Horse Pastures

7/28/2019 Horse Pastures

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Managing Small-acreage HorseFarms

EC 1558 May 2003$4.00

FOR GREEN PASTURES, CLEAN WATER, AND HEALTHY HORSES


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2 MANAGING SMALL-ACREAGE HORSE FARMS

RESULTS OF GOOD

MANAGEMENT

Goodgrasscover,eveninwinter

Fewerweeds

Aestheticallypleasinglandscape Healthyhorses

Cleanwater

RESULTS OF POOR

MANAGEMENT

Soilcompaction

Muddypasturesinwinter

Moreweeds Unhealthyhorses

Pollutedstreams,groundwater,

andhouseholdwells

Managing

Small-acreageHorseFarmsFOR GREEN PASTURES, CLEAN

WATER, AND HEALTHY HORSES

Practice good grazing management.

Overstockingcausesmanyproblems.

Reducehorsenumbersandrotategrazingto

preventovergrazingandallowpasturesto

rest.

GRAZING

MANAGEMENPage 12

Diagnose and x problems. Poorlymanagedsmall-

acreagehorsefarmsareasourceofnon-pointwater

pollutionaswellasacauseofdiseaseinhorses.

Cover the manure pile.Rainseeping

throughamanurepileleachesnutrients

andmicroorganismsintosurfacewater

andgroundwaterandreducesthemanure

valueasafertilizer.Usingatarporrooft

coverthepilepreventsleaching.

The basic steps


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MANAGING SMALL-ACREAGE HORSE FARMS 3

Keep animals off wet pastures.Animals

onwetpasturescreatemud,compactsoil,

overgraze,andtramplegrass.Theresultisless

vegetationtoltersedimentsandusenutrients.

Utilize a sacrice area or paddock to keep

animals off wet pastures.Thisrestrictsimpactsto

oneareaandsavespasturesduringthewetmonths.

Paddockscanbepreparedwithhogfuelorgravel.

SACRIFICEAREAS

Page 7

Install rain gutters and downspouts on

farm buildings.Theydirectwateraway

frompaddocks,resultinginlessmud.

GUT-

TERS ANDDOWN-SPOUTS

Page 9

Utilize grass or vegetation buffer

strips.Grassandotherplantslter

sedimentsanduseexcessnutrients.Use

bufferstripsaroundpaddocks.

BUFFER

STRIPSPage 10

Compost the manure.Insteadofjuststoring

manureinapile,compostingproducesan

excellentsoilamendmentforthepastureorfor

sale,andthecompostingprocesskillsweed

seedsandparasites.

MANUREMANAGEMENT

Page 20

Create a farm you can be proud of. Use

ofthesemanagementpracticesimprovesthe

productivityandappearanceofafarmand

protectswaterqualityandhorsehealth.

FOR MOREINFORMATION

Page 23


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Thegoalsforawell-managedsmall-acreagehorsefarmare:

Aproductivepasturewithplentyofgrassandfewweeds

Almostnomudduringtherainyseason

Allnutrients(manureandstallwaste)generatedbythehorsesrecycledtofeedthepastureorremovedfromthefarmand

recycled

Healthyhorsesfreeofproblemsassociatedwithstandingin

mudandmanure

Happyownerswhoareabletoconvenientlyfeedandcarefor

theiranimalswithoutdreadingthechoreorlosingtheirbootsin

deepmud

Thekeytomeetingthesegoalsistorecognizethathorses,

grass,manure,soil,andwaterareallconnected.Howyouman-

ageoneaffectstheothers.Forexample,when,where,andhowlongyouranimalsgrazeaffectsgrassregrowth,weedcompetition,

andthesafetyofyourwellwater.Howyoudealwithwaterrunoff

affectsyourhorseshealth,nearbystreams,andyourownenjoy-

mentofthefarm.Bymanagingeachaspectofyourfarmwell,the

resultwillbegreenerpastures,lessmud,healthierhorses,andmore

personalsatisfaction.

Toestablishandmaintainanattractive,green,weed-free

pasture,youneedtounderstandseveralbasicprinciplesofplant

growthaswellastheimpactofhorsesonpastures.Todomore

thanfollowarecipe,youmustlearnaboutplantgrowthandhow

pasturestintotheentirehorsemanagementsystem.Horsepasturesaredifferentfromotherpastures.Agreencover,

freeofweedsandmud,oftenistheprimaryobjective.Meetingthe

horsesnutritionalneedsfrequentlyissecondary.Nutritionalneeds

likelyaremetprimarilybyhayorhayandgrain.Thepastureusu-

allyprovidesonlysupplementalfeed,exercise,andrecreation.

Youareincontrol.Pastureconditionisuptoyou.Maintain-

ingadense,green,weed-free,andmud-freepasturerequiresyou

tomeetthewaterandnutritionalneedsofpastureplantsandto

carefullycontrolthetiminganddurationofthehorsestimeonthe

pasture.Thispublicationisintendedforsmall-acreagehorsefarms

(thosefrom1to10acres)inthehigh-rainfallareasofwestern

OregonandwesternWashington.Becausetheylackthespaceof

largerfarms,small-acreageownersareconfrontedwithdifferent

problems.Wevetailoredourrecommendationstotsmallfarms.

Optionsforbothlow-costandhighercostapproachesareincluded.

Ofcourse,everythingdescribedherecanbeappliedtolargerfarms

aswell.

What do you want rom your arm?

Greenpastures,healthyhorses,andclean

waterarentdifculttoachieve.Allittakes

isacommitmenttofollowsomebasicfarm

managementpractices.


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What makes horses dierent?

Horsesareadaptedtoimmense,aridgrasslands.Intheirnatural

environment,theyroamarange.Becausetheyneverstayinone

areaverylong,theyhavelittleimpactontheirenvironment.When

wekeepthemonsmallacreages,wemustmanagethemtomini-mizetheirimpact.

Mosthorseownersknowthathorsesaredifferentfromother

livestock.Howandwhathorseseat,howtheybehave,andtherea-

sonsweownthemdiffertremendouslyfromsheeporcattle.

Eating habitsUnlikesheeporcattle,horseshavebothupperandlowerteeth.

Theyalsohaveveryactivelips.Asaresultofthesetraits,theyare

veryefcientgrazerssometimestooefcient.Althoughsheep

andcattlecanovergrazepasturestoo,horseshavetheabilityto

quicklyandefcientlyeatgrassesallthewaytothesoilsurface.

Whenthisoccurstoooften,itkillsthegrass.

