While it’s easy to view your bedding choice as something that creates a comfortable environment for horses, it also has an impact on their health and wellbeing and your workload. The right choice of bedding material supports their respiratory health, helps them rest properly and plays a vital role in day-to-day stable management. That’s why we put so much care into crafting our shavings — so you can have complete confidence that every bale you open is consistent, safe and made with your horse’s wellbeing in mind.
At Wood & Slumber, we’re passionate about doing things properly and making sure we create bedding that horse owners, yard managers and trainers can rely on. Here’s what makes our shavings different and why so many people trust them in their stables.
Kiln-dried for cleanliness and comfort
Our bedding begins with sustainably sourced timber, chosen for its quality and consistency. Before it’s machined to create the offcuts and waste that is processed into shavings, our timber is kiln dried. It’s a step that might sound simple but makes a world of difference.
Kiln drying reduces moisture content to an optimal level, helping to eliminate mould spores, fungi and bacteria that can sometimes lurk in untreated wood. That means every bale you open is fresh, clean and ready to use without hidden risks. A drier bedding also means greater absorbency, so urine is quickly soaked up, odours are reduced, and stables stay cleaner for longer. That means you should save some time on mucking out and your horse benefits from a cleaner environment.
Dust-extracted for better respiratory health
One of the most important aspects of our bedding — especially for horses with respiratory issues older equines and sports horses — is that it’s fully dust-extracted. Excess dust in the stable environment can irritate the respiratory system, leading to coughing, allergies or more serious long-term conditions. For racehorse trainers, veterinary hospitals and rehabilitation yards, where horses’ lungs are under additional pressure, it’s a factor that simply can’t be overlooked.
By extracting dust during production, we help create a cleaner, safer atmosphere for horses and humans alike. The difference is noticeable: better air quality, fewer respiratory flare-ups, and peace of mind that you’re giving horses the best possible stable environment.
Consistency and quality in every bale
We know how important consistency is when you’re managing a busy yard or caring for multiple horses. Fluctuations in quality can disrupt your routine and, more importantly, affect the horses themselves. That’s why our process is designed to deliver the same high standard every time, from the size and texture of the shavings to the level of dryness and dust extraction.
Our bales are easy to handle and store, and the bedding itself is light, fluffy, and quick to bed down. It creates a soft, supportive surface that we like to think encourages horses to lie down and rest properly.
Sustainable for our planet
We believe that caring for horses should go hand-in-hand with caring for the planet. All our shavings are made from offcuts and waste produced when we’re processing the responsibly sourced timber from our parent company Arbor Forest Products Ltd. Because the bedding is highly absorbent, you’ll use less of it over time, cutting down on waste removal costs too.
And once it’s done its job, our bedding breaks down quickly and easily on the muck heap, making it a more environmentally responsible choice for stables and farms of all sizes.
NOPS accreditation for peace of mind
We’re proud that our shavings are accredited under the British Equestrian Trade Association’s Naturally Occurring Prohibited Substances (NOPS) Assurance Scheme, a recognition that’s rare within the bedding industry. While NOPS standards are most commonly associated with feed, we believe bedding should meet the same level of scrutiny.
This accreditation means every step of our production process, from raw material sourcing to transport, storage, and packing, is carefully assessed to minimise the risk of contamination. For professional yards, racing operations and veterinary hospitals, that’s an added layer of reassurance. You can stable competition horses, youngstock and equine patients with total confidence that their bedding won’t compromise testing results or their health.
We’ve spent years perfecting our process so that every bale delivers on those promises. It’s why, despite being new to the market, our shavings are being trusted in yards, racecourses, vet hospitals, and stables across the UK. And it’s why once you’ve tried them, you’ll never look back.
Ready to see the difference for yourself? Browse our stockists here and find out where to buy Wood & Slumber bedding near you.
