Tips for environmentally sensitive horse keeping

By Marty Metzger
Correspondent

Horses, by nature, are environmentally friendly creatures. And, by accountability, their people can be, too.

At first thought, it would seem that just buying a horse is taking a step back to nature. After all, every mile ridden is one less mile driven, right? Wrong. In the 21st century, horse ownership tends to leave a big, ugly carbon hoof print on the earth. Consider the horse-owning lifestyle:

Driving the big, gas-guzzling truck--to get grain or hay; to haul horses to shows; to take in trail rides, fairs, lessons and clinics. Multiply by the number of ranchers and horse owners in this area to get the big, smoggy picture.

Burden on landfills - from grain sacks, baling twine, broken fence boards or wire, broken feed buckets, manure, containers from grooming and veterinary products (like de-wormers, bandages, syringes), bedding materials, unusable halters and other tack.

Effects on air, water, land--from the manufacturing of commercial horse feeds, shoeing materials, veterinary products, grooming aids, fly sprays, tack; emissions from vehicles of farriers, vets, trainers and feed haulers; pollution from detergents and other products used to launder or dry clean blankets, riding apparel and tack; leaching of waste and chemicals into groundwater and waterways.

Next, consider the volume of water used to bathe horses, wash equipment and clean concrete stable aisles. And off-trail riding and over-grazing profoundly impact the land.

What's an environmentally responsible horse owner to do to lessen the negative impact? Ticking off the list of "my bads" and applying simple turnarounds can increase a horse owner's earth-worthy choices and behaviors.

Gas-guzzling truck--Consolidate trips; truck-pool with a friend or neighbor for distant shows, clinics and the like.

Landfills--waste disposal sites across the country are filling at an alarming rate, as Americans consume at a dizzying pace. Some items presently have no other end-of-use destination, but others can be recycled or repurposed.

Burlap sacks have a multitude of secondary uses, from storage to crafts to clothing. Paper or poly sacks can also be used to store barn items, like miles of baling twine. Twine can be plaited or braided into useful objects, such as emergency lead ropes, halters, dog leads and more.

Horsehair is a handy material. Cottage industries now spin horse, dog, cat and other pet hair into yarn for sweaters, scarves and even blankets. Tail hair can be incorporated into bridles and beautiful jewelry.

Broken fence boards or wire can be converted into stall or barn signs and other crafty creations, as can old halter pieces, lead ropes and tack. Start a barn-based business selling those masterpieces online or to local distributors. Large boarding stables can organize craft nights where boarders can socialize while creating horsy items to keep or sell.

Effects on air, water, land - A few minutes spent online or on a phone call to suppliers can yield a wealth of information about chemical-free, natural ingredient fly sprays, grooming products and more.

Locally, Poudre Pet & Feed sells minimally processed feeds by Manna Pro, said store representative Sara Seger. The store also encourages use of brown paper bags for grain, or the re-use of paper or poly feed sacks, which can be refilled at the store.

Farriers can help make informed decisions about shoes made from new, low-impact materials.

Buying locally grown hay saves gas emissions from large haulers driving cross-country.

When buying soaps and other cleaning products, again opt for natural, earth-friendly ingredients. Never pour chemical based products down drains or onto the ground. Dispose of them only according to landfill or waste disposal company guidelines.

Place manure piles in ways that wind, rain or other factors won't cause runoff into groundwater, creeks or streams.

There are very few options in our area for environmentally friendly manure disposal. One that does re-use the organic fertilizer is Rocky Ridge Nursery and Landscape, west of Wellington. The company accepts limited quantities of manure, provided it's debris-free. Hageman Earth Cycle in Fort Collins also takes manure, but charges $3.75 a cubic yard.

Water usage is always a top-of-mind topic in a semi-arid climate. When bathing horses, abandon on-concrete wash racks and instead scrub-a-dub old Dobbin on a lawn or other grassy area using, of course, earth-friendly shampoo. The turf will lap up the moisture, and Dobbin will probably remain calmer munching greenery than cross-tied or fidgeting on gravel or dirt at the end of a punishing lead rope.

Likewise, relocate buckets, stall/truck/trailer mats and trucks/trailers to grassy areas for rinsing. Some commercial vehicle washes use less water than do at-home projects. If so, consider the gas usage to get there versus water consumption.

A fun, creative re-use of water is a barn garden. Plant carrots and horse edible flowers and other plants around the stabling area perimeter. This can be done in-ground or in containers (as small as old, rusty buckets or large as leaky troughs). Then, use dirty water from drinking buckets or troughs to water those veggies and blooms. Aged manure makes excellent fertilizer. (Fresh manure will burn up plants.) The garden's bounty will provide inexpensive, healthy horse treats and the flowers will serve double duty as colorful sentries. Working the diminutive plot couples moderate exercise with water conservation.

Horses can improve land by returning organic to organic. Or, they can destroy it by being allowed to overgraze or being ridden wildly across delicate terrain and native plants. It's all a matter of human responsibility and unselfish choices.

Horse people can go green in groups. Riding clubs, breed organizations or 4-H clubs can donate a day to clean up waterways, public riding trails or roadsides. Or they could auction off tack or services and donate the proceeds to environmental causes.

In Snohomish County, Washington, a new, innovative program educates youth through pursuit of badges. 4-H'ers for Clean Water implement the Guide to Healthy HorseKeeping Manual to learn what to do around their horse place to protect their horses' health and the environment. To earn four successive badges, children attend farm tours and workshops, do presentations and become mentors for other 4-H'ers. Access more information at www.horsesforcleanwater.com.

The days of everyone plowing with teams or riding/driving a horse for transportation are gone. But today's horse owners can use beneficial, fresh ideas to enjoy their animals while simultaneously going green.

Now, that would truly be a horse of a different color.