Horsesaremoreselectiveaboutwhattheyeatthancattleor

sheep.Horseshaveastrongerpreferenceforgrassoverbroadleaf

plants,brush,ortrees(althoughtheywilleattheseplants).Horses

alsoprefershorter,tastiergrassplantsoverlonger,coarsergrass.

Big, active animalsHorsesareheavyanimalswithbig,oftensteel-shod,feet.Un-

likeotherlivestock,theycanbeveryactive.Theyenjoyrunning

andplaying.Incontrast,maturecattletendtoeat,liedownwhiletheydigesttheirmeal,andmakeanoccasionaltriptothewater

trough.Horseownersarethrilledbywatchingtheiranimalsrun,

play,andgenerallykickuptheirheels.However,toomuchofthis

activity,whenconcentratedonasmallacreageduringthewetsea-

son,canseverelydamagepastures.

Why are horses hard

on pastures?Thetypicaladulthorse...

Weighsabout

1,200pounds

Hasbigfeet,probably

shodinsteel

Lovestorunandplay

Possessesaspecialized

mouththatisoneofthe

worldsmostefcient

grazingmachines

Horsesarebiganimalsandefcientgrazers.

Withoutpropermanagement,theycaneasily

damagepastures,leadingtoweedinvasions

andexcessmud.


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Livinginmudandmanureisunhealthyforahorse.Mudhar-

borsbacteriaandfungalorganismsthatcausehealthproblems.

Mudfever(orscratches)isacommonconditionthatusuallyaf-

fectshorseslowerlimbs.Itismarkedbyinammationoftheskinandtheappearanceofcrustyscabs.Itusuallyiscausedbybacteria

thatpenetratetheskinfollowingeitherdamageorsofteningfrom

exposuretowetnessormud.Thebacteriathriveinwet,muddy

conditions.Ontheupperbody,thesameconditionis

referredtoasrainscald.

Wetconditionscansoftenthehoofandsole,causingcracking

andsplittingandmakinghorsesmoresusceptibletostonebruis-

ingandotherrelatedlamenesses.Thrushisafungalinfectionthat

affectsthefrogofthehoofandalsoiscausedbywet,muddycondi-

tions.

Whenhorsesaredirectlyexposedtomanure,theysuffer

increasedinternalparasiteinfestations.Horsesfednearmanure

reinfestthemselvesandspreadinternalparasitestootherhorses.

Otherproblemsassociatedwithmudinclude:

Sandcolic,aseriousdigestivedisorderthatoccurswhenhorses

fedonmuddygroundingestdirtandsand

Lowbodytemperature,causingunthriftinessandevenhypo-

thermia.Livestockintheseconditionsburnsignicantlymore

caloriesjustkeepingwarmandrequiremorefeed.

Aslick,unsafefootingthatcancauseinjuries

Insects,especiallyies,thatbreedinmudandmanure.Insectsareannoyingatbest.Atworst,theycarrydisease,andtheir

bitescauseallergicreactions.

Mud, manure, and horse health

Standinginmudandmanurecancause

numeroushealthproblemsforhorses.

Managegrazing,manure,andtheowof

wateracrossyourpropertytopreventmud.


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Keep animals o wet pastures

Why keep horses o

wet pastures?Horsesonwetpastureskillgrassandcreatemudbycon-

tinuouslygrazingandtrampling

grassandchurningupthesoil

withtheirfeet.Becauseoftheir

sizeandweight,theyalsocom-

pactthesoil.Soilcompaction

killsplantrootsand

reducessoildrainage,creating

evenmoremud.

Thissituationismiserable

forbothhorsesandhumans,but

itdoesntendthere.Because

thegrassisweakenedorkilled,

weedsnowhaveroomtogrow.

Desirableplantscantgrowin

compactedsoil,soundesirable

plantsthatarewelladapted

totheseconditionstakeover.

Springandearlysummerbring

acropofweeds,someofwhicharetoxictohorses.Thepasture

becomesbareinthesummer,

exceptforsomehardyweeds.

Lessgrassmeanshaving

topurchasemorehay.Italso

meansthereisnothingtopro-

tectthegroundfromerosionor

tousethenutrientsin

manureandurine.Duringthe

rainyseason,soil,nitrogen,

phosphorus,andbacteria(suchasfecalcoliform)runoffthe

farm,contaminatingstreams

andhouseholdwells.

Therststeptokeepingyourpastureingoodshapeandreduc-

ingtheamountofmudonyourfarmistokeepyourhorsesoff

thepastureduringthewetseason(NovemberthroughMarchor

longer).Howdoyoudothis?Theansweristouseapaddockasmallenclosure,suchasacorral,run,orpenforyourhorses

outdoorlivingquarters.Thisareasometimesiscalledasacrice

areabecauseitisanareaofpasturethatissacricedtobenet

therestofthepasture.

Conneyourhorsestothepaddockduringthewinterand

earlyspringaswellasinthesummer beforeyourpasturesbecome

overgrazed.Apaddockalsoisusefulforseparatingorconning

animals,forcontrollingtheamountofgrassorfeedtheyconsume

onadailybasis,andforcaringforsickorinjuredanimals.

Locatethepaddockonhighgroundawayfromwaterand

wells.Itshouldbeconvenienttoyourbarnorloangshedto

makeiteasytocareforyourhorsesandmaintainthearea.Agood

optionistohaveanareasetuplikearunconnectedtoeachstall.

Thischore-efcientarrangementgivesthehorsefreeaccesstothe

stall,andyoullhaveaclean,dry,convenientplacetofeed.

Thesizeoftheareacanvarytotthesizeofyourfarm,the

numberofhorses,theiragesandtemperaments,andotherneeds.

Ageneralruleistoallowapproximately300400squarefeet

perhorse.Asmallpaddockthesizeofagenerousboxstall

(16x16feet)couldbeadequateforsomehorses.Alargerarea

thatallowsforrunningandplayingmightbe2030feetwidebyasmuchas100feetlong.

Footingisacrucialpartofapaddock.Thegoalistohavea

safe,well-drained,all-weathersurface.Hogfuel,gravel,and

sandallworkwell(seesidebar,page8).Eachtypeoffootinghas

Horsesshouldbekeptoffpasturesduring

therainyseason.Useasacriceareainstead.

MANAGEMENT PRACTICE #1


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itsadvocates,sospendsometime

investigatingandselectwhatwill

workbestforyoursituation.Agood

guidelineistoputdowntwiceas

muchfootingasyouhavemudinthe

winter.Ifyouhave3inchesofmud,

youwillwantthefootingat least

6inchesdeep.

