Get box clever this season

Box rest; dreaded words to any horse owner. When you are already worried about your horse’s wellbeing, you don’t need the added concern that your bedding could be causing more harm than good. Box rest could be anything from a few days to several months and can be stressful for both horse and owner, however good management and a safe, clean and comfortable stable can alleviate the strain of the situation to ensure your horse’s health is not compromised.

When your horse is laid off work their management regime is drastically altered overnight changing their daily patterns and influencing their behaviour. In order to manage box rest effectively both the horse’s physical and mental needs must be addressed and with this in mind providing a safe, hygienic and comfortable stable can help maintain peak health in a variety of ways.

Nedz Bedding is made from top quality, chopped straw and provides a biodegradable, environmentally friendly, natural bedding. Combined with the exclusive Natural Nedz formula, both Nedz Pro and Nedz Original help ensure your stable stays clean and fresh with anti-bacterial, antiseptic, anti-fungal, and anti-parasitic properties to help eliminate odours and discourage insects and bugs.

Made from oilseed rape straw, Nedz Pro is highly absorbent, requiring just one full muck out per week negating the need to spend hours toiling at the yard and providing a sturdy, comfortable base for your horse to be bedded on. Nedz Original is a more traditional wheat straw product, offering a fluffy, cosy bed which rivals wood based products for absorbency. Both Nedz Pro and Nedz Original are quick and easy to muck out, leaving more time free to groom, make a fuss of and take care of your confined horse.

One of the common concerns for the box resting horse is wet bedding. Wet bedding not only causes saturation of the foot but also leads to increased levels of ammonia in the stable which can damage the horn and weaken the outer layer of the horse’s hoof, not to mention irritate the delicate respiratory system. Capable of absorbing up to five times its own weight in liquid, Nedz Advance is comprised of chopped straw pellets that break down as your horse stands on them, negating the need to add water, and creating a soft, yet sturdy, virtually dust free bedding. Nedz Advance also works in conjunction with other Nedz products to offer the exceptional absorbency, combined with a deep, cosy and more aesthetically pleasing chopped straw bed.

Nedz Bedding provides the perfect, natural solution for the box resting horse. Each 20kg bale of Nedz Original and Nedz Pro is tightly packed to ensure maximum value for money and typically requires only one bale per 7 – 10 days as a top up, prices vary between £6.50 - £8 per bale. Nedz Advance comes in easy to handle 15kg bags and costs between £6.50 and £8.50 per bag.

To find out more about the Nedz range of bedding solutions tel: 01254 677 762 or visit www.nedz.co.uk 

Sustain soles this season

With the cold, damp winter weather just around the corner, horse owners are bringing their equines in from the field and setting up a nice, cosy stable to protect them from the seasonal elements. However stabling horses can bring a new set of problems, including saturation and weakening of the horse’s hooves in wet and dirty bedding.

We are all familiar with the old proverb “no foot, no horse” and it couldn’t be truer today. Hoof health is indisputably important as neglected hooves can lead to discomfort, pain, disfigurement and lameness. Though stabling our horses can protect them from rainy and wet weather many horses and ponies feet deteriorate during the colder seasons as a result of bedding which lacks absorbency. 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.

Nedz bedding provides the perfect range of products for horse owners concerned about healthy hooves. All Nedz products are manufactured from high quality chopped straw but that has been dust extracted to offer exceptionally absorbent, hygienic and virtually dust-free alternatives to traditional bedding methods.

Not only do Nedz provide the perfect bedding solutions for the wetter horse, to help avoid seasonal problems such as thrush and other fungal infections, the state of the art dust extraction process makes every product in the range ideal for equines suffering from respiratory problems or simply for owners requiring added protection for horses on reduced turnout time during winter.

All Nedz products, including Nedz Original, Pro and Advance, are simple and easy to use and rot down a few months to provide an economical bedding choice.

Take a deep breath this season...

Are you already dreading the winter season ahead? Horses that suffer from respiratory conditions or dust allergies can find the winter months a tricky time of year to deal with, however there are precautions that you can put in place to help your equine deal with the dust, and they may be simpler than you think…

It can be very stressful for horses, and their owners, when dealing with breathing conditions. Recurrent Airway Obstruction, or RAO, (formerly known as COPD) can be exacerbated by factors in the environment, and when winter weather means essential stable time, exposure to these elements can be unavoidable.

You can significantly reduce the levels of dust in your horse’s stable by implementing a few straightforward management practices. Choosing your horse’s feed and forage carefully, trying not to groom muddy horses in an enclosed area, and avoiding sweeping or mucking out around horses that have a delicate respiratory system can all help, however your bedding choice can have huge implications.

