Monday 1 November 2010

Try something Advanced this winter...

We understand that bedding is a personal choice – some people like big fluffy beds and others prefer a more minimal approach. Now that there are dozens of different types on the market it is the perfect time to try something new and innovative and what may have seemed the most economical solution for many years could well be rivalled by something new on the market.

Nedz Advance is a revolution in bedding materials and whilst it does not provide the traditional appearance that a fluffy bed offers – the benefits are almost endless.

Manufactured from chopped straw, Nedz Advance combines the amazing biodegradability of straw with modern benefits giving it an edge over other pelleted bedding. Unlike wood based products, which take around 2 years to rot down, Nedz Advance takes just 1 – 2 months meaning that muck heap removal costs are virtually eliminated. This exceptional rotting time could potentially save you hundreds of pounds each year making the bedding well worth it’s RRP of between £6 - £8 a bag.

In addition to this, Nedz Advance is one of the most absorbent beddings on the market – capable of soaking up around 5 times its own weight in liquid. This means that wet patches and ammonia levels are kept to an absolute minimum – saving on bedding and creating a healthier environment for both you and your horse.

The steaming process used to treat the straw before it is pelleted removes moulds and spores to offer a virtually dust free bedding product, as well as ensuring it is totally unpalatable.

Nedz Advance is available in easy to store, 15kg bags. We recommend around 6-8 bags for initial set up  (less on rubber matting) and on average one bag per week to top up depending on usage. Nedz Advance can also be mixed with other Nedz products to provide a super absorbent bedding with a more traditional appearance.

Visit www.nedz.co.uk to find out more.

Thursday 30 September 2010

September update from Steph

September started off busy with a trip to the Nationals for Steph and Mr P. "We came 4th in the Grand Prix and then we had some very strange marking in the Music test - my scores ranged from 66% to 74% so it appeared that one of the judges didn't like us! It meant we dropped down to 6th which was a shame but what can you do?! It certainly caused uproar on the BD dressage forums where a lot of people were supporting us!"

"We have also been out with the five year old Clyde and he has jumped to medium now and is scoring 65% and above each time out - we seem to have a case of seconditis at the moment but he is dealing with life very well!"

Coming up this month Steph has been invited to HOYS to compete in a dressage to music competition with the aim of getting dressage more in to the public eye. After that the pair are off to Italy to compete at La Mondria CDI***. She has also bought a lovely 2 year old from Ian Smith, "We have called him Captain Mack after one of Annabel's favourite TV characters," she tells us!

Horses are definitely running in the family as daughter Annabel has got her first pony on loan. "Jessie is a Shetland and is absolutely amazing," says Steph. "Annabel has taken to it like a duck to water but I am being very strict with her and she knows if she doesn't muck out she doesn't get to ride!"

Keep an eye out for more Steph updates coming soon!

Wednesday 1 September 2010

Nedz top bedding tips for the season

  • Don’t be fooled by looking at the costs per bale – look at the cost of bedding your horse per week, or per month. What appears a cheap price per bale may not be as effective as a more expensive product and you may end up using twice as much!
  • Buying in bulk should always get you a discount – don’t be afraid to ask your supplier. If you can’t afford to buy it all at once see if a friend wants to share the cost – in the long run you will save money.
  • Look at the whole picture – how much does it cost to have your muck heap taken away as well as the cost of the bedding – if you choose a product which is highly biodegradable you will incur much lower costs – if any – and be able to use it as natural fertiliser!
  • Choose products which don’t stick to muck as you won’t waste half of the clean bedding when you muck out.
  • Use the correct tool for your bedding – you would be amazed at what difference this makes to the amount of wastage.
  • Plan ahead – many people have been caught out this year and had to pay high amounts for bedding because they needed them at the last minute. Get organised and get your orders in way in advance to be sure you get the best deal.
  • Don’t be afraid to try new products – when you have used a product for many years it can be unsettling to change – however you may be pleasantly surprised at how much easier and economical a new product may be.
  • Think of your own health – you have to spend time in the stable too and dust and ammonia can equally cause damage to your own respiratory system.

Wednesday 25 August 2010

Steph climbs up the world rankings and makes up for lost time with Mr P!

Steph and Mr President have certainly been making up for lost time! After giving birth to her son, within a week Steph was back riding and just three weeks later she was competing at Hartpury CDI3* where she came 4th in the Grand Prix and won the Grand Prix Special. Ten days later the pair went to the Hickstead CDI3* and managed to bring home 6th in the Grand Prix and 3rd in the Grand Prix Special. These fantastic results have meant she has climbed up the world rankings and is now 67th in the world!

