. I don't know any specifics of that info either-search my posts and you should see it. I just know it works for this particular horse.

I find it quite absorbant and it's put directly on top of clay floors. The biggest downfall I see is the color ;). I don't like how dark it is - makes me always think the stall needs stripped. There may be other bad things about it but color is the only one that seems to be an issue for me :D

[Foxtrot's]

We have used peat moss quite a bit. It can be used for deep litter or normal bedding which is cleaned out each day. It is least expensive as deep litter. We used it for sheep and my horse who falls down because she will not sleep. I made a big mattress for her. It takes a few bales to get started. It can be dusty which is nasty. Once it has started, the bacterial breakdown keeps it going and there is never any smell. Just pick out the poops and I used to pick out the wettest spots if there were any. Mostly the wet just goes down to the bottom and the ability of peatmoss to absorb is amazing. If it is dusty, the brown stuff goes everywhere, up the walls, on ledges, etc. and if they are walking in and out, it tracks quite a bit. Somehow shavings, sawdust don't seem so dirty. You just keep adding a little bit as it gets tamped down. It is a very bid job to scoop out in the spring, but wonderful for the garden, and you hae to remember all the work you didn't have to do through the winter. So there are a lot of pros and cons. I actually did like it a lot, but somehow have reverted to pellets thata get mucked out each day. Pellets don't deep litter nearly as well, and get smelly. It is very important to make sure the peat isn't dry and dusty (ours arrives just nicely moist) because of respsiratory problems - as with any fine bedding I guess.

[EASY RIDER STABLE]

I used to have an International Racing Standardbred Trotter that didn't really have a breathing problem but to cover all the bases the Vet recommended we put him on Peat Moss. Well we ended up putting everyone on it it and it was a smelly, muddy mess. We had both clay and rubber matted stalls so that was irrrelavent. Everytime one of the horses would throw in a "klunker" of a race and we'd scope them after ...You'd see this fine trail of it all the way down their trachea. It dragged itself into my truck , my house, my clothes were constantly covered in it. NEVER, NEVER, EVER AGAIN ! And if you feed your hay on the ground and it gets even a little mixed in with it even the gluttons won't eat it so I was also forever throwing hay out daily. I'd bed down on rocks before I'd ever use that crap again...Sorry, I'm sure this isn't what you wanted to hear but "The truth is the truth"

[EASY RIDER STABLE]

It was so friggin' dusty (so why it would help a horses breathing is beyond me) that we had to water it down which turned it into an even BIGGER NIGHTMARE !

[2 tbs]

It was so friggin' dusty (so why it would help a horses breathing is beyond me) that we had to water it down which turned it into an even BIGGER NIGHTMARE !

Yeah see. That's what the other thread said too - very dusty and terrible for a horse with breathing issue. I don't get it though - ours isn't dusty and no one waters it???? How is that possible? Could it be it's not dusty because the horse isn't in it much? Maybe it's just packed down and not turned up so it works?

I really have no idea. I'm glad ours isn't dusty though. No wall "climbing", sticking to legs, tracking about - apparently it's only good for stalls with minimal use :winkgrin:

[jn4jenny]

Can't really help except to say that my trainer beds all of her stalls with peat moss. Her horses rarely go out more than 8 hours a day, often less in the winter. Her barn smells and looks great, it's never dusty, and AFAIK she doesn't water it. If you need more details I'd be happy to ask her how she's accomplishing this feat.

[War Admiral]

Can't really help except to say that my trainer beds all of her stalls with peat moss. Her horses rarely go out more than 8 hours a day, often less in the winter. Her barn smells and looks great, it's never dusty, and AFAIK she doesn't water it. If you need more details I'd be happy to ask her how she's accomplishing this feat.

Yeah, please do! I'd appreciate it!

It was used for horses w/ resp. problems for so many decades that I'm kinda thinking 5 gens. of horse persons can't be wrong, but... :confused:

[TrueColours]

Peat Moss Facts 101 ... ;)

There are 2 kinds of peat moss. The kind you go to the garden centre and buy for your flowers, that is lighter, drier and dustier and the "peatier" peat moss which is darker and has a higher moisture content

University of Guelph did a respiratory study and peat moss was one of the mediums used (and I have NO idea "which" peat moss they used either ...) and with 0% air flow up to 100% air flow and everything in between in their test stalls, when they did lung washes on the test horses, it was disgusting how much dark crud was being aspirated into the lungs. Speak to the head respiratory vet at Guelph - he will tell you flat out that peat is the worst bedding going and should never be used for horses with breathing issues

Now ... I am going to see a lady tomorrow who has been using the "peaty" peat moss forever and loves the stuff. They got a tractor trailer load delivered yesterday and there was so much moisture in the peat, it tipped the tractor over as the bags/skid were so damned heavy. So now the supplier only has this very wet peat which is totally unacceptable to them as it will freeze like an ice block in their uninsulated barns so they are desperately and quickly looking for alternatives. For a tractor trailer load worth, they were paying $13.00 a bag as well

Personally I detest the stuff - dark and leaves a black film over everything and when you go and blow your nose it comes out black as well. Its my least favorite bedding we have ever used

[IsolaBella09]

Hate peat moss.

[pintopiaffe]

forgive me, haven't read the other replies...