Itsimportanttominimizewater

runoffthroughthesacricearea.See

Installrainguttersanddownspouts

(page9).

Fencesforpaddocksshouldbe

assafeaspossible.Horsescanbe

hardonfences,soahotwirewill

provideagoodpsychologicalbarrier.

Keepinmindthatgatesneedtobe

largeenoughforfarmequipmentanddeliveriesoffootingmaterial,hay,

andsoon.Also,tobesureyourfence

isthecorrectheight,rememberto

takethethicknessofthefootinglayer

intoconsiderationwhenputtingin

fenceposts.Agoodheightforapad-

dockfenceis4feet.Electricfencing

shouldbeplacedatthehorseschest

height.

Yourpaddockisanintegralpart

ofyourpasturerotationsystem.It

isyourhorsesoutdoorhomeinthe

winter.Duringthegrazingseason,

useittoallowthepasturetorecover

andtopreventovergrazing.

Pickupmanureevery1to3days

topreventthebuildupofasoupysur-

facelayerandtoreduceinsectsand

parasites.Eventhebestmaintained

paddockwillhavesomecontaminat-

edrunoff.Abufferstripofgrassorothervegetationaroundthepaddock

willinterceptthisrunoffandprevent

itfromenteringnearbystreamsor

groundwater(see

page10).

Forsomehorseowners,areason-

ablesolutionforkeepinghorsesoff

wetpasturesistohavethemstayata

boardingfacilityduringthewinter.

Some

options or

sacrifceareas

Economicalhog

uelHogfuelconsistsoflargewoodchips.Asageneralrule,

applyhogfuelatleasttwiceasdeepasthedepthofmud

(3inchesofmud=6inchesofhogfuel).Formorelongevity,

someauthoritiesrecommendapplyingupto12inchesofhog

fuel.Thematerialwillpackdownanddecomposeovertime,

soaddanewlayereveryyearortwo.Hogfuelreducesurineodors.

Mid-rangegravel or sandGravelisroughlytwotothreetimesasexpensiveashog

fuel,butusedcorrectlylastsmanyyears.Use 38-inchminus

to58-inchminuscrushedgravel.Useaminimum2:1ratioof

graveltomud.Formorelongevity,someauthoritiesrecom-

mendapplying6to8inchesofgravel.Whenapplieddirectly

oversoil,gravelslowlymigratesintothesoil,soyoull

needtoaddanewlayerperiodically.Analternativeisto

usegravelinhigh-trafcareassuchasgateways,doorways,lanes,andsoon,whileusinghogfuelinotherareassuchas

paddocks.

Coarse,washedsandisanotheroption.Dontfeedhorses

onsandsurfaces;theycaningestsandanddevelopcolic.

Top-o-the-linegeotextile cloth with gravel, sand, or hog

uel ootingGeotextileclothorlterfabriccanbeusedwiththese

footingstoseparatelayers,improvedrainage,andprevent

footingfrommigratingintothesoil.Filterfabricisawoven

plasticmaterialusedinroadbuildingandotherconstructionprojects.Thesmallholesinthematerialallowwatertopass

through,butnotsandorsilt.

Usethesefabricsoveralevel,gradedsurfaceandcover

withaminimumof6inchesoffooting(moreisbetter).To

createahighlydrainedsurface,coverfabricwithatleasta

3-inchlayerofcrushedrock( 34to112inchesworksbest),

followedbyanotherlayeroffabric,followedbythefooting

ofchoice6inchesofgravelorsand,orupto12inchesof

Asacriceareadoesnthavetobeexpensive.


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Install rain gutters and downspouts

Why are gutters

and downspouts

important?Aninchofrainona

20x50footbarnroofproduces

620gallonsofwater.Inanarea

thatreceives40inchesofrainper

year,thatsanadditional25,000

gallonsofwater!Thisextrawa-

tercreatesasoupymessofmud,manure,andurinethatmakes

horsesandtheirownersmiser-

ableandeventuallyrunsoffinto

streams.Itevencancontaminate

yourhouseholdwell.

Some options

EconomicalItseasytoinstallguttersand

downspoutsasado-it-yourselfproject.Homeimprovement

businessescarryavarietyofsuit-

ablematerials.

Top-o-the-lineNumerousbusinessesspe-

cializeininstallingaluminum

continuous(seamless)gutters.

Thehigh-rainfallclimateofwesternOregonandWashington

producesannualrainfallrangingfrom35inchestomorethan

100inches.Theamountofwaterfromrainfallalonesaturates

pasturesandcorrals.Inaddition,theroofsofbarnsandotherfarmbuildingscollectrainanddeposititongroundthatalreadyis

soaked.

Installingrainguttersanddownspoutsonyourfarmbuild-

ingsdirectswaterawayfromhigh-useareasaroundthebarn

andimmediatelyreducesthequantityofmud.Remember,tobe

effective,thedownspoutsmustdirectwaterawayfromanimal

connementareas.Insomeinstances,plasticpipecanbeusedto

carrythewaterbeyondtheanimalconnementareatoavegetated

areaonyourproperty.Downspoutsystemsalsocanbedesigned

todivertwatertorainbarrelsforemergencyuse.

Toprotectdownspoutsfromdamage,useheavyPVCpipeor

hotwire,ormakethedownspoutinaccessibletothehorses.

Other ways to reduce runo and mudThenaturaldrainageofyourlandmightdirectwaterintoar-

easaround(orthrough)yourbarn.Insomeinstances,watermov-

ingdownhillthroughthesoiladdssignicantmoisturetofarm

buildingsandsacriceareas.Inthesecases,youmightneedto

lookatadditionalwaystodivertwater.Somepossibilitiesinclude

Frenchdrainlinestodivertwateraroundabuilding,drainage

tiles,grassedwaterways,waterbars(likeaspeedbumpforwaterrunoff),ditches,anddrywells.Designhelpisavailablefromyour

localConservationDistrict,USDANaturalResourcesConserva-

tionService,orExtensionofce.Or,lookontheWeb.

Plantandmaintainnativetreesandshrubs.Plantsusealotof

waterandpotentiallycanreducetheamountofwateraroundyour

farm.AmatureDouglas-rcanuse100250gallonsofwaterper

day.Evergreenshavetheaddedadvantageofusingwaterinthe

winterwhendeciduoustreesaredormant.

Usingwater-lovingshrubsalongtheoutsideofpaddockswill

keeptheareadrierandreducerunoff.Examplesofpotentially

usefulplantsincludewillow,cottonwood,andred-osierdogwood.Treeshavetheaddedbenetofincreasinghabitatforwildlife,a

plusfortheaestheticsofyourfarm andtheenvironment.