Since then she has been a busy bee doing shoots for Your Horse magazine and competing her up and coming youngster, Mr Hyde (apparently he is true to his name!) and had him out doing his first Novice (scoring 71%!!!) and Elementary just a few weeks ago. "Competing with two children is a challenge," Steph says. "Simon is going greyer by the minute! Not only does he have the job of looking after the kids when I am competing but he also is my reader - last weekend Annabel was running around like a lunatic at B where he was reading and if she wasn't my own child I would have definitely made a comment!"

Steph and Mr P are on countdown to the Nationals in September and then have been asked to compete at HOYS in a trial dressage to music class along with a handful of other riders including Carl Hester, Richard Davison, Amy Stovold and Laura Bechtolsheimer, after that she is hoping to jet off to do the CDI3* at La Mandria in Italy. Watch this space for all the latest news!

Friday 28 May 2010

8 months down and still riding Mr P!

Now our sponsored rider Steph Croxford is eight months pregnant her competing has understandably fallen slightly by the wayside! "I was still competing at six and a half months and gloating about how my jacket still fitted," she said. "However at that moment I bent over and off popped a button so I think that signalled the time to hang up the reins for a while!" Although not competing Steph is still schooling Mr P, "I was riding up to three days before Annabel was born and back competing internationally 5 weeks after so I hope that this one (a little boy) will be the same!"

In the mean time Steph has been keeping busy. You may have seen in Horse magazine (on sale May 27th) that she helped a reader develop a horse's balance and self-carriage in their latest Masterclass - the Nedz banner was working hard and caused a rather large spook - caught on camera of course! We even got the chance to go and see her at work and it was very inspirational!

As well as this Steph is trying to put her five year old mare in foal to the 2009 Dutch Harness Champion in the Netherlands, "She has just been AI'd so we are keeping our fingers crossed. There are no Dutch Harness stallions in the UK and we are hoping if she takes she will throw a colt!" We will be keeping our fingers crossed too - as in Steph's words, "Mr P is an old fashioned Dutch Harness horse and I think it is better the devil you know!" The thought of a little baby Mr P is a very exciting prospect!

Who knows, next time we speak to Steph there may be another mini Croxford on the planet!

Tuesday 4 May 2010

Simple summer bedding

Summer months should be spent in the sun, having fun, riding and enjoying our horses – not mucking out in hot, stuffy stables! Nedz Advance provides a super quick, super absorbent and super hygienic method of bedding you horse, leaving you more time to enjoy the warmer weather!

The revolutionary Nedz Advance is manufactured using a unique process that steams top quality chopped straw to make it unpalatable and virtually dust free, before compressing it in to pellets. These pellets break down to form a soft, cushioned and extremely absorbent base for your horse or pony to be stabled on without the need for watering.

Offering a supportive, clean and hygienic bedding method ensures that horses and ponies in the stable – even those suffering from laminitis - can remain comfortable and supported even when stabled for long periods. The high absorbency of Nedz Advance dramatically reduces the levels of ammonia in the environment which in turn prevents insects and unpleasant odours, and because the bed needs little disturbing, dust is kept to a minimum making it perfect for those suffering from respiratory compromise.

Wet patches are kept to a minimum and droppings do not stick to Nedz Advance making it one of the quickest and easiest products to use on the market. The highly biodegradable product means muck heaps are kept small in size and what little muck that is there will rot down within one month, helping to reduce nasty odours that attract flies and are simply unpleasant when the warmer weather arrives.

During the warmer months when horses are stabled for reduced amounts of time it is not uncommon to only add one bag of Nedz Advance every ten days depending on usage – making the RRP of between £6 and £7.50 per bag an economical solution.

Be Pro-tected in the stable this summer!

Many horses are still stabled during the warmer months – even if it is for shorter periods of time – and providing a hygienic and dust-free environment is equally as important as during the winter.

Made from Oil Seed Rape Straw, Nedz Pro offers a super absorbent alternative to shavings whilst combining all the benefits of quick rotting, easy to muck out, cosy, chopped straw!

Due to its highly absorbent properties Nedz Pro only requires a full muck out once a week, creating a sturdy, comfortable base for your horse or pony to bed on. In addition, the unique Natural Nedz formula that is used in the bedding contains Manuka Oil and Aloe Vera to offer a safe, natural and organic environment for your horse that reduces ammonia levels and helps with horses suffering from respiratory and skin problems.

The entirely natural formula will help defend against harmful bacteria, particularly useful for travelling horses and those with weaker immune systems more susceptible to picking up viruses and infections. In addition Manuka has been used for hundreds of years to help repel insects making Nedz Pro the ideal solution for summer bedding. The rigorous dust extraction process keeps mould spores to an absolute minimum creating a safe environment for both you and your horse.

