GREAT IDEAS FOR MANAGING HORSE MANURE
Part 4 of a 4 part series
By Alayne Blickle
Program Director, Horses for Clean Water
What to do with the mountain of manure that quickly builds when you own a horse is a serious issue for horse owners. In this series on manure management we have covered several useful options for both on-site and off-site ways to deal with manure and stall waste. This month we conclude the series by taking a look at one last option, useful no matter how you choose to dispose of manure and stall waste: reducing the amount of stall waste currently being generated on your place.
Manure Management Option Five: Reduce the current amounts of stall waste generated on your place.
Advantages:
• less stall waste by volume;
• less hassle for dealing with stall waste;
• less expenditure for bedding;
• less storage area needed for bedding;
• less time spent on stall cleaning chores and a better finished compost product.
Horse health benefits attributed to some of the different bedding options may include being very low in dust – which may be a concern if either you or your horse have respiratory issues. The advantage to the environment is that you’re using less of a consumable product and you are generating less solid waste to dispose of. The many interesting products on the market include wood pellets, shredded newspaper, shredded cardboard, shredded phone books, rice hulls, and wheat by-products. Be sure to choose a product that is healthy for your horses – you may need to consult your veterinarian about this if it is a non-traditional product. Wood pellets are proving to be very interesting and useful. These products are kiln dried and are extremely absorbent – so you can use less. They also compost extremely well due to their small size. Pelleted beddings come bagged, and with the addition of a cover you may be able to store them outside in a very small area.
Disadvantages: This method is only one part of the other options. Even though you will have lowered the volume of material generated, you will still need to select an option for dealing with the amounts produced.
Rubber mats (see below) are a pricey investment initially, but they pay for themselves in stall cleaning convenience, reduced bedding costs and comfort for your horse.
What you’ll need/how to implement this option: Consider outfitting all stalls with some type of rubber mats. Reduce the amount of bedding you use and/or bed only in ‘potty spots’. Most of us horse people bed our horse’s stalls as we’d like them ourselves – fluffy and deep. Consider using less bedding and only the amount needed for absorbing urine and moisture. This option works especially well when combined with rubber mats which already offer some cushioning effect as well as a good, even footing surface. The smooth surface of the mats aid in the cleaning of stalls, making it quick and easy to scoop out soiled bedding. Alternative bedding such as wood pellets offer a more absorbent option that further reduces the amounts of bedding required.
So there you go! And one final point, these options all assume starting from ground zero with your manure pile. If you currently have a big pile, possibly located in an inconvenient area, you will need to choose a way to get rid of that and start over. Perhaps consider parts of Option Three or Four – giving away or hauling away – for the existing old pile. Now the rest is up to you – except that there are many resources available to you as a horse owners to help you in this process along the way, and we will discuss those resources in future articles. But now at least you will know that when manure happens you’ll have a plan and options to deal more effectively with it!
Good horsekeeping to you.
Alayne Renee Blickle, a life-long equestrian and reining competitor is the creator/director of Horses for Clean Water. HCW offers educational materials, courses and individual consultations on ways to care for and manage your horse and the facilities with an emphasis on environmentally friendly techniques. For more information on HCW visit the website at www.HorsesforCleanWater.com.
Join HCW this September and October at the following events:
SEPTEMBER:
MARYSVILLE, WA
Back By Popular Demand! The HCW Winter Horse Farm Management Series.
Join HCW in Snohomish County for this five-week series to learn techniques for reducing mud, composting horse manure, managing small pastures, reducing fly and mosquito populations, creating wildlife enhancement areas, and much more! Find out about ways to improve horse health, owner convenience, farm productivity, neighborhood esthetics, and the health of the environment.
Kellogg-Marsh Grange, Marysville, WA.
Tuesday evenings 6:30 – 9 pm, September 20 to October 18.
FREE, or $10 for the manual which accompanies the class.
To register or for more information contact the Snohomish Conservation District at (425) 335 5634, ext 4.
SMOKEY POINT, WA
Rott-N-Ridge Ranch Farm Tour
Join HCW this September to see a beautiful five-acre farm with one Standardbred plus two rottweilers and a Rhodesian ridgeback! This farm received the Snohomish Conservation District’s Merit Farm award. See new ideas for recycling and interesting ideas for small farm management including rainwater harvesting. Cisterns are used to annually collect 162,000 gallons of rainwater. Find out about Trex decking, made from recycled plastic milk jugs. Also see compost bins, pasture management, winter paddocks, native plant hedgerow and more!
Saturday, September 17, 10 am – noon. Arlington/Smokey Point, WA.
FREE!
To register and receive directions contact the Snohomish Conservation District at (425) 335 5634, ext 4.
OCTOBER:
SNOHOMISH, WA
Horse’n Around on Lord Hill
Tour a small acreage horse farm with wonderful, innovative mud, manure, and pasture management techniques. Learn how to get your property ready for winter – see ways to manage three horses on less than two acres of pasture. This cute horse property is located right on Lord Hill Park. This park is owned and operated by Snohomish County Parks Department and includes miles of equestrian and other non-motorized trails. Join us to learn about horse keeping on a small acreage as well as great places in Snohomish County to horse around!
Saturday, October 1,10 am – noon. Snohomish, WA.
COST: $5/household or FREE to 4-H households.
To register and receive directions contact the Snohomish Conservation District at (425) 335 5634, ext 4.
KIRKLAND, WA
Winter Horse Farm Management Series
Join HCW in North King County for this four-week class series to learn techniques for reducing mud, managing manure, making pastures more productive and providing for wildlife – all while making your place nice for you to look at and more chore efficient.
Bridle Trails area, Kirkland, WA. Wednesday evenings 6:30 – 9 pm, October 5 – 26.
To register or for more information contact (425) 576 3851 or email sgonsar@ci.kirkland.wa.us
RENTON, WA
Workshops for Livestock Owners
Hands-on workshops on livestock management practices. See a variety of options and work with technicians to discover ways you can have less mud, better pastures and manage manure.
Renton, WA. Thursday evenings 6:30 – 9 pm, October 13 – November 3.
FREE!
To register or for more information contact the King Conservation District at (206) 764 3410, ext. 120.
BRUSH PRAIRIE, WA
Horse Around in Clark County
Join HCW on Saturday October 22 from 9 am – 4:30 pm for a full day’s workshop on mud, manure and pasture management options. Join HCW and the Clark Conservation District for this exciting event to learn great ways to reduce mud, compost manure, and grow more grass – all while making your place nicer for you and more chore efficient!
Clark Conservation District office, Brush Prairie, WA.
Cost $12/person, which includes lunch and handouts.
Registration is limited – to register or for more information call (360) 883 1987.
SAN JUAN ISLANDS, WA
HCW Horse Farm Management Workshops
Pasture, manure and mud management workshop.
Saturday, October 29, details TBD. San Juan Islands, WA
To register or for more information (360) 378 6621 or heatherh@rockisland.com.