Treesinpasturesandpaddocksneedprotectionfromchew-

ingandrootcompactionbylivestock.Fenceofftreesalongthe

dripzonetheendsofthebrancheswheretheraindropsrolloff.

Considerplantingnewtreeswherehorsescantreachthem,such

asoutsidefencelines.

Guttersanddownspoutsreducemudby

directingwaterawayfromhigh-useareas.



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Use buer strips

Why are buers impor-

tant?Onfarms,abufferofgrass,shrubs,ortreescanprovidesev-

eralbenets,including:

Filteringmud,manure,

pesticides,andbacteriaout

ofwaterowingacrossor

throughthesoil

Improvinginltrationof

waterintothesoil

Providingfoodandcover

forwildlife

Protectingtheland

fromerosioncausedby

oodwaters

Creatinganattractiveland-

scape

Havingsmallbufferstrips

betweenpaddockscansaveon

fencerepairandvetbillswhile

lteringrunofffromthe

paddocks.

Abufferisanareathatprotectsonetypeoflandusefroman-

other.Forexample,abuffermightbeawide,grassystripbetween

amanurepileandawellorawidestripoftreesbetweenapad-

dockandastream.Buffersofgrassesorgrassesandlegumescanbegrazedina

managedrotation,asoutlinedbelowinSummerpasture/winter

lter,butexcludehorsesfromareasplantedtotreesandshrubs.

Theywillbrowseortrampletheseplants.

Bufferstripscanbeinstalledjusttobuffer,butmanyserve

multiplepurposes.Properlymanagedbufferscanproduceincome

fromharvestedproductswhilestillprovidingmanyoftheenviron-

mentalbenetslistedabove.Someoftheseproductsinclude:

Summerpasture/winterlter:Includethebufferinamanaged

grazingrotationorharvesthayduringmostofthegrowing

season.

Floralgreenery:Planttypesofshrubsusedbyoristsfor

greenery;trimandharvestsurplusgrowthseasonally.

Woodproducts:Planttreesdenselyandthinlaterforpulpor

otherwoodproducts.Theseareasshouldnotbegrazed.

Summer pasture/winter flterOneofthemostcommonbuffersconsistsofgrasses(andoften

legumes)usedforpastureandhayinthespringandsummer,and

leftungrazedtofunctionasabufferduringtimesofslowgrowth,

steadyrain,orpotentialooding.InwesternOregon,thisperiodusuallyisOctoberthroughApril.

Runofffromanimal-useareascan

contaminatewatersourcessuchasstreams

andwells.Plantavegetatedbufferstripto

protecttheseareas.



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Managethistypeofbufferareaintensively,withbriefgrazing

andfrequentrotationofhorsesthroughaseriesoftemporarypad-

docks.Aswithallpasturesandhaylandareas,donotmoworgraze

thegrassesbelowtheproperstubbleheightforthespeciesorwhen

growingpointsarevulnerable(seepage18).Neverallowhorsesor

equipmentontheeldwhensoilsarewaterlogged.

How wide should the buer be?Bufferwidthdependsontheslopeoftheeld,soiltype,and

plantdensity.Theminimumwidthshouldbe50feet;however,

thewiderthebetter.Thewidthshouldbegreateronsteeperelds,

ne-grainedordensesoils,whereplantsarewidelyspaced,orif

theareaabovethebufferisnotwellvegetated.Forpaddocksused

assummerpasture/winterlter,widthusuallyisnotanissue,as

almostalleldsarewiderthan50feet.

Ifyoudonthaveroomforabufferbetweenapaddockand

drainageway,considerasoilberm(araisedstripofground)to

catchtherunoffanddirectittoalterstrip.

How do I prepare my grass buer each all or its

protection unction? Leavegrassatleast3to4inchestallatalltimesduringthe

bufferingperiod.

Donotapplycommercialfertilizerorstockpiledmanuretothe

eldinthefall,asyouwantthisareatocapturenutrientsand

bacteria,notreleasethem.

Thebufferingperiodshouldbeginabout30daysbeforeconsis-

tentfallrainsand/oroodingareexpected.Thisleadtimewillallowtimeformanuredepositedintheeldduringgrazingto

breakdownaswellasforsomeextraplantregrowth.

Thebufferperiodshouldextendintothespringuntilsoilsare

notsaturated,grassesaretallenoughtograze(orotherwise

harvest),andthechanceofoodinghaspassed.


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Manage pastures or optimal grass growth

Why is grazing man-

agementimportant?

Well-managedpasturesare

animportantpartofanysmall

horsefarm.Horsesaregrass-

landanimals.Theythriveon

grazingandexercise.Grazing

andmovingaroundapas-

turehelpfoodmoveproperly

throughtheirdigestivesystem.

Awell-managedpasturecanreducefeedcostssignicantly

whileprovidinghigh-quality

forageandexercise.

Healthygrassalsokeeps

watercleanbyusingthenitro-

genandphosphorusinmanure

andurine.Ittrapsandlters

runoffcarryingsoilparticles,

bacteria,andexcessnutrients

thatotherwisemightcon-

taminatehouseholdwellsandstreams.

Poorlymanagedpastures

becomemuddyinthewinter,

weedyinthespring,anddust

bowlsinthesummer.Horses

forcedtostandinmud,

manure,andurineallwinter

candevelophealthprob-

lemsincludinghighlevelsof

parasiteinfestationsandevenhypothermia.Theseconditions

alsoleadtolargepopulations

ofiesandotherinsects.Mud

andmanurearebadforhorse

healthaswellasforhumans

andtheenvironment(see

page6).

Grazing timing, intensity, and durationRestrictingaccesstopasturesandcontrollingtheintensityand

durationofpastureuseisyourmostimportantpasturemanagement

responsibility.Thiscontrolledgrazingcanbeaccomplishedby

keepinghorsesinsacriceareaswheneverpasturesarenotsuitable

forgrazing(seepages78).Usepasturesonlywhenthereis

adequategreencover(morethan3inchestall)andthesoilisrm

andnotwaterlogged.

How many acres per horse?Thenumberofacresofpastureneededperhorseisdifcultto

determine.Ifthehorseshaveanadequateexerciselotorareridden

orworkedoften,theymightnotneedverymuchpasture.However,

mosthorseownersfeelthatsupplementalpasturegrassisgoodfornutritionandthepsychologicalwell-beingofthehorse.