Quick and easy to muck out Nedz Pro is cost effective, with just 4-6 bales being needed for initial start up, and requires on average one bale per week to top up. Nedz Pro is highly biodegradable, rotting down within two to three months and can safely be spread as natural fertiliser – saving on muck heap removal!

Wednesday 24 March 2010

How green is your bedding?

With all the constant talk of environmental issues, horse owners have a responsibility to use the ‘greenest’ products, which includes everything from chemical free fly sprays to the bedding their horses sleep on.

Chopped straw such as Nedz is one of the most environmentally friendly bedding types due to the methods in which it is grown, the natural formula it is treated with and the methods of disposal. Unlike wood based products, straw is a waste product left over from the harvest of wheat or rapeseed. By re-using it as a bedding product for horses we are able to utilise a by-product which would normally be ploughed back in to the ground or left to rot.

At Nedz we use a totally organic, natural formula on both Nedz Original and Nedz Pro, containing no chemicals or pesticides. Natural Nedz discourages bed eating and provides additional health benefits to provide a safe, environmentally friendly surrounding. At no point does the bedding let off damaging toxins in to the environment and the high absorbency means potent ammonia levels are kept to a minimum. This not only makes our horse’s stable a safer area for him, but also for owners.

Disposing of Nedz products is simple and easy, as well as being cost effective. The chopped straw product rots down within 2 – 3 months – as opposed to 2 – 3 years in the case of wood based products – and once this process has occurred this can be safely spread on fields as a totally natural fertiliser without running the risk of removing valuable nitrates from the soil.

At Nedz we believe that horse owners should really understand the products they use to bed their horses on. Not only can this aid the environment and make for a ‘greener’ lifestyle – but also helps maintain a healthy, happy environment for equines and their owners.

Geoff's latest update

Our sponsored rider, Geoff Billington has had a busy start to the year. After completing The Champions Tour in January he spent a month competing across Scandinavia, in Denmark and Norway. Here he came second on Pedro in the biggest Grand Prix class in Norway as well as picking up the rides on two new Grade A horses, a nine year old called Quite Cadiz and a twelve year old, Charoix.

After several placings in Scandinavia with his new rides, Geoff has returned to the UK and had great results in the Grand Prix at Towerlands Premier Show, winning on Pedro, and the following weekend coming second on Quite Cadiz in the big class at The Hand Premier Show.

He now has lecture/demo's to do before competing at The British Open in the A&B Championships at the beginning of April and will then be travelling to Hartpury to give a masterclass during the Gala Evening at the Blue Chip Winter Show Jumping Championships on 16th April.

What this space for all the latest updates, straight from the horses mouth!

Steph has an action packed March!

"Mr President and I qualified first time out this year for the National Championships in September, when we went to Myerscough Premier League, winning the Grand Prix with just under 70%, this earned us a lovely picture and write up in Horse & Hound magazine and means the pressure is off to go to any more Premier League shows because the other piece of news is that I am nearly 6 months pregnant!"

"I will continue to ride providing I feel well enough and I trust Mr President with my life so even if I can't school him I will keep him ticking along with hacking. Simon, my husband, will keep the horses exercised when I can't ride. I plan on taking Clyde - my 5 year old - out to do the Badminton Young Horse qualifiers in mid April - providing my jodhpurs still fit and also my other 5 year old Ancie will be doing some Young Horse classes."

"Mr President and I have been nominated to represent Great Britain at Addington in the CDI*** Freestyle over Easter but we are not sure whether we will be going yet - it is very nice to be selected all the same. Clyde has been doing very well competing unaffiliated Elementary level - I am not allowed to qualify for anything under Medium level as I am a Grade 1 rider so we will continue at Elementary level unaffiliated for the time being."

"We have also been asked by Horse magazine to help two riders in a masterclass at the end of April. They will travel to our yard and I will give them some assistance and it will feature at a later date in the magazine. Overall it has been a busy month and we have plenty to keep us occupied with!"

Wednesday 3 March 2010

An Advance for Nedz suffering from laminitis

Nedz Advance has revolutionised the way many people bed their horses – offering a super absorbent, easy to muck out and highly biodegradable alternative to conventional bedding. As we come in to the spring season, whilst many horses are spending less time in the stable, for horses and ponies suffering from laminitis stabled time is often increased so ensuring their environment is as comfortable and healthy as possible is vital in the care of this debilitating condition.

Nedz Advance is manufactured using a unique process that steams chopped straw to make it unpalatable before compressing it in to pellets. These pellets break down to form a soft, cushioned and extremely absorbent base for your horse or pony to be stabled on.

Offering a supportive, clean and hygienic bedding alternative ensures that horses and ponies suffering from laminitis, or related issues, can remain comfortable and supported even when stabled for long periods.

