Where to buy alternative types of horse bedding

If you are struggling to get your hands on straw this autumn, we’ve compiled contact details for the suppliers of 12 alternative types of horse bedding

Straw pellets: Nedz Advance

• Chopped and ground straw, sterilised then pelleted

• Launched 2008, available nationwide

• Tel: 01772 877096, www.nedz.co.uk

Chopped straw: Belvoir Bed

• A combination of wheat and rape straw that has been chopped, dust-extracted and treated with a natural formula containing lemongrass

• Launched 2008, only available direct from manufacturer

• Tel: 01772 877897, www.belvoirbed.co.uk

Rape straw: Bedrap

• Best-quality rape straw, which is cleaned, chopped and dust-extracted

• Launched 2005, available nationwide

• Tel: 01285 653738, www.bedrap.co.uk

Shavings: Bedmax

• From renewable forestry timber, with shavings cut to large, medium and small size for optimum cushioning, aeration, drainage and absorbency

• Launched 2000, widely available

• Tel: 01668 213467, www.bedmaxshavings.com

Wood pulp: Megazorb

• Virgin wood pulp, dried and sterilised

• Launched 2000, available nationwide

• Tel: 01759 318396, www.northerncropdriers.co.uk

Wood fibre: Easibed

• From clean white wood fibre

• Launched 2003, available nationwide

• Tel: 01613 702360, www.easibed.co.uk

Woodchip: Orchard

• Recycled hard and soft wood, graded, chopped and sifted

• Launched 2007, available nationwide depending on order size

• Tel: 01780 470045, www.orchard-equestrian.co.uk

Hemp/flax: Aubiose

• From hemp grown in Champagne region of France, processed via milling and sieving

• Launched 1973, widely available

• Tel: 0800 3891703, www.aubiose.co.uk

Cardboard strips: Shreddybed

• A mix of cardboard waste and large pieces of flat card, shredded

• Launched 2005, predominantly for purchase in the south-west, but available nationwide depending on order

• Tel: 01566 776756, www.shreddybed.co.uk

Shredded paper: Yesterday’s News

• Recycled newspaper, shredded

• Mainly Lincolnshire, but nationwide for bigger orders

• Tel: 01775 710171, www.yesterdays-news.co.uk

Miscanthus: Miscanthus Bedding

• Miscanthus plant harvested, broken down into optimum particles and softened

• Launched July 2010, mainly Midlands area, but nationwide for bigger orders

• Tel: 01889 500476, www.miscanthusbedding.co.uk

Softwood fibre pellets: White Horse Bedding

• Made from virgin softwood fibres compressed into low-moisture content pellets

• Launched summer 2010, available nationwide online

• Tel: 01672 838202, www.whitehorsebedding.co.uk

In some cases other suppliers are available — a websearch may produce more convenient sources

This is an extract from a feature first published in Horse & Hound (30 September, ’10)