APennsylvaniareferencesuggeststhata1,000-to1,200-pound

marewithfoalrequiresabout2acresforgrazinguse.Thisrecom-

mendationisconsistentwithconditionsinwesternOregonand

westernWashington.Theamountvarieswidely,however,depend-

ingontheamountandfrequencyofrainfallorirrigationwaterpro-

vided.Aminimumof1acreperhorseisrequiredtocyclenutrients

frommanureandurineandtoprovideadequatespaceformeeting

thesocialandexerciseneedsofhorses.

Plant regrowthPlantsmanufacturetheirfoodintheirleaves,usingsolarenergy,carbondioxidefromtheair,andwatertomakesugarsand

complexcarbohydrates.Thisprocessrequiressolarreceptorsin

Poorlymanagedpasturescanbeoverwhelmedbyweeds.Goodgrazingpractices

cansignicantlyreduceweedproblems.



13/24


thegreenleafarea.Removingtoomanyleavesthroughovergrazing

willslowgrowthanddamagetherootsystem.

Plantregrowthoccursatgrowingpoints.Onegrowingpoint

isthecollar,thejunctionofthebladeandsheath.Theotheristhe

apicalmeristem,whicheventuallydevelopsintotheseedhead(see

illustrationsbelow).Removalofthesegrowingpointsbyovergraz-

ingwilleliminatetheplantsabilitytoregrow.Susceptibilityto

overgrazingdependsonthespecies,developmentalstage,andother

stresses.Learningmoreaboutgrowthandregrowthprocesseswill

helpyoubecomeabetterpasturemanager.

Water and ertilizerPlantsneedwaterandnutrientsinadequateandbalanced

amounts.MostpasturesinwesternOregonandwesternWashington

aredryland.Inotherwords,theydependonraintosupplywater

needs.Thesepasturesareproductiveduringthefall,spring,and

earlysummer,butdryoutduringthesummer.Tomaintainactively

growingplantsduringthesummer,irrigationisrequired.Amoderateamountoffertilizeralsomaybeneededtomaintain

greencolorandactiveyear-aroundgrowth.Nitrogen,phosphorus,

potassium,sulfur,andcalciumarethenutrientstypicallyadded.

Todeterminetheamountofphosphorus,potassium,andcalcium

neededforyourpasture,sendasoilsampletoasoiltestinglabora-

tory.YourlocalOSUExtensionServiceofcecangiveyoualistof

testinglabs.Then,fertilizeaccordingtorecommendationsbasedon

thesoiltestresults.Consultyourfertilizerdealerabouttheproper

Progresstowardseedhead

developmentcanbeseenwhen

internodesatthebaseoftheshoot

haveelongatedandhaveraisedthe

meristematicgrowingpoint(the

potentialseedhead)toavulnerable

height.Thisisatransitionstage

betweenthefast-growingvegetative

andreproductive(seedhead)stages.

Theleafbladeisjoined

totheleafsheathat

thecollar,azoneof

tissueaccountingfor

increasingbladelength.

Oncethebladehas

achieveditsmaximum

length,cellsinthe

collarceasedividing.

Moveanimalswhenapaddockhasbeen

grazedto3inches.Allowgrasstoregrowto

6to8inchesbeforebeinggrazedagain.


14/24


fertilizer,orblendoffertilizers,thatwillsupplytheneedednutri-

entsmosteconomically.

Fornitrogen,thegeneralrecommendationistoapply30to

50poundsperacreoneortwotimesperyear.Alwaysapplynitro-

genbeforeanactivegrass-growingperiodearlyspringandearly

fall.

Forgrass/legumemixedpastures,youllneedlessnitrogenbe-

causelegumesusenitrogenfromtheair.Forthesepastures,apply

30to40poundsnitrogenperacreinearlyspringandagaininearly

fall.

Donotoverapplynitrogen.Overapplicationoffertilizerisa

wasteofmoneyandincreasesthepotentialfornitrogenleaching

orrunoff.Highnitrogenapplicationsalsocancausehorsehealth

concerns,especiallyduringdryyears.

Applysulfuratarateofapproximately30poundsperacre

everyotheryear.

Manurecanprovidemanyoftheneedednutrientsandimproves

thebiologicalactivityofthesoil.Collectmanurethroughouttheyearandstoreitinacoveredpileorcompostituntilasuitabletime

forspreading(seepages2021).

Weed controlWeedscompetewithdesirableplants,andsomearepotentially

dangeroustohorses.Thebestweedcontrolstrategyistomaintain

healthy,vigorousgrassesorgrassesandlegumesthroughproper

fertilizingandgrazingpractices.Withgoodmanagement,desired

pastureplantscompetestronglyagainstweeds.

Becausehorsesdonotgrazeallpastureplantstoaneven

height,mowingmaybeneeded.Mowingapastureto3to4inchesaftermovinghorsestoanewpasturehelpscontrolweedsandpre-

ventsgrassesfromdevelopingseedheadsandbecomingdormant.

Mowingaftergrazingalsomakespasturesmoreattractive.

Identifyweedsbyusingvariousweedpublications(see

backcover)orbytakingasampleplanttoyourcountyofceof

theOregonStateUniversityExtensionService.Weedsdifferin

theirlifecycles(annual,biennial,perennial),andthisinuences

whatactionsyoushouldtaketocontrolthem.Weedsalsodifferin

theirthreattoapasture.Somearetoxic,somearenoxious(spread

quicklyanddominateapasture),andsomeareharmless.Thesefac-torsinuencewhetheryoushouldcontroltheweed.

Removeweedsthatdobecomeestablishedbymowing,pulling,

ordigging.Ifyouchoosetouseanherbicide,itiscriticaltotime

theapplicationtothecorrectgrowthphaseoftheplant.Informa-

tiononapplicationtimingisprovidedbythemanufacturer.Follow

allsafetyprecautionsandgrazingrestrictions;horsesmighteat

sprayedweedsandsufferhealthproblems.Regularuseofherbi-

cidestosolveweedproblemsgenerallyindicatesaproblemwith

howthepastureisbeingmanaged.

I you choose to use

an herbicide

Wearprotectiveclothingandsafetydevicesasrecom-

mendedonthelabel.Batheor

showeraftereachuse.

Readtheherbicidelabel

evenifyouveusedtheher-

bicidebefore.Followclosely

theinstructionsonthelabel

(andanyotherdirectionsyou

have).

Knowwhethertheherbicide

canbewindcarriedtounin-tendedplants.

