Acceptable beddings include straw, wood products, paper, pine needles and sand. Bedding should be free of toxic chemicals or other substances that could injure horses or people. Horses fed a pelleted diet should not have sand bedding because they tend to ingest the sand and suffer from intestinal impaction. Black walnut shavings cause founder in horses, and cocoa husks have also caused illness; therefore, both should NOT be used. Rubber mats should be used only with additional bedding.

The water absorption capabilities of different beddings follow:

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