Horse Bedding: Paper
Recommendation: An inexpensive bedding. See Horse Bedding for a comparison to other options.
Summary:
| Attribute | Rating |
| Urine Absorption | Good |
| Ammonia & Odour Control | Average |
| Coat Feces | Some |
| Waste | Medium (moderate amount of soiled bedding) |
| Labour | Medium (moderate amount of labour required) |
| Cost | Low |
| Physical Health | Average |
| Mental Comfort | Average |
Explanation:
Paper bedding is typically made from clean waste paper (e.g. out of date newspapers are often the main component) and as such can be seen as a form of recycling. It can be shredded, chopped or re-pulped into a cotton-like texture.
It absorbs urine well, although in the shredded or chopped paper formats it can end up as a wet mass, which is why it gets a lower rating than alternatives such as wood pellets for 'urine absorption' and 'ammonia & odour control'. In the pulped version it will coat feces somewhat; less well in the shredded or chopped formats.
Paper is dust free and in general horses will not eat it (an advantage over some other types of bedding). Although comfortable to lie on, it compresses flat and consequently provides only limited cushioning for the horse. Some owners complain about the ink from the paper going onto the horses. Shredded cardboard bedding has similar properties to paper, but provides better cushioning and normally does not have an ink issue.