Becautiouswhenyouapply

herbicides.Knowyourlegal

responsibilityasapesticide

applicator.Youmaybeliable

forinjuryordamageresulting

fromherbicideuse.


15/24


Manure managementDistributingmanureisimportantbecausehorseswonteat

wheretheydefecate.Asaresult,areasoftall,untouchedgrassgrow

uparoundmanurepiles.Itgenerallyisenoughtoharrowordraga

pastureonceortwiceayeartospreadmanurepiles.

Harrowinghelpsbreakupmanuresoplantscanutilizeit,andit

reducesyhabitatsomewhat.However,whenyouharrowmanureinpastures,youspreadwormeggs,soyouwillneedtomaintaina

gooddewormingprogramforyourhorses.Consultyourveterinar-

ianforrecommendationsonthebestdewormingprogramforyour

specicsituation.

IrrigationIfyouhaveirrigationrights,yourpasturescanremainattractive

andprovidesupplementalnutritionevenduringthedrysummer

months.

Assummerapproachesandthesoilbecomesdry,plantsnatu-

rallybegintomoveintodormancy.Beginirrigationearlyenoughtopreventtheplantsfromgoingintodormancy.Insomeyears,

youmayneedtobeginirrigatinginlatespring.Ifyouirrigatefor

production,followanirrigationwatermanagementplanthattakes

intoconsiderationtheinltrationrateandwater-holdingcapacityof

thesoil.Forhelpdevelopingawatermanagementplan,contactan

irrigationspecialistoryourlocalUSDANaturalResourcesConser-

vationServiceofce.

Ifyourgoalisonlytohaveagreenpasture,irrigatewhenever

theweatherisdry.

Donotleavehorsesinthepasturewhileirrigating.Insaturated

soil,theymightdamageequipmentand/orpastureplants.

Toavoidplantdamageandsoilcompaction,wait3or4days

afterirrigatingbeforeallowinghorsestograzepastures.Asalways,

waituntilthepastureisabovetheminimum3-inchheightbefore

grazing,andgrazeonlydownto3inches.

InterseedingToincreaseapasturestandandllinbarespots,broadcast

seed(5to10poundsperacre)overthepastureinlateSeptember

orearlyOctober.Thehorseswillplanttheseedbywalkingit

lightlyintotheground.Perennialryegrassisparticularlyeffectiveatbecomingestablishedbyinterseeding.Besuretousecertied,

endophyte-freeseed.

Keys to successul pas-

ture

managementMostpasturemanagement

practicesareinexpensive.Thekeyistodevelopanattitude

thathorsesdonothavetobeon

grassallofthetimeorevenev-

eryday;theyshouldbegrazing

apastureonlywhenadequate

grassisavailableandthesoilis

notsaturated.Usesacricear-

easmostofthetime(seepages

78).

Donotgrazepastureswhen

thesoilissaturated.Doingsocreatesmud,damages

plants,compactssoil,in-

creasesweeds,andreduces

grassproduction.

Grazenolowerthananav-

erageof3inchesinheight.

Thisrestrictionmaintains

growingpointsforrapid

regrowthandenoughleaf

areaforsunlightabsorp-

tion,whichimprovesplant

health.

Allowplantstorecoveraf-

tergrazing.Dividepastures

intosmallerareaswithpor-

tableelectricfencing.Move

animalswhenapaddock

hasbeengrazedto3inches.

Allowgrasstoregrowto

6to8inchesbeforebeing

grazedagain. Limitlegumesto20to

30percentofthepasture

standtoreducedigestive

systemproblems.Formore

information,consultyour

countyOSUExtensionof-

ceoryourveterinarian.


16/24


RenovationInsomecases,andasalastresort,completepasturerenovation

isneeded.Renovationinvolvesdestroyingtheoldsod(eitherwith

herbicidesorbyplowing),tilling,andthenreseeding.Theprocess

iscostlyandshouldbeconsideredonlyaftertryingtoimprovea

pasturebyothermeans.Often,simplyimprovingfertilityandus-

ingthemanagementtechniquessuggestedinthispublicationwilldramaticallyimproveapasture.

Afterapastureisplowedandreseeded,thegroundwillbesoft.

Delaygrazinguntilthesoilisdryenoughtosupportthehorses.To

ensurethattheplantsbecomewellestablishedandrmlyrooted,

dontgrazeareseededpastureuntilthenewgrowthismorethan

3inchestall.Therootsneedachancetogetestablished.Ifhorses

areallowedtograzesooner,theymightpulltheplantsout,roots

andall.Grazelightlyduringtherstseason.

Seed mixturesPasturemixesshouldbetailoredtothetypeofsoilonthefarm

andtheexpecteduseforthepasture.SoilscommontowesternOr-

egonandwesternWashingtonrangefromsaturatedtoexcessively

welldrained.Inaddition,somepasturesareintendedforbothgraz-

ingandhaying,whileothersserveasanexercisearearatherthana

sourceoffeedandrequireasodthatwillstanduptoalotofabuse.

Thetablebelowofferssomebasicoptionsforpasturegrasses.

Alwaysuseendophyte-freevarieties.

Grazing only *

Soil type or grazing and hay Exercise area*

Well-drained Tallfescue Bentgrass

Orchardgrass Finefescue

Perennialryegrass Tallfescue

Somewhat Tallfescue Bentgrass

poorlydrained Perennialryegrass Finefescue

Tallfescue

From:Pasture and Hayland Renovation for Western Washington and Oregon

(seeFormoreinformation,backcover)

*Pasturegrassesshouldalwaysbeendophyte-free.

TallfescueiswelladaptedforhorsepasturesinwesternOregon

andwesternWashington.Tallfescuetoleratesacidsoils,lowfertil-

ity,poorlydrainedsoils,drought,anddamagefromhorsehooves

betterthansomeothergrasses.

Perennialryegrassisanotheroptionforhorsepastures.It

establishesquicklyandishighlypalatable,butitmaybedifcult

tomaintainasahorsepastureunlessfertilityandgrazingarewell

managed.

Orchardgrassispalatableandgrowswellinshadedareasbut


17/24


requireswell-drainedsoils.Bothorchardgrassandtallfescueare

goodcandidatesforirrigatedpastures.

Forpasturesthatareusedprimarilyasexerciseareasrather

thanasasourceoffeed,grassesthatcansurviveveryheavyuseare

best.Bentgrassandnefescuearebothlow-growinggrassesthat

workwellintheseconditions.Bentgrassisreasonablypalatable;

nefescueislessso.Tallfescuealsoworksinanexercisearea.

