ECO-friendly bedding will be on offer in the stables of this year’s Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials.

The recycled, biodegradable and “highly absorbent” material will be available for any riders wanting to try it, organisers said.

Made from shredded cardboard, it is being supplied by The Green Bedding Company, based in Upper Heyford.

The horse trials run from September 11 to 14 and attract about 60,000 people each year.

The Oxford Mail’s sister paper, The Oxford Times, is the official media partner of the event.

Horse trials spokeswoman Imogen Barnes said: “The cardboard would otherwise end up in landfill and once used provides excellent compost as it is biodegradable, rotting faster than straw, which means smaller muck heaps.”

Stable manager Zanie King added: “The horses seem to like it and they don’t eat it, which is always a problem with straw.”

The company is also developing similar material, made of recycled paper, for pets such as dogs and birds.

Spokeswoman Deborah Bryant said: “We are delighted to be able to showcase our new product to so many top riders and the public."

It comes after the horse trials, Oxfordshire’s largest sports event, began to take entries from August 7.

Those signed up already include Olympic team eventing silver medalist Kristina Cook, European Champioships eventing gold medalist Laura Collett and Badminton Horse Trials winner Paul Tapner, a spokeswoman confirmed.

The horse trials – which take place over four days – began in 1990.

The event is rated three-stars by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, the second highest level of eventing and attracts some of the world’s best riders.

Last year’s winner was William Fox Pitt, who won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics in team eventing.

For more information, see blenheimhorse.co.uk

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