A lot more for a lot less

  
   

HOW TO USE FIVE STAR

 

FIVE STAR has a very high capacity for absorption, but just as you need to dampen a dry cloth before you wipe up a spill, FIVE STAR needs to be re-hydrated to maximise its rate of absorption.

For a 12ft by 12ft stable you will need eight bags. To create banks, add three further bags – one per wall.

Lay the bags out evenly across the stable floor where you want the bed, leaving roughly equal gaps between the bags, the front of the bed and the walls.

Cut an opening in each bag. Starting at the back of the stable, add between 4.5 and 9 litres litres of water to each bag (the lower amount in damp weather - the higher amount in dry weather). After 10 to 15 minutes all the water should be absorbed, so return to the first bag you added water to and tip its contents out onto the floor. Repeat with the remaining bags.

With a rake, or fine-tined shavings fork, spread the bedding out evenly and make up any banks. The bedding will now have a soft, fluffy texture but some pellets may still be visible. This is normal as the FIVE STAR pellets will break down over the next 5 to 10 days, depending on how wet the horse is.

The stable is now ready for use. The bed will not appear as deep as a bed made with shavings, but FIVE STAR is immediately soft and firm to support the horse better than other products that compact down with use.
 
 
  
FIVE STAR MAINTENANCE
 

For best performance, the bedding should not be disturbed any more than necessary, as the control of wet and odour depends on the bed remaining in place.

On a daily basis remove solids. When doing so, be sure to shake the fork lightly and any bedding picked up with the manure will drop back to the bed – so less waste. Damp patches on the surface of the bed should be spread out across the top of the bed with the back of the shavings fork and mixed with dry bedding, but avoid turning over or mixing the bed too much. If there are any saturated patches on the surface, they should be very localised; carefully dig them out without removing any dry material.

Once removed, level the bed by filling in with any remaining pellets and dry bedding material from the rest of the bed.

For clean horses - Once a week, scatter one bag of FIVE STAR over the bed. This should be added dry without adding any further water, except in dry weather when water should be added as when setting up the bed.

For dirtier horses - Twice a week, scatter half a bag of FIVE STAR over the bed, adding no water. For the wettest/dirtiest horses, or if the horse is in the stable for extended periods, add half a bag 3 to 4 times per week, adding the new bedding to the dirtiest/wettest part of the bed.

FIVE STAR will absorb ammonia, which is good for healthy hooves and will keep the stable smelling sweet. If you can smell ammonia, this will either be because the bedding has been disturbed too much or because part of the surface has become saturated. Removing saturated areas and filling with dry bedding, adding new bedding if required, will quickly solve this problem.