Barefoot trimmer, Angela Corner has found Nedz Advance to be the most effective solution on the market. “As a barefoot trimmer I’m always on the lookout for the most suitable bedding for barefoot horses – both my own and my clients. Nedz Advance is the best bedding I’ve found. The unrivalled absorbency means that when horses are stabled their feet do not get damp by standing in wet bedding, which is vital for developing tough feet.”

“Nedz Advance also provides the comfort and support for hooves required by horses transitioning from shod to barefoot and would be particularly beneficial for horses recovering from laminitis and navicular syndrome,” she states. “And it’s a doddle to muck out too, leaving more time for the important stuff like riding! For barefoot horses there is nothing better on the market than Nedz Advance.”

Thursday 25 February 2010

Stephanie Croxford keeps us up to date...

Progress with Mr P's schooling this month has been affected by the poor weather as we only have an outdoor school. However Mr P is firing on all cylinders and ready for the competition season to start. He is out this weekend for a run out at a local show and to get back into the swing of things after the winter.

His first proper show is going to be Myerscough Permier League on the 13 and 14 March.  He is entered into the grand Prix Kur as part of the Gala evening on the Saturday night and then the Grand Prix Qualifer on the Sunday morning.

We have found Nedz Pro to be excellent and all the horses have managed the transition on to it very well. It has made the barn less dusty than conventional shavings and has been very easy to muck out and keep the beds clean.

Monday 1 February 2010

A new Nedz enters the dressage arena...

As part of their ongoing commitment to the equestrian industry, Nedz are proud to announce their recent association with international dressage rider Stephanie Croxford.

Having stepped in to the equestrian limelight with her talented and well known chestnut gelding, Mr President, Stephanie Croxford has made an inspirational journey from Novice rider to representing Great Britain in just six years!

Equestrian bedding manufacturer Nedz, are extremely pleased to have established a partnership with Stephanie and her exceptional sidekick Mr President and look forward to assisting her in the coming seasons. “Stephanie is a strong ambassador for her sport and proves that hard work and dedication pays off,” says Nedz Managing Director Lisa Cooper. “She represents all of the Nedz values and I have no doubt that she will be a valued member of our team. We are looking forward to helping form part of her support team and watching her and Mr President’s success.”

"I am very happy to be sponsored by Nedz,” says Stephanie. “It is a good quality product and all my horses seem very happy and settled on it. Nedz is easy to use, cost effective and makes for a clean, dust free environment with the Dutch barn.”

Friday 29 January 2010

Nedz are the ORIGINAL chopped straw supplier...

Nedz have been producing top quality, chopped straw bedding for over seven years and in that time the dedicated company has established a large following of both professional and amateur equestrian owners.

Nedz Original was the debut product in the Nedz range – as well as being the original chopped straw bedding product launched on to the equestrian market. Over the years the product and manufacturing process has been developed and improved to offer horse owners a superior bedding solution with a host of modern benefits.

Nedz are the original bedding manufacturer to use a totally natural and organic formula to discourage bed eating and maintain healthy, hygienic environments for both horse and owner to spend time in.

The rigorous dust extraction process makes Nedz Original virtually dust free and provides a super absorbent, economical and easy to muck out alternative to other bedding products on the market.

Nedz Original was the first of its kind and is the original chopped straw bedding product!

Priced at £5.50 £6.50 for a 20kg bag, Nedz Original is readily available. Visit our brand new website, www.nedz.co.uk or telephone (01772) 877096 to find out more.

Monday 4 January 2010

What does your choice of Nedz bedding say about you?

A bit of fun to brighten up those dreary January days!

You are a traditionalist who likes a big fluffy bed for your horse to snuggle down in to. You choose comfort first over other requirements and like to provide a cosy feel in your own environment – which you like to re-create for your horse. Your personality is fun loving and you adore giving people around you, and your horse, the fine things in life. Mucking out is part of the enjoyment of having horses and you like to spend time creating a beautiful stable for your horse to live in. You like to create a stable you would happily dive in to yourself!

Time is of the essence for you – you lead a hectic life and like to spend what free time you have focusing on enjoyment. You have high aspirations in your riding and practicality is a main priority, however you do have a soft side and like to maintain comfort levels. You like your stable to look welcoming, smart and tidy but don’t want to spend hours maintaining it.

You like to be in touch with the latest innovations in life and tend to be quite minimalist in your style. Practicality is a very important aspect of the way you run your everyday life and you like things to be functional, cost effective and easy to use. Mucking out is more of a chore and you would far rather spend your time riding and doing more important tasks – it is simply a necessary part of horse ownership and whilst it needs to be clean and hygienic, spending hours presenting it is not a priority.