Austin & Central Texas
Lone Star Horse Hemp Bedding is made from hemp hurd—the absorbent inner core of the stalk. It is designed for targeted spot-cleaning, practical moisture management, and a more useful path from stall to managed compost.
Why hemp hurd
The real advantage is not one oversized claim. It is the combination of moisture handling, selective clean-out, horse comfort, and compostability.
The porous inner stalk can take up substantial moisture. Actual performance varies with particle size, processing, initial moisture, and product grade, so Lone Star will publish product-specific figures only after testing.
Hemp can absorb both water and ammonia. Used with daily manure removal, wet-spot management, and good ventilation, it can help keep a stall fresher. No bedding replaces proper airflow and cleaning.
Dust varies widely by cut, screening, fines content, and handling. Choose a screened, low-fines grade and avoid absolute “dust-free” promises. Horses with respiratory disease need veterinary guidance and excellent stable ventilation.
Hemp hurd is biodegradable and can be composted with manure. Decomposition time depends on moisture, aeration, pile temperature, particle size, and the balance of carbon-rich bedding to nitrogen-rich manure.
Stall setup & care
A “bag” is not a standard unit. Net weight and expanded volume differ sharply among brands. Calculate the cubic feet your stall needs, then divide by the verified expanded volume on your Lone Star bag.
Length × width × depth in feet = cubic feet
Remove the previous bed, inspect mats and drainage, and let the floor dry. Address standing water or poor drainage before adding any bedding.
Base the depth on flooring, mat coverage, turnout, horse habits, and barn policy. Confirm that the doorway and stall fixtures remain safe and clear.
Break up compressed material evenly. A light mist may control loose fines in some products, but follow the bag instructions and avoid creating a wet bed.
Use a fine-tine fork and take as little clean bedding as practical. Level the bed and visually check the horse’s usual urination area.
Lift out bedding that is wet, strongly odorous, or no longer structurally useful. Do not rely on color alone; retted hemp naturally varies in tone.
Top up by the volume removed rather than an automatic weekly bag count. Strip the stall when sanitation, odor, compaction, or barn protocol calls for it.
Straight comparison
The cheapest bag is not always the lowest-cost stall, and the most absorbent material is not automatically the best fit for every horse.
| Decision point | Hemp hurd | Pine shavings | Pine pellets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront bag price | Usually highest | Usually lowest | Usually low |
| Moisture handling | High; varies by cut and grade | Moderate; varies by flake size | High after expansion |
| Daily cleaning | Well suited to selective spot-cleaning | Familiar and easy to fork, but clean flakes may leave with waste | Wet areas break into sawdust-like material for removal |
| Dust and fines | Highly processing-dependent; screened product preferred | Choose a low-dust grade; quality varies | Often low as intact pellets; fines can increase after breakdown |
| Storage and handling | Compressed; compare verified expanded volume | Bulky but lightweight | Compact but heavy; some routines pre-wet |
| Composting | Biodegradable; mix and manage with manure | Biodegradable but carbon-rich | Biodegradable, also carbon-rich |
| Best fit | Barns prioritizing selective mucking and plant-based bedding | Barns prioritizing low purchase price and familiar handling | Barns prioritizing compact storage and strong moisture uptake |
Compare delivered cost, verified expanded volume, weekly replacement, labor, and manure-hauling volume—not sticker price alone. Product quality and individual horse habits can outweigh material averages.
Central Texas availability
Tell us your stall count, stall size, current bedding, average weekly use, ZIP code, and whether you can receive a pallet. That is enough to produce a meaningful comparison.
Those figures make a fair comparison with shavings or pellets possible.
Request Austin & Central Texas pricingQuestions from the aisle
It depends on target depth and the bag’s verified expanded volume. A 12′ × 12′ stall needs 48 cubic feet at 4 inches, 60 cubic feet at 5 inches, or 72 cubic feet at 6 inches. Divide that number by the expanded cubic feet per bag and round up.
No bedding should be described as literally dust-free without a defined test. Hemp’s airborne fines depend on processing, particle size, screening, transport, and handling. Choose a tested, screened grade and maintain ventilation.
No. Hemp can absorb water and ammonia and may help manage odor, but it does not replace manure removal, wet-spot care, drainage, or airflow.
There is no universal calendar. Strip when the bed is compacted, persistently wet or odorous, contaminated, or due under your barn’s sanitation protocol. A clean horse on mats may differ greatly from a stall walker.
Yes. Hemp hurd and manure can enter a managed compost system. Follow local manure-management rules and manage pile moisture, aeration, temperature, and carbon-to-nitrogen balance.
Review the rules of the governing body before use. Ask for current, lot-specific laboratory documentation, since hemp-derived bedding can contain trace naturally occurring cannabinoids.
Built for Texas barns
Bring your stall count and current weekly usage. We’ll compare volume, freight, clean-out practices, and realistic operating cost.