Stay dry this autumn

--> The long days of summer are certainly getting shorter, and the cool weather of autumn will soon arrive. With shorter days and colder conditions, stabling time naturally increases throughout the autumn season, making it important to ensure your choice of bedding not only welcomes your horse but also cares for him!

Stabling at any time of year can pose challenges, and as time spent in the stable goes up – as it starts to do from autumn – the exposure to wet bedding can also increase. Wet bedding not only causes saturation of the foot but leads to increased levels of ammonia in the stable which can damage the horn and weaken the outer layer of the horse’s hoof.

Bedding solutions for respiratory health!

During the winter months, a horse’s respiratory health can become a concern if stabled for longer periods of time with limited or poor ventilation. Horses are especially sensitive to changes in their routine and environment, so as the cool, wet climate approaches there is an increased risk of developing respiratory problems, in turn leading to potential disruption of airflow to the lungs, varying degrees of difficulty in breathing and in some cases an intolerance to exercise. Help manage respiratory health by being prepared this winter and prevent a disorder from becoming a long-term problem!

Just as we are inclined to shut out the miserable weather by closing barn doors and windows, one of the most common causes of respiratory problems is inadequate ventilation for stabled horses, leading to an increased risk of exposure to mould, spores and dust. Disorders such as Recurrent Airway Disease (RAD) can become a persistent, long-standing problem for horses, leading to a decline in health and overall performance, however one of the best solutions to preventing a problem from occurring this winter is to provide a fresh supply of clean, hygienic, low-dust bedding!

Nedz bedding provides a hygienic, virtually dust-free, non-toxic environment for your horse. Made from chopped and treated high quality straw, Nedz is comfortable, absorbent and cost effective.  Nedz Pro is made from exceptionally absorbent rape straw to give a hygienic alternative to other bedding methods. This high absorbency reduces the risk of harmful ammonia, while dust, mould and spores are removed via the state of the art dust extraction process during manufacture. 

Before baling, Nedz Pro is coated with a bitter tasting formula containing Manuka, Cade Oil, Aloe Vera and Silver to provide a hygienic anti-bacterial and anti-fungal treatment to further boost respiratory support. Nedz Pro is quick and easy to muck-out, working best on a deep litter basis, giving you more time to spend with your horse during those dreaded winter months when mundane chores seem to take twice as long!

Bedding that performs

With the competition season in full swing, for many equestrians ensuring the equine athlete is in ‘tip-top’ condition, is vitally important. The last thing horse owners want when their equine is competing is for the inhalation of dust to affect the horse’s ability to perform in comfort.

The equine’s ability to respire literally dictates how much oxygen can be inhaled and in turn how much energy can be produced; as oxygen fuels the functioning of the muscular system. As the horse’s ability to succeed and enjoy ridden work is directly linked to their respiratory system, minimising their exposure to respiratory irritants, such as dust, is a crucial part of equine management.

Inhaling dust and mould spores can lead to inflammation of the airways, reduced air space and irritation of the cells. During the summer time the ground often dries up and the pasture becomes significantly dustier. Most competition horses are stabled over night, and whilst we can’t do anything about dry ground in the paddock increasing dust levels, we can certainly take measures to limit the level of dust in our equine’s stabled environment.

Soaking your hay can be helpful, reducing the dust content and increasing hydration levels but selecting a bedding which is dust extracted is paramount.

Nedz bedding allows the stable environment to remain clean and fresh, combining the latest innovations, and technological advances in bedding with the traditional benefits of straw so Nedz can supply a soft, comfortable bed with additional health benefits.

The straw used in Nedz bedding is carefully selected and passed through a rigorous quality control process before being chopped and treated with the totally organic formula; Natural Nedz, providing antibacterial and antifungal properties thanks to the inclusion of Silver, Manuka and Cade Oil. The process of producing each and every bag of Nedz bedding then ensures any excess dust is extracted, so your stable environment for your competing equine won’t compromise the respiratory system ensuring hard working equines can perform at their best!

In addition, the high absorbency of Nedz products means that ammonia levels are kept to a minimum, which not only reduces the chance of harmful odours irritating your horse’s delicate sinuses and respiratory system, but also helps prevent bacterial infections in the hooves such as thrush.

Choose between Nedz Original, made from wheat straw for a traditional approach, or Nedz Pro for an exceptionally absorbent product made from rape straw. Both Nedz Original and Nedz Pro are available in 20kg bales and cost between £7 - £8.

For more information about the range of Nedz bedding visit www.nedz.co.uk or to find your nearest stockist call 01254 677 762.

Beat the box rest blues with Nedz

“Box rest” the dreaded words every horse owner hopes to never hear, but despite us taking every care and caution with our horses sometimes illness and injuries mean that a period of box rest is inevitable. However box rest doesn’t have to be all bad, providing we are adequately prepared to provide optimum care for our horses and ponies whilst they have to remain stabled!

The most important thing to consider if your equine requires a period of enforced rest in their stable is to ensure that their environment is as “equine friendly” as possible, offering a place of solace which is clean and hygienic. Alongside providing fresh water, ample forage and mental stimulation, one of the most important factors to consider for your box-resting equine is suitable bedding.

Purchasing a high quality, absorbent bedding is a must, as wet, urine-saturated bedding not only causes moisture to permeate our equine’s hooves potentially causing thrush, but also leads to increased levels of noxious ammonia in the stable which can lead to damaged hoof horn, a weakened outer layer of the foot, an irritated respiratory system and sometimes eye and sinus problems.

Nedz Advance is the perfect product for the box-resting equine. The virtually dust-free formulation is kind on the respiratory system whilst the comfortable bedding is composed from natural, high quality chopped straw. Nedz Advance is chopped and ground to produce highly absorbent fibres, which are then sterilized to reduce moulds and spores and presented in a compact pellet form.

With no need to water, Nedz Advance expands as your horse or pony is stabled on it, absorbing up to five times its weight in liquid and establishing a sturdy base for your equine to stand or lie on.

We all know that box resting our equines can cause our day-to-day costs to experience a bit of a hike and lead to a very time consuming operation, however muck does not stick to Nedz Advance meaning you are removing waste – not bedding and the quick-rotting formula means muckheap removal is virtually eradicated to keep costs to a minimum!