Choosing dust extracted bedding can make a significant difference to horses with respiratory problems. Many products harbour dust particles that, when disturbed, enter the air in the environment and if ventilation is not at its best – which it often isn’t in many stables – this dust will linger in your horse’s box and irritate the respiratory system. Nedz Pro has been put through a rigorous dust extraction process using state of the art technology to virtually eliminate dust particles making it ideal for all horses and ponies, including those already suffering from breathing difficulties.

A slightly less obvious point to consider is absorbency. Ammonia is an unavoidable noxious gas that is in all horses’ urine and droppings. This ammonia can cause irritation to the sinuses and respiratory system, which can lead to breathing difficulties and conditions, so by choosing a product which soaks up your horse’s waste you can reduce the level of ammonia in the stable. Nedz Pro is made from highly absorbent rape straw that is chopped to produce short fibres capable of soaking up urine quickly. The result is a large reduction in ammonia levels and of course a more hygienic stable environment.

Moulds and fungal spores also contribute to respiratory problems, which is why Nedz Pro is treated with exclusive Natural Nedz to offer anti-fungal properties, along with a host of other benefits, which helps reduce these harmful contaminants. The addition of Cade Oil also ensures a clean, fresh, yet non-overpowering odour is maintained in the stable from the initial opening of a bag, throughout use.

Nedz Pro is priced around £6.50 - £8 for a 20kg bale. The recommended set-up is around 4-5 bales for a 12 x 12 stable, with one further bale added every week.

To find out more about Nedz Pro and the other dust extracted bedding products available from Nedz, tel: 01254 677 762 or visit www.nedz.co.uk 

Don't waste time mucking out!

It seems like only a moment ago we were preparing our horses for their increased turnout time over summer, but as autumn draws closer and the nights get cooler it’s time to provide a cosy stable to keep our equine friends warm, safe and dry. If you are time conscious this season and would rather be saddling up instead of shovelling, then Nedz Pro is sure to reduce mucking out time with its exceptional absorbency.

Nedz Pro is made from carefully selected chopped and dust extracted Oil Seed Rape Straw providing completely natural bedding that offers a fantastic alternative to other bedding products on the market. The inclusion of an exclusive organic formula, Natural Nedz, offers anti-bacterial, antiseptic, anti-fungal, and anti-parasitic benefits, helping to eliminate odours and discourage insects and bugs, and generally keep your stable clean and fresh - vital for the times when your horse is stuck inside!

Due to its highly absorbent properties, Nedz Pro only requires a full muck out once a week negating the need to spend too much time shovelling, while also providing a sturdy, comfortable base for your horse to bed down on. When utilised efficiently and skipped out daily Nedz Pro requires minimal topping up so not only will it cut the time spent doing yard chores, but it will also cut down on expenses!

In addition, when looking at the whole bedding picture, Nedz Pro is highly biodegradable ensuring that your stable waste rots down within two to three months, saving space on your muck heap, reducing muck heap removal costs and even providing you with a ready-made fertiliser for your fields!

If you would rather spend your time riding this season, instead of mucking out, then set up a Nedz Pro bed today and see how much time you can save. Priced around £6.50 - £8 per 20kg bale, an average 12ft x 12ft stable requires 4 – 5 bales of Nedz Pro for initial set up and around one additional bale per week to top up. For more information visit: www.nedz.co.uk

Forget gold this season, go green!

Unfortunately when it comes to the environment there is no ‘planet B’. With this in mind it is our duty to take the ‘greenest’ approach to everyday life when possible and this can also be applied to equestrian products. Whether it is a chemical-free fly spray, organic feed or horsebox sharing, we can no longer bury our heads in the sand and shake off responsibility and one easy way to clear your conscience is by purchasing a sustainable, environmentally friendly bedding.

In order to reduce your equine carbon footprint it is important to minimise waste wherever possible, however in order to keep our horse’s stables safe and hygienic it is important that we don’t scrimp on mucking out skills. Wet bedding can cause high amounts of ammonia in the air surrounding horses which can have damaging effects on the respiratory system, not to mention what lying down or standing in mucky bedding can do to skin and hooves.

Nedz products are made from chopped straw making them one of the most environmentally friendly bedding categories on the market as a result of the methods in which it is grown, the natural formula it is treated with and its quick rotting properties. Nedz re-uses what would otherwise become a waste product from the harvest of wheat or rapeseed making it sustainable and efficient.

You can rest assured that only the most natural ingredients are used to produce Nedz products, particularly Nedz Orginal and Nedz Pro which are both treated with a totally organic, natural formula, Natural Nedz. This means that the bedding contains no chemicals or pesticides, whilst also helping to reduce the amount of bacteria, moulds and parasites found in your horse’s stable.

Disposing of Nedz is simple, easy, and cost effective. The chopped straw is highly absorbent which means that only small amounts of bedding are removed during mucking out and once on the muck heap Nedz rots down within 2-3 months – as opposed to 2-3 years in the case of wood based products. Once this process has occurred the by-product can be safely spread on fields as a totally natural fertiliser, without any risk of valuable nitrates being removed from the soil.

