Horse Farming Question: OK to pasture horses on dirt?

by Alayne Blickle, Horses for Clean Water

About this time of the year at Horses for Clean Water we begin getting lots of inquiries regarding mud, ways to care for horses over the coming rainy season, and winter preparedness. The following question is a good one that I recently received and thought I would share it with NWHS readers. 

QUESTION:

I attended Horses for Clean Water classes several years back and we have done some of the things that have been suggested.  My question: Is it harmful to the horses to live on a dirt pasture?  We have excellent drainage, mud in one 2 x 2 foot corner and a puddle in front of the barn.  We are planning to re-gravel in front of the barn, gate, and watering area (approximately 40 x 20 foot area), but the rest 40 X 100 foot area will be dirt.  My husband thinks it is okay for the horses, but after reading your articles and suggestions on footing I am not so sure.  Also, if we put hog-fuel or something in the rest of the pasture area, how would we keep it from running into the ditch that runs alongside the pasture fence, inside the fence line, on one side?   Is it okay to gravel the whole area?  Your thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks,

Sue

Via the Internet

ANSWER:

Thanks Sue for your email question. 

Firstly, if you don’t have grass growing in your pasture I would not call it a pasture.  By definition a pasture is a piece of land where animals graze on pasture grass plants.  Instead I would call this area a sacrifice area – an area without grass where you confine your horses.  You give up the use of that small portion of land as a grassy area to benefit pasture areas where you do grow grass.  Your horses should be confined to the sacrifice area during the winter when pasture plants are dormant and not growing and soils are saturated.  In the summer, the sacrifice area is the cornerstone of your pasture management; horses should be confined in the sacrifice area to prevent pastures from being grazed below 4”. 

Secondly, it is definitely NOT healthy for horses to live in dirt.  They can eat and ingest soil particles along with their hay causing dangerous sand colic.  Also, when grass plants do try to grow on the bare soils the horses will try to eat them, pulling them up by their roots and ingesting the plant -- roots, dirt and all.  Again, the ingestion of dirt is a serious health problem for horses.  

Bare soils are an invitation for weeds to grow.  Weed seeds are ever present in the environment – they blow through the air and can lay dormant in soils for years just waiting for the right conditions so they can grow.  The right conditions include soil and sunlight, i.e. bare soil.  So that means  your dry lot will be a weed lot by mid-summer.  And eating weeds is definitely not a good thing for your horses.

Dirt and mud are slick unsafe surfaces for horses to run on,  or for you to do your chores on!  Rain will erode your bare soils and will wash valuable topsoil into the ditch along side your pasture, polluting surface waters in your area.  Plus, bare soils now will be mud in the winter and dust in the summer, even if they drain well !

All of this spells trouble for your horses, for you, your neighbors, and the environment. 

Footing is a very important component of sacrifice areas.  It gets the horse up and out of the mud, allowing water to percolate through and prevent erosion.  Hog-fuel or wood chip footings can be especially useful environmental controls, too.  Through the natural composting process they contribute to the breakdown of the nitrogen in the horse’s urine and manure – which has the added bonus of making your horse place smell good as well as keeping nitrogen out of your ditch.  For more information on sacrifice areas or on choosing the right footing type, please see my past article in NWHS or refer to my website, wwww.horsesforcleanwater.com.

To save your footing material (as well as nutrients and sediments from your sacrifice area) from being washed into your ditch, pull your fence line back at least 25 feet from the edge of the ditch.  Plant grass or native plants in this area to act as a natural filtration system.  This buffer area will help slow down any runoff from your sacrifice area and reduce sediments and nutrients (from mud or manure) that might otherwise flow into your ditch and cause water quality issues.

And finally, if you are concerned that your horses may already have ingested soil particles, talk with your veterinarian. Checking for sand in manure is something that either you or your vet can do. Your vet can also recommend treatments that may be useful for your horses. However, the very best method is prevention -- do not feed your horses in dirt, mud or sand!

By utilizing a sacrifice area with proper mud and manure controls, you will be creating a healthier home for your horses and a more chore-efficient place for you.  Plus, you will be spending less on vet bills. Creating healthier pastures means improved pasture productivity and less cost for supplemental feed.  The final outcome is a nicer picture for you, your neighborhood and a cleaner environment for all.

Good horsekeeping to you!

Upcoming Horses for Clean Water Events…

KING COUNTY:

Caring for Your Horse and His Home  Are you new to horse ownership or do you have children who want a horse?  Do you know what the regular health, dental and shoeing needs are for horses? Would you like to learn about shelter requirements and horse-safe fencing? Then join HCW for this weekend workshop geared for novice horse owners. Topics include horse behavior, horse & handler safety, planning your horse facility, how to buy a horse, nutrition & feeding, taking vital signs, and pasture, manure & mud management. The workshop will be taught at Alayne Blickle’s demonstration farm using real horses for hands-on portions.  Saturday & Sunday, 10am - 3:30pm,  January 8-9, 2005, Maple Valley, WA. To register or for more information, contact:  Alayne@horsesforcleanwater.com or  ph: 425-432-6116.

WHIDBEY ISLAND:

The HCW Horse Farm Management Series   Plan now to join Alayne Blickle & HCW on Whidbey Island in March 2005 for the full 5-week series.  Learn great ways to care for your horse while reducing mud, managing manure, getting rid of weeds, making pastures productive, controlling insects – and more.  Bayview Cash Store Community Meeting Room, Langley, WA.  Tuesday evenings  6:30 – 9pm, March 1-29.  To register or for more details contact the Whidbey Island Conservation District at 360-678-4708 or whidbeycd@coupeville.net.