Choosing the right bedding makes a remarkable difference to your horse’s wellbeing. What sort of equine bedding is best in winter?
Chopped straw, wood shavings and blends of the two are all popular winter options, each offering distinct advantages. Chopped straw is valued for its natural insulating qualities, thanks to the tiny air pockets within each piece. This warmth is especially welcome in winter, helping to create a cosy surface that many horses instinctively enjoy lying on. Take a look at Bed-Down’s Rapasorb chopped rape draw, or our improved chopped wheat straw Traditional bedding, with its lemon fragrance. The texture of chopped straw encourages natural resting behaviour, allowing horses to relax fully and achieve deeper sleep. Modern chopped straw bedding is also far cleaner than traditional long straw, with dust-extracted versions providing a fresh, inviting bed without compromising respiratory comfort. At Bed-Down, every bedding product goes through a state-of-the-art dust extraction process, ensuring a cleaner, healthier environment for horses throughout the year.
Wood shavings bring a different set of strengths. Highly absorbent, they quickly draw moisture away from the surface, maintaining a dry, hygienic bed and helping to control odour. Their soft, cushioning nature offers excellent support, benefiting older horses or those needing extra comfort for their joints. Because dust-extracted shavings are gentle on the airways, they remain a strong choice for horses prone to respiratory sensitivities, while also being simple to maintain thanks to their targeted mucking-out properties. Check out our Pure Shavings – 100% soft wood flakes – and our Lavender Shavings, soft whitewood shavings with lavender oil for anxious horses or for those with allergies.
A mixture of chopped straw and shavings, such as our Excel and Excel Plus bales, provides a balanced equine bedding option that makes the most of each material. The combination creates a warm base from the straw’s insulation while the shavings boost absorbency, helping the bed stay drier for longer. The blend also produces a soft, inviting surface that still retains structure and warmth, offering an appealing compromise for owners who want the best attributes of both products in one bed.
With winter placing extra demands on stable management, opting for high-quality, dust-extracted horse bedding can make the environment noticeably more comfortable for your horse. Whether chopped straw, wood shavings or a mixture is most suitable for your particular horse or pony, each provides reliable warmth, dryness and support to keep horses content through the coldest months.
Browse Bed-Down’s range of premium dust-extracted equine bedding and if you need assistance in matching the right product to your equine friend, don’t hesitate to call us for advice; one of our specialists will be pleased to chat.
Contact us today on 01986 785278 or at info@bed-down.co.uk