Kentuckybluegrassandtimothyaretwospeciesofgrass

familiartomosthorseowners.Theyarenotgoodselectionsfor

horsepastures.Kentuckybluegrassisnotwell-adaptedtowestern

OregonandwesternWashingtonbecauseitissusceptibletofungal

diseasesthatreducethequalityofthegrass.Timothyisanexcel-

lentoptionforhaybutisnotsuitableforhorsepasturesduetoits

susceptibilitytoovergrazing.Bromegrass(exceptgrazingbrome-

grass,Bromus stamineus)issimilartotimothyinsusceptibilityto

overgrazingandisnotsuitableforhorsepastures.

Pasturegrassesmaybeusedalone,mixedtogether,ormixed

withalegume.Pasturemixeswithmorethanonegrasscanworkwelliftheyaregrazedonlyandnothayed.Mixtureswithmore

thanonegrasscanbechallenging,however,becausehorsesmay

preferonegrassovertheothers,resultinginovergrazingofone

grassandundergrazingoftheothers.

Seedingratesvarydependingonthetypeofgrass.For

example,fortallfescue,useatleast30poundsofseedperacre

(moreifplantingintoaroughseedbed).Ifusingatallfescue/peren-

nialryegrassmixture,two-thirdsshouldbetallfescueandone-third

perennialryegrass.Ifyouwanttoincludealegume,add

2to3poundsofwhitecloverseedperacre.Consult Pasture and

Hayland Renovation for Western Washington and Oregon(seeback

cover)forseedingratesforotherforages.

EndophytesSomevarietiesoftallfescuecontainanendophytic(withinthe

plant)fungus.Turf-typetallfescuestypicallycontaintheendo-

phyte,whileforage-typetallfescuesdonot.Toxinsassociated

withthisfunguscancauseloweredreproductiverates,abortion,

agalactia(lackofmik),andprolongedgestation.Alwaysuseen-

dophyte-freeseedwhenestablishingtallfescuestandsforhorses.

Removebroodmaresfrompasturescontainingendophyte-infestedtallfescueatleast90dayspriortofoaling.

Ifnoreproductiveorlactationproblemshavebeenobserved

onyourcurrentpasture,youprobablyhavenoreasontobecon-

cerned.Ifyouareconcerned,anendophytetestcandeterminethe

amountofinfection,ifany,inyourpasture.ContacttheOregon

StateUniversityVeterinaryDiagnosticLaboratoryformore

information(http://www.vet.orst.edu/biomed/biomed.htm;

phone:541-737-3261;fax:541-737-6817).


18/24


Putting the principles into practiceOneoftheprinciplesofgoodpasturemanagementistonever

grazethegrasstooshort.Theoptimumheightforgrassisbetween

3and8inchestall.Grazingmanagerscallthisthevegetative

stagebecausethegrassisveryleafy.Italsoisveryhighinnutrients

andverycompetitivewithweeds.Grassthatisgrazedto3inches

andallowedtorestregrowsveryquickly.Grassthatisgrazedveryshorttakesaverylongtimetoregrowandisweakenedandsuscep-

tibletocompetitionfromweeds.Grazingtooshorttoooftenis

overgrazing.

Itisimportanttonotethatdifferentgrassesvaryintheiropti-

mumgrazingheight.Forinstance,tallfescueshouldbegrazedto

about4inches.Bentgrass,sinceitisaturf-typegrassandtherefore

lowergrowing,canbegrazedtoabout2inches.

Ifyouhaveonlyonelargepasture,itisverydifculttoman-

agethegrassforthecorrectheight;thus,thesepasturesareprone

toovergrazing.Tomakethetaskofmanagingyourgrasseasier,

divideyourpastureintoseveralsmallerpasturesatleastthree,butmoreisbetter.Startbyturningthehorsesintotherstpasture.

Whentheygrazethegrasstothe3-inchlevel,movethemintothe

nextpasture,repeatingtheprocessforeachsmallpasture.Therst

pastureshouldrestuntilithasregrownto6to8inches;thenyou

canputthehorsesbackin.Thinkoftheprocessthisway:whenyou

haveonlyonebigpasture,youaregrazing100percentofitand

resting(regrowing)noneofit.Whenyouhavefoursmallerpas-

tures,atanygiventimeyouaregrazing25percentofyourpasture

landandresting75percentofit.

Remember,horsestendtospotgraze(overgrazingsomeareaswhilenotgrazingotherareas),andyouwillhavetoconsiderthis

factorasyoudecidewhentomovethemtothenextpasture.Mow-

ingbetweengrazings,oratleastattheendofthegrazingseason,

willcleanuppasturesandgeteverything

backtothesameheight.

Therewillbetimeswhennoneofyour

pasturesissufcientlytalltograze.This

situationlikelywilloccurduringthesum-

meronunirrigatedpasturesandduringthe

winter.Useyoursacriceareaorpaddock

duringtheseperiodstopreventovergrazinganddamagefromovertreading.Duringthe

summer,youcanstillturnthehorsesout

forexerciseondry,dormantpasturesbut

theseperiodsshouldbebrief,andthehorses

shouldberestrictedfromcontinuously

standing,grazing,pawing,andotheractivi-

tiesthatarehardondormantpastureplants.Dividepasturesintopaddockswithfencing.Then,rotatehorsesamong

paddockstogivepastureplantstimetoregrowbeforeregrazing.


19/24


Toassesstheimpactthatyouoryourlivestockhaveonthe

qualityofyourdrinkingwater,rstidentifywhereyourwellis

locatedinrelationtoyourlivestock,draineld,petroleumstorage

tanks,andotherpotentialsourcesofcontamination.

Next,learnallyoucanaboutyourwell.Isitlocatedinalow

areaofyourproperty?Isthewellheadproperlysealed,andarethe

ventpipeandscreeninplace?Whatistheage,depth,andconstruc-

tionqualityofyourwell?Byperformingavisualinspectionand

readingyourwellreport,youcanlearnalotaboutyourwell.

Practices to protect your drinking water1. Fence horses and other livestock away from your well-

head.Theriskforcontaminationofyourdrinkingwaterdepends

onmanyfactors(soiltype,conditionofyourwell,amountof

rainfall,directionofgroundwaterow,etc.).Knowledgeofthesefactorsandcommonsenseareyourguides.Ifpossible,maintainall

livestockdownhillfromyourwellhead.

2. Divert surface water away from your wellhead. Surface

waterthatrunsthroughapastureormanurepileisladenwithbac-

teriaandexcessnitrogenthatcancontaminateyourdrinkingwater

andnearbysurfacewater.Bacteriafrommanureandurinealsocan

movedownwardinsomesoilsandundercertain

conditions.

