Disadvantages of Corn Cob Bedding for Horses

Expense

• While the price of corn cob bedding is fairly reasonable, it is still more costly than wood shavings purchased by the truckload or ton. Owners of multiple horses, or those who run large boarding or training facilities, will probably find it more cost effective to make a deal with the local lumber yard to purchase sawdust and wood shavings directly. Some lumber yards still allow individuals to drive up and purchase wood shavings by the truckload, and those shavings tend to be less costly than most brands of corn cob bedding.

Allergies

• While it is not very common, some horses are allergic to the compounds in corn cob bedding, and horse owners need to be vigilant when switching from wood shavings or straw to a new type of stall bedding. If the horse acts lethargic or if you notice any coughing or wheezing, it is a good idea to strip the stall and go back to the old bedding. Corn cob bedding can also pose a problem in boarding barns where one horse is allergic and others are not. If the barn owner needs to move horses around while doing work, the horses who are allergic could end up in those corn cob bedded stalls.

Initial Comfort

• With corn cob bedding and other types of compressed bedding, the initial comfort factor can be lacking. That is because these types of bedding are designed to soak up moisture, and as they do, they puff up into something resembling ordinary sawdust. The problem is that until there is moisture in the stall, the pellets can be quite hard and uncomfortable. Horse owners can spray the pellets lightly with water when bedding the stall, but doing so will reduce the useful life of the bedding, and increase the overall costs of keeping the stall clean and dry.