For further information visit: www.nedz.co.uk or telephone (01254) 677 762.

A Subtle Scent

Our equines not only possess fantastic visual senses but also are well known to have an exceptional sense of smell. Large nostrils may be a key giveaway to this fact, but it has been calculated by scientists that if you spread out the sensory mucous membranes of the horse’s nasal cavity it would be large enough to cover their entire body!

Many bedding products on the market today offer a bedding source that has been treated with ingredients in order to offer health boosting benefits, as well as mask stable odours and help repel insects. This treated bedding is a fantastic evolution in equine management and has lead to increased hygiene and reduced ‘bedding-related’ health conditions, however it is important to consider the horse’s delicate sense of smell and to ensure that the odour is not too overpowering for their comfort. Attempts have been made to assess how many times greater the equine sense of smell is than our own, and though nobody knows for sure, it is estimated to be within the hundreds of thousands!

Many of the commonly used bedding treatments can have detrimental effects on the horse, triggering negative responses, and the strong odours can overwhelm their senses. If bedding has the ability to make your eyes water and nose sting, imagine the consequences it could be having on your equine’s delicate sinuses. The right formulation can have positive effects on horses, particularly those suffering from skin irritations, respiratory conditions or those who spend long periods in the stable, however it is vital to strike the right balance in order to provide a restful, safe and comfortable environment.

Nedz Original and Nedz Pro have the whole package! Both bedding products utilise the carefully formulated Natural Nedz, which is an exclusive, natural treatment made from Manuka, Cade Oil and Aloe Vera. Cade Oil a recognized antiseptic known to aid skin irritation with a subtle and fresh odour. Aloe Vera is a soothing substance identified for wound healing and its ability to help regenerate cells make it perfect for sensitive skin. Manuka Oil is a unique type of tea tree oil, which has anti-bacterial, anti-septic, anti-fungal and anti-insecticidal properties, with no known side effects.

Combined together, Natural Nedz adheres to the dust extracted, top quality chopped wheat and rape straw used to create Nedz Original and Nedz Pro and the end result is a mild, fresh scent which virtually eliminates harmful odours such as ammonia and provides a subtle breath of fresh air in the stable environment. Natural Nedz strikes the balance between keeping your stable fresh and clean and ensuring your horse is not overwhelmed with chemical smells.

Nedz Original and Nedz Pro are both available in 20kg bales, priced from around £6.50. For more information visit: www.nedz.co.uk or to find details of your nearest stockists, tel: 01254 677762

Five steps to successful bedding this summer!

The warm weather brings longer turnout time, but for a large proportion of horses they are still stabled overnight. This means despite the summer sun some horses can still spend more time in their stable than in the field, making bedding choice crucial to their health and comfort. With the many different options on the market it can be a minefield to decide so Lisa Cooper, Managing Director at Nedz, offers up her trusty ‘five-steps-to-consider’ rules to help owners choose wisely…

Absorbency. Ammonia can be incredibly damaging to the strength and integrity of horses’ hooves and as hoof health is fundamental to both comfort and performance, good bedding must be absorbent. Wet bedding can cause problems such as thrush and can soften and weaken the hoof leading to cracks. Ammonia also has both hygiene and respiratory implications as it can be very irritating to sinuses and the respiratory system, as well as attracting flies and other insects.

Cost. In the current climate horse ownership is tough so considering your usage may save you money. A cheap price per bale may look attractive in the short term, however you may end up using more product, which soon bumps the cost up. With bedding you get what you pay for, so a more expensive product is likely to be better quality and last longer than a budget alternative. Look at the whole picture when choosing bedding, for example, will it rot down quickly? If the answer is no your muckheap removal costs could make your product choice an expensive one!

Support. For those horses suffering from ailments such as laminitis or having to endure a period of box rest, bedding which gives support is vital in order to keep painful feet away from hard surfaces and prevent brushes or knocks to the limbs causing problems such as capped hocks and elbows.

Mucking out. Time is precious and a product that is quick and easy to muck out is essential. Choosing a bedding which is absorbent means wet patches can be easily found and removed, choosing a product that does not stick to muck and rugs will also make life easier and produce less wastage.

Dust. The dust content of your bedding is one of the most crucial aspects to consider when choosing bedding. This is because the horse’s ability to respire (breathe) is vital to their performance. Dusty bedding limits the horse’s ability to respire as the harmful dust particles can result in excessive mucus production and inflammation in the respiratory system in an attempt to dislodge dust.

For bedding that ticks all of these requirements consider Nedz. With three different types to choose from every horse’s needs can be catered for. Nedz Original, Nedz Pro and Nedz Advance all embody the Nedz sentiment of minimal dust, maximum absorbency, cost effectiveness, springing support and with all three products being produced from high quality chopped straw they rot down quickly and efficiently. For more information visit www.nedz.co.uk or tel: (01254) 677 762.