{"id":2202276,"date":"2026-03-05T16:47:48","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T16:47:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/flld\/?p=2202276"},"modified":"2026-03-17T16:26:02","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T16:26:02","slug":"why-we-use-straw-to-bed-down-our-horses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/flld\/why-we-use-straw-to-bed-down-our-horses\/","title":{"rendered":"Why We Use Straw to Bed Down Our Horses."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Is Straw a Tradition Worth Keeping?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a world of rubber matting and processed wood pellets, there is something timeless and incredibly satisfying about walking into a stable with a fresh, deep banked straw bed. At Forelock and Load, we\u2019re surrounded by the Suffolk countryside, and for me, nothing beats the traditional golden glow of a well-made straw bed.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Wheat straw stable<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Unmatched Comfort and Warmth <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There is a reason we call it “tucking them in.” A deep straw bed provides a level of thermal insulation that many modern alternatives struggle to match. Straw traps air within its stalks, acting as a natural insulator against the cold. For a horse resting, sinking into a thick straw bed offers the comfort that encourages them to lie down and achieve that vital REM sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supporting Natural Foraging Behaviour<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Horses are trickle feeders by nature. One of the greatest hidden benefits of straw is that it keeps a horse occupied. Having a clean, edible bedding material allows for natural foraging throughout the night, which can help reduce stable vices and support digestive health. It\u2019s the ultimate boredom breaker that doubles as a bed!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Aesthetic of the Traditional Yard<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s be honest a stable banked high with clean wheat or barley straw looks magnificent. It reflects the light, smells like harvest, and creates an inviting atmosphere in the stable. I also feel it conjures up memories of farm horses in the early 20th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Practicality of Drainage<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While some prefer the clumping nature of shavings and other bedding alternatives, a well-managed straw bed allows moisture to drain through to the floor, keeping the top layer dry and inviting. With the right mucking out routine, it\u2019s a very cost-effective and sustainable way to keep your horse comfortable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Conclusion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I have used straw for many years and sweep the floor daily and sprinkle a stable fresh powder.<\/a> I also only have rubber matting by the doors of my stables, not through the whole box. I am happy with the straw I buy as it gives my horse a large, soft and comfortable bed. I find it easy to manage and I do not have a problem with his stable smelling. A lot of people think that straw takes a long time to muck out, but you can get stuck in and quickly get the job done. The last problem people encounter is the muck heap and removal. I stamp my muckheap down daily and do not have a problem with it getting out of hand. It is much easier to get rid of than shavings as it can go straight to the local farm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Is Straw a Tradition Worth Keeping? In a world of rubber matting and processed wood pellets, there is something timeless and incredibly satisfying about walking into a stable with a fresh, deep banked straw bed. At Forelock and Load, we\u2019re surrounded by the Suffolk countryside, and for me, nothing beats the traditional golden glow of<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":98,"featured_media":2200851,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[106,13,511,141,168,349,510],"class_list":{"0":"post-2202276","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-equestrian","8":"tag-equestrian","9":"tag-forelock-and-load","10":"tag-horse-bedding","11":"tag-horse-riders","12":"tag-stable","13":"tag-stable-management","14":"tag-straw"},"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/flld\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/61\/2023\/05\/Saddle-Cloth-Image.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Kirstie","author_link":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/flld\/author\/kirstie\/"},"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/flld\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/61\/2023\/05\/Saddle-Cloth-Image.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/flld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2202276","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/flld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/flld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/flld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/98"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/flld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2202276"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/flld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2202276\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2202279,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/flld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2202276\/revisions\/2202279"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/flld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2200851"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/flld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2202276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/flld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2202276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/flld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2202276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}