Communion, serenity, nobility, grace. These are some of the intangible benefits of horse ownership that we all yearn for, and some of us are lucky enough to experience, as we contemplate bringing horses into our lives. The opportunity to experience the freedom of letting our hearts soar with the simple joy of owning and being around horses brings with it the responsibility of seeing to their needs as they live with us. Having a clear expectation of the horse’s and neighbor’s requirements regarding horse ownership helps avoid the pitfalls that detract from the joys of ownership. It frees up wasted time and energy spent dealing with problems, maximizing quality time spent with passionate pursuits. This article will cover three major issues, the place we keep the horse, the expectations of our neighbors about the horse, and the horse’s expectations of us.
The Physical Plant
Horses evolved on vast grassy steppes or plains, covering great distances and grazing continuously as they moved over their ancestral expanse. As they became domesticated by those who came before us, and who recognized the technological advance rapid travel presented, the horses gave up their freedom and became more dependent upon us for their care. That simple contract is the essence of our pact with horses. As you look around the Northwest you may notice that where the vast grasslands are is not where most of us live and work and keep our horses. Recognizing that compromise helps mitigate the environmental pressure horses put on our more restricted environment.
The adaptability of the horse allows a considerable contraction of the space needed to meet their needs for health and welfare. If a horse is exercised more than three times a week they can comfortably get by on a paddock and loafing shed. The responsibility we assume is to have safe, visible, sturdy fencing, and good footing. Fencing is a balancing act between cost, strength, safety for the horse, and security for the neighbors. Numerous resources for fencing can be found but the local zoning ordinances and your county extension agent are the first places to start to find out the minimum requirements that must be met and then optimized for your particular concerns. Please note that code requirements are considered minimums and vary according to the type of animal being housed. They may be insufficient for your particular situation, or what prudence dictates.
While fencing options are many and often bewildering, footing options are not. The horse’s foot is small, hard, and exerts tremendous pressure on the ground. Natural soils and grasses in a paddock situation are simply not sufficient to take the abuse horses dole out. The footing must be engineered for the longevity of service life meanwhile providing for the health of the horses foot. Firm well drained footing with no mud is the goal. As a rule of thumb, anything that looks like it might have the ability to grow something is considered organic material and is generally incompatible with horse footing. Keep in mind anything of organic origin (from wood, plant, or manure) will hold water and increase mud, while anything of inorganic origin (stone) will allow water to pass and reduce mud. The footing that is clearly the best is 5/8” minus crushed rock applied six inches deep over hard pan soil. The larger up front cost and the grimaces on the farrier’s face when they crunch through a rock with their $150 pair of nippers are the major downsides to gravel footing. Gravel will be ruined if the feces are not picked out daily. This is good for the gravel, the horse, and you. Sand is not a good option for paddock footing as the horses tend to pick up bits of sand in their mouths which settles out in their intestines and can cause dangerous sand colic.
Our Neighbors
Let us enjoy our horses without impacting our neighbors. Horses urinate and defecate on the ground. These nutrients, if allowed to accumulate to excess, become pollution and can contaminate surface and ground waters resulting in runoff, nutrient loading of our natural waters, and promoting toxic algal blooms. It is our responsibility to haul out or effectively compost horse wastes to minimize our environmental impact. A growing vibrant buffer zone around the horse paddocks serves to mop up uncollected nutrients, halt laminar surface water flow, and protect our neighbors from insects and odors. Keeping a buffer zone in mind will help keep the neighbors safe because horses are considered an attractive nuisance under the law. A horse housed away from property lines minimizes physical contact and discourages a well meaning neighbor from throwing over dangerous lawn clippings. If our horses become loose off our property, we are responsible for any damage that might occur.
Our Horse
Our horses depend on us. Their needs must be met twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Those needs are water, food, shelter, exercise, grooming, and healthcare. Because horses evolved eating pretty much continuously, more frequent small meals are better than single large meals. Of course continuous access to clean water is absolutely essential. The county extension agent and your veterinarian are good resources for specific dietary recommendations because the right feeding program for your horse varies by individual and training level. Most people who care for their own horses budget one to two hours per day to meet the daily feeding, mucking, grooming and exercising of their horses. It is our responsibility to educate ourselves by available books, seminars, and videos. Be mindful that the internet contains unreviewed, unrefereed, and sometimes untrue information regarding horse care. Most veterinarians prefer to see the horses twice a year for wellness examinations. Consult your veterinarian for fees of usual services to provide for a reasonable budget.
Author Bio: Dr. Toby Ewing currently resides in Snohomish, Washington and limits his practice to Equine veterinary medicine. You may contact Dr. Ewing at 425.327.3473 or, by email at tobyewing@yahoo.com.
