Q: Which product is best for my horse: Dry Stall, Cedar Dry, Best Cedar or Best Pine?

A: All four products can be used in a box stall and or a pipe corral. It really depends on your stall situation and what you are trying to achieve. The following is a brief description of each products uses and benefits.

Q: What is "Dry Stall:

A: "DRY STALL" is a naturally occurring highly absorbent lightweight volcanic aggregate. Due to its porosity, it is an ideal medium for aerating, softening, and draining your soil. Therefore, it came from the earth. It is all natural. Dry Stall acts like little marbles through out your native soil, giving the soil better drainage and better aeration. Ideal for mud! Say good-bye to mud with Dry Stall. Indoors, Dry Stall can be used to absorb urine and extend the life of your bedding as well as your flooring. Dry Stall is safe to use as a bedding alone - even for the miniatures. Dry Stall can be placed directly into mud.

Some other uses are for gardening to aerate and drain your soil to obtain better root growth; for a generic cat litter; an absorbent for oil and grease spills; in snow to eliminate slipping; or as an aggregate for lightweight concrete.

Q: What is "Cedar Dry"?

A: "CEDAR DRY" is a fifty-fifty blend of Dry Stall with a mid-western cedar that is a type of wood that can withstand Mother Nature. It has the ability to dry itself out and will not decompose like most pine. The cedar is aromatic as well as benefits the barn by reducing the fly population. Cedar Dry works great in shady paddocks as well as a bedding in a box stall. It's best to get Cedar Dry down before the rains. Great for dog runs and will eliminate fleas.

Q: What is "Best Cedar"?

A: "BEST CEDAR" is 100 percent cedar (same characteristics of the cedar above). If using outdoors do not place directly into mud. It will disappear. You have to get the cedar down before the rain. This product is loved by people who live in very windy areas. Why, because it will compact and will not blow away like shavings.

Q: What is "Best Pine"?

A: "Best Pine" is a great replacement for regular shavings or straw bedding. Why? Because it is permanent. Yes, you do not take it out. It has been kiln dried and has a moisture content of 6% as opposed to shavings at 14%. This difference leaves you with a highly absorbent bedding. Better yet, it is a type of pine that has the ability to dry itself out, similar to Dry Stall, and go back to work. Our pellets are 100 percent pine. We do not substitute spruce wood. The pure pine gives you fabulous odor control. The benefit of Best pine is very little removal from your stall, less haul away, and no more ammonia odor. And it's completely safe for composting and can be used cat litter.

Q: Will my horse eat these products?

A: Typically, no. The materials we use are all natural. They may take a curious bite but than they normally spit it out. The sizing does not assimilate a food source.

If a horse does ingest the Dry Stall, it is a good indication that they are lacking minerals. Remove the dry stall immediately and feed Sand 99 and a mineral supplement.

Note: The DRY STALL only weighs approx. 28 pounds per cubic foot. Sand and DG weigh approx. 100 pounds per cubic foot. The veterinarians feel that if ingestion did occur that it is light enough and large enough to be passed along with the food. Other materials are so heavy they tend to settle in the gut.

Q: Is it abrasive?

A: Not really. After laying down the "DRY STALL" a person can sit and lay down in it. We recommend placing shavings over the DRY STALL where you have coverage until the material has a chance to work into the soil a little bit. For outdoor areas use no shavings. You will find that if your horse has thrush the DRY STALL will reduce the problem.

Q: When's the best time to place Dry Stall - before or after it rains?

A: It's best to begin the conditioning process prior to the rains. You need to establish a base or drainage. It's very beneficial to place a few bags down prior to a rain. The DRY STALL will absorb the rain and deter the water from entering into the soil. Dry Stall can be placed directly in the mud, however, it will take a little more product.

Q: Do I have to remove it?

A: No! DRY STALL is permanent. It will work its way down into the soil like an earthworm. It hasn't disappeared. This is where you want it. After a few months, you will need to add a few bags again. This layering squeezes the clay out.

Q: Will Dry Stall benefit Cedar Dry or Cedarest?

A: With Dry Stall, you can place it directly in the mud without harming the material. Cedarest cannot be placed directly in the mud. By placing Dry Stall under shavings, straw or Cedarest will keep these materials from decomposing as quickly.

Q: How do I know what quantities to use?

A: It is important to start with the recommended amount of Dry Stall. Remember, smaller pens receive the same amount of urine, manure considerable more hoof traffic than larger pens. A pen measuring 12 X I2 requires a minimum of 10 -20 bags for an out door uncovered pen and 3-5 bags for a covered pen.

To quickly install your Dry Stall, lay all the bags out in your pen. (Larger pens need not be bedded on the outside edges). The horse will spread it soon enough. This also keeps it deeper in the middle. Slice the bags open the width of the bag. Spread the Dry Stall. It is important to keep your stall raked during the conditioning process. Try and rake towards the covered portion. This will create a natural slope away from the covered area.

Q: What kind of maintenance is required?:

A: There is virtually no maintenance for DRY STALL. Depending on your clay soil, you will need to add a few bags periodically.