How to Bed a Foaling Stable with Aquamax Bedding 18kg

By Gladwells Pet & Country Stores Online Shop | Published: 2026-11-04

Category: Guías prácticas

A practical step-by-step guide to bedding a foaling stable with Aquamax Bedding 18kg, from banked walls to deep litter, with checkpoints for mares and newborn foals.

Quick answer

Use Aquamax Bedding 18kg as a deep, banked bed in a clean foaling stable: empty and disinfect the box first, lay a thick base, bank the walls, and top up daily rather than digging out the whole bed.

Why Aquamax suits a foaling box

Aquamax Bedding is a wood crumble made from 100% pure pine white wood fibre from sustainable forests, and it is highly absorbent. In a foaling stable, absorbency matters because mares often pass urine and fluids during and after birth, and a bed that holds moisture rather than letting it pool reduces the wet patch a newborn foal may lie on.

The crumble texture also means there are no long straw stems to tangle around a foal's legs in the first wobbly hours. That is a practical advantage, not a guarantee of safety, so you still need to check the bed by hand before the mare lies down.

When deep litter is the right choice, and when it is not

Deep litter works well for foaling because it builds a firm, cushioned base and saves bedding between changes. It is less suitable if the stable is poorly drained, if the mare is a very wet horse, or if the box has been used by a sick animal. In those cases, start with a clean base and remove wet patches more often rather than relying on litter build-up.

The trade-off is time: deep litter needs daily skipping out and regular turning, or it becomes compacted and damp. If you cannot commit to that routine, a semi-deep bed with a full weekly change is a more honest choice.

Steps to bed a foaling stable with Aquamax

Empty and disinfect the box: Remove all old bedding, sweep the floor, and wash with a horse-safe disinfectant. Let the floor dry completely before adding new bedding. Common mistake: laying Aquamax onto a damp floor, which traps moisture under the bed. Check the floor is dry by hand before you open the bag.
Lay a thick base layer: Spread Aquamax Bedding 18kg evenly across the whole floor to a depth of roughly 10–15 cm, breaking up any clumps by hand. Do not compact it. Checkpoint: the bed should feel springy underfoot, not solid. Use about half the bag for a standard 12x12 ft box and keep the rest for banking and top-ups.
Bank the walls: Push bedding up against the walls to form banks about 30–45 cm high, especially on the side where the mare is likely to lie. Common mistake: banking too steeply so the bank collapses when the mare leans on it. Press each bank firm by hand. Walk the banks yourself to check they hold their shape.
Create a clean foaling zone: Leave a slightly thinner, level area in the centre where the mare will foal, so you can see fluids and the foal is not buried in deep bedding. Checkpoint: a newborn foal should be visible from the stable door. Keep the centre bed firm and level, not fluffy.
Skip out daily and top up: Remove droppings and wet patches every morning, then add a thin layer of fresh Aquamax to keep the surface dry. For deep litter, turn the bed weekly rather than digging it all out. Common mistake: adding fresh bedding over wet patches without removing them. If the bed smells ammonia at nose height, remove more wet material.
Do a final foal check before foaling: Before the mare is due, kneel on the bed and run your hand over it for sharp pieces, staples, or damp spots. Check that banks are stable and the doorway is clear. Checkpoint: no loose baler twine or bag strings left in the box. Repeat the hand check each time you re-bed before foaling.

Product facts

Aquamax Bedding 18kg: Aquamax Bedding 18kg is a highly absorbent wood crumble made from 100% pure pine white wood fibre sourced from sustainable forests. A highly absorbent crumble helps keep the foaling box drier under a mare and gives a foal a softer, less slippery surface than a thin bed.
Aquamax Bedding 18kg