Bedding Choices

As the feed, hay, and bedding provider for international equestrian competitions, Kentucky Equine Research’s role typically includes communicating with all national federations to ascertain the type and quantity of products needed for each horse, working with government officials and venue organizers to import or procure products, and safely storing and providing these products to the teams as needed on the competition site.

When it came to bedding at the 2010 World Equestrian Games held in Kentucky, the horses’ managers could choose between wood shavings, wheat straw, shredded paper, or chopped cardboard bedding. About 15% of the competitors chose to bed their horses on wheat straw, while a handful used shredded paper or cardboard as bedding. Most of the horses were bedded on pine shavings. Over 11,000 bags of shavings were used!