My run-ins and barns are 'lined' with peat moss, with shredded paper (and/or straw) over in the barn for foaling and such.

My floors are dirt, so the peat moss was an ideal compliment. I put down a layer, then put paper and/or straw over. It absorbs where the straw or paper doesn't, and yet you don't have to remove much--it also DRIES nicely.

Only 'issue' I have is when I take inside foal pics, the stall can look not-as-clean... the dark peat moss vs. the white paper... <shrugs>

The only complaint I have is that I have pintos, and sometimes white stockings aren't so white, and 'show bathed' white spots get a little muddy/dark if put up before dry.... completely drying and gallons of showsheen on the whites seem to allay this issue for the most part... plus, these days, I just resign myself to bathing or re-bathing at 00:dark:30 anyway. ;)

[EASY RIDER STABLE]

Those who posted the two (2) types of peat moss. Sadly the "peatier" peat moss that is more moist is also way more expensive therefore defeating the OP's original reason for switching. I totally sympathize with her as buying bulk sawdust (even for a large stable like mine) has tripled in the last year and bagged shavings (and I like IRVINGS best) is also outrageous at over $7/bag. Even I am trying to be more frugal these days and the horses that are pigs in their stalls that I without doubt can't afford to add a $7/bag of Sawdust into are now on straw. Costs me about a $1/day for those horses and the ones who are really clean in their stalls (actually poopin' pyramids in the corner !) are still on shavings.

[bird4416]

We had a horse bedded on it at our barn and his stall always looked dirty even just after it was cleaned and it tracked everywhere. I would never use it unless it was my only choice.

[War Admiral]

$7 a bag outrageous? Try $8.75 here! :eek: And for that you get the big nasty useless SunCoast ones, which I personally find I go through at the rate of 4-6 bags a week.

It's not like I'm not willing to spend what it takes; I'm limited by (1) what's available on a regular basis to buy in small quantities because (2) I lack storage space (I rent 2 stalls at a private barn and 1 of those has to store both my hay AND bedding).

Can't get sawdust, can't get shavings, can't get straw, can't get Guardian, can't get Strufex, and TSC here is warning everybody that they are not going to be able to get pelleted bedding in this area on a regular basis... :rolleyes:

[TrueColours]

War Admiral - what state are you in?

[Whispering Oaks Dressage]

I too am having issues finding sawdust. I am lucky to have a place to store a bulk load but now I cant find anyone with sawdust.

I second the "You'll Hate It". One of my boarders wanted to use it for their boy because the farrier told them it would help with abscesses. first it did not help the horses feet. He still got abscesses. Second it was so dusty you could not stand to be in the stall. There was a cloud of dust every time he came in that ended up coating my barn. Third it was very expensive. I made the owners provide it and did not reduce their board. I am glad I did that because it took so much extra work to keep the barn clean not just his stall. I used it for almost 2 months before I had enough and had them strip his stall.

[jennywho]

HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT

For all of the above mentioned problems. I used it for one season at the racetrack, miserable stuff. It wasn't overly dusty, but it did cling to the horses and if you had scratches, rundowns or any type of cut it became a nightmare.

The worst for me was in Feb. when we first moved in. The supplier delivered it in big bales which were FROZEN SOLID. I had to go to lowes, buy a pick axe and hack the stuff to pieces. What a nightmare.

[titan]

Over 10 yrs with peat & no resp. problems, horse or human. OK - dirty human boogies when the peat starts to dry out when horses are turned out 24/7 but no more than shavings dust which seems to burn

[Foxtrot's]

I think it depends upon how you are set up. I know mine stayed sufficiently damp not to be dusty. I've been in spotless barns where the blowers blow fine particles all over the place and that must be more damaging, but if your barn is painted fresh white, there might be a problem. I'd not want it in an in/out situation where it can be tracked evrywhere. But just for sleeping in, we actually liked it. It was cost effective as deep litter. On other threads there have been very distinct like it or hate it views.

[easyrider]

I bed with peat moss and straw over dirt floors and love it. There's less dust than with shavings, in my experience. It's amazingly absorbent and my stalls always smell clean. I find it easy to pick out the wet; you can see clearly the darker areas. My grey horse was never stained from bedding on peat and straw.

The only downside I've had is when I have to buy bags that have been stored outside in the winter. Sometimes I have to chip out the outer, frozen layer and that's a big drag. But I'd try it and see if you like it!

[TrueColours]

I had to go to lowes, buy a pick axe and hack the stuff to pieces. What a nightmare.


okay Jenny - you just made my evening!!! :lol: :D :lol:

I am just envisioning this crazed woman, cursing and swearing as she hacks away at the frozen blocks of peat moss!!! :D

Been there, done that with frozen bags of large flake shavings as well as you kick and curse and bring shovels down on it trying to break the clumps apart ... NOT fun in the slightest!

[minnie]

When I only had one horse, that's what I used and I LOVED it. I put down about 6-7 inches of peat moss and topped it with straw. Worked like pampers! the peat is super absorbent and the straw gave him a nice fluffy warm bed. When the peat started getting dusty, I'd pile the straw in the corner and mist the peat and stir it through to keep it just slightly damp. Huge benefit was that I could spread it on the fields without having to compost it first.