Owning a horse, it has been said, is not a hobby but a lifestyle. Owners that are horse lovers know that what they receive from these majestic animals is more than they give and can never be expressed in the costs associated with keeping them. Horses depend on their owners for their daily needs and their comfort and safety. The bedding provided for horses is an important part of this equation.

While there are many types of horse stall bedding available on the market, research has shown that using hemp for horse bedding is far better than the other options available. Hemp bedding has many benefits for the environment, since it is a fully renewable resource, has been found to minimize labor and is less expensive than other options while also being the best choice for achieving good horse care. This includes managing manure and controlling flies (hemp has natural fly-repellent properties) and other attributes that contribute to equine comfort and health.

Hemp is a very absorbent material; horse bedding is made from the soft center of the plant stem that produces a soft material that retains warmth and absorbs over four times its weight in liquids. The increased soaking capacity of hemp means that it keeps horses dryer for longer than other materials such as wood shavings or straw.

Hemp also contains low levels of particulates which means that it diminishes the amount of dust that is produced. Because horses can only breathe through their noses, this is particularly important to help control respiratory and other health risks for the animal. Hemp is fully natural, does not contain phenols or other allergens and is not something that horses like to eat which adds to its health benefits.

Using hemp for horse bedding also helps contain ammonia odors in horse stalls. Hemp bedding allows urine to flow to the bottom of the stall and keeps the surface clean and dry. As a result, any odors are also trapped at the bottom of the material and reduces the amount of ammonia that is in the air (which also helps control flies).

Hemp horse bedding has been shown to last longer than other materials which means stalls need not be mucked out as often. This leads to an overall cost saving since there are lower transport, storage and labor costs associated with hemp. In addition, hemp is environmentally friendly as it produces four times as much pulp as wood per acre and takes much less time to grow.