As Christmas approaches and our first year of Wood & Slumber draws to a close, we wanted to take a moment to say a very sincere thank you to everyone who has supported us. Launching a new bedding brand was a big undertaking, with a great deal of work happening quietly behind the scenes long before the first bale ever reached a stable – but seeing how positively the equestrian community has responded has made it all worthwhile.
From the outset, our aim was simple: to produce high quality, reliable and sustainable horse bedding. We invested time, research and resources into refining our production process, sourcing the right timber offcuts, kiln drying it properly, fully dust extracting the shavings and ensuring consistency from bale to bale. We wanted horse owners, yard managers and professionals to open every bale with confidence, knowing exactly what they were getting. And we’ve definitely delivered on that.
A brilliant response from the equestrian community
What has truly stood out this year is the response from the people who matter most – the horse owners and those caring for horses every day. We’ve had fantastic feedback from private owners, livery yards, trainers, rehab centres and veterinary hospitals all telling us the same thing: quality bedding, cleaner stables, easy mucking out and horses that rest well on our bedding.
Hearing how Wood & Slumber is making a practical difference in real yards and in all types of management systems, has been amazing and reinforces why we set out to do things properly from the start.
Growing our network of stockists across the UK
We’ve also been thrilled by the interest in our bedding from trade outlets across the UK. We’re proud to include beloved stable and farm suppliers, independent feed merchants and large equestrian retailers among our stockists. Their enthusiasm for stocking Wood & Slumber has helped ensure that horse owners nationwide can access our bedding locally which is very important to us. Building a strong network of stockists was a key focus for us when we launched and we’re proud of how far that reach has grown in such a short space of time.
That said, we’re still on the hunt for more stockists! Wood & Slumber is a premium, reliable product with clear benefits for horse health, stable hygiene and sustainability. It’s produced from responsibly sourced timber offcuts, is highly absorbent, easy to handle and one of only two small flake bedding accredited under the BETA NOPS Assurance Scheme. That offers peace of mind for professional and competition yards and it’s another selling point for our retailers. If you’re interested in becoming a stockist, we’d love to hear from you and are always happy to discuss how Wood & Slumber could fit into your offering.
A festive ‘thank you’
As we head into the final weeks of the year, we also want to recognise the reality of Christmas in the equestrian world. While many people enjoy a few days or weeks off, our horses and ponies still need the same level of care and attention, and yard staff continue to work hard 365 days a year. To everyone mucking out, feeding, checking rugs, exercising horses and keeping routines running smoothly over the holidays – thank you.
We hope that whatever your role in the equine industry, you’re able to enjoy some well-earned time with friends and family, share good food and recharge your batteries this Christmas. From all of us at Wood & Slumber, thank you for an incredible first year, for trusting us with your horses’ bedding and for helping us grow. We wish you a very Merry Christmas and look forward to what 2026 will bring.