3. Locate manure piles at least 100 feet, preferably

downslope, from your well. Placethepileonanimpermeable

surfacesuchasconcreteandcover ittopreventrainfromleachingnitrogenintogroundwater(seepage20).Thismethodofstorage

alsobeginsthecompostingprocesstoturnthisnitrogen-richmate-

rialintoausefulsoilamendment.Donotallowsurfacewatertorun

acrossorthroughamanurestoragearea.

4. Test well water annually for coliform bacteria and

nitrate.Thepresenceofnitrateand/orcoliformbacteriainground-

waterindicatesaconnectiontomaterialssuchasmanure,fertil-

izers,andseptic-systemwastethatarerichinnitrogen. Excess ni-

trate is harmfulto humans, especially infants, and to livestock.

Coliformbacteriashould notbepresentinwellwater.5. Do not leave a hose immersed in a stock tank.Thepoten-

tialforbacksiphoningofcontaminatedstocktankwaterintoyour

wellwatersystemsisveryreal.Backow happens!Purchasean

anti-siphonvalveforalloutdoorhosefaucets,especiallythoseused

towaterlivestockandmixchemicals.

6. Take a good look at your property, your neighbors

property, and your entire watershed.Arethereanystructuresor

practicesthatposeathreattoyourdrinkingwatersource?Areany

ofthemlocatedonyourproperty?

Protect your well water

Keephorsesandotheranimalsawayfrom

yourwellhead.

Why is groundwater

protection

important?Manyhorseownerswho

liveinruralareasdependon

groundwaterfromawellfor

theirdrinkingwater.Ifnot

properlymanaged,manureis

oneofthemanymaterialsthat

cancontaminatetheground-watersupplyingyourwell.

Throughpropermanagementof

animalwaste,youcangreatly

reducetheriskofcontamination

togroundwater,thesourceof

drinkingwaterforyouandyour

family.

Some options

Seetheoptionslistedformanuremanagement(page20)

andguttersanddownspouts

(page9).


For more information, contact your county

Extension agent or visit the Oregon State

University Well Water Program Web site

(http://wellwater.oregonstate.edu).


20/24


Cover and compost manure

Why is manure man-

agementimportant?

Propermanuremanage-

mentpromoteshorsehealthby

reducingparasitesinpastures.

Itpromotespasturehealthby

reducingweedseedsandreturn-

ingplantnutrientstothesoil.

Itpromoteswaterqualityby

stabilizingmanurenutrientsand

keepingthemoutofwater.

Some options

EconomicalThemostimportantstep

istheleastexpensive:cover

manurepileswithaweighted

tarpduringtherainyseason.

Water-lledjugsmakeexcellent

weights.

Mid-rangeThenextlevelofmanure

managementisaconcrete

pad,perhapswithcurbs,and

weightedtarps.Sizethepadac-

cordingtotheprojectedmanure

volume.

Top-o-the-lineAddaroofand,ideally,gut-

tersanddownspouts.

A1,200-poundhorseproduces1cubicfootoffreshmanure

everyday.Stallwastecanbeasoil-buildingresourceorasource

ofmuck,weeds,parasites,ies,andwaterpollutants.Itallde-

pendsonthemanagement.Improveyourmanurehandlingandcompostingtechniqueswiththesesixsimpletips.

Wetsoilsandlowareasarenotwellsuitedtohorses,con-

nementareas,ormanurestorageandcomposting.Horsehealth

isaffectedwhenanimalsspendlongperiodsoftimeonsaturated

pastures.Waterowingthroughandundercompostpilesresults

inlow-qualitycompostthatmaybetoxictosomeplants.

Location, location, locationObservethepathwaythatrunningwatertakesacrossyour

property.Donotlocatemanurestorageareasinlowspotsor

drainageways.Storeallwasteabovetheoodplainsoitwontbecarriedawaybyhighwater.

Keepmanureoutofthepathofrunofffromroofsanddown-

spouts.Well-plannedtrenchingdivertswaterawayfromwaste

piles(seepage9).Avoidingproblemsonlessdesirablestorage

sitesrequiresmorecare.

Sitethemanurepiledownslopefromyourwellhead;a

100-footseparationshouldprotectyourdrinkingwatersupply.

Cover waste piles during wet weatherAtaminimum,coverwastepileswithaweightedtarpto

controlthemoisturelevelandreduceleaching.Manypublished

sourcesshowexamplesofroofedandopenstoragestructures.

Classicthree-binsystemsadapttomanysituations.

Effectivemanuremanagementrequiresadequatestorage

structuresize.Beddingaddstostoragespaceneeds.Usingrub-

berstallmatsandminimalbeddingisagoodwaytoreduce

wastestoragedemands.

Reduce stall waste volumeTheresnothingyoucandoabouttheamountofwastea

horseproduces,butyoucanaffectthesizeofyourmanurepilebyreducingtheamountofbeddingyouuse.Theamount

requiredtoabsorburineisfarlessthanmanyhorseownerspro-

vide.Horsesdonotrequireextracushioningforcomfortifthe

stalloorisdirt.

Usingstallmatsisarenementofthisapproach.Stallmats

provideacushioned,levelsurfaceforstanding.Theyreducedust

andpreventhorsesfromdigging.Unlesshorseshaveunlimited

accesstooutdoors,youllneedtoprovideasmallamountof



21/24


beddingtoabsorburine.Despitetheinitialinvestment,stallmats

reducebeddingcosts.

Severalbeddingmaterialsprovideanalternativetoshavings

orstraw.Shreddednewspaper,soldinbales,hasbeenusedsuc-

cessfully.Newspaperishighlyabsorbentandhastheadvantageof

compostingmorerapidlythanwoodproducts.Newspapersarenow

printedwithnontoxicsoyink.Interestisgrowinginwoodpellets,

similartowoodstovepellets.Usepelletsspecicallymanufactured

forbedding.Theyareeasytopick,lowindust,andmoreabsorbent

thanshavings.Theyeffectivelycontrolammoniaodors.Because

theyaremadeofhammer-milledby-products,theytakeupless

roominacompostpilethanshavings.

Compost manureCompostingiseasyandstabilizesthenutrientsinmanure.The

techniquedependsonmanurevolumeandavailableequipment.

Increasedairexposuresupportsbenecialheat-producingbac-

teriaandincreasestherateofdecomposition.Asthepileheatsup,decompositionacceleratesandmostparasites,ies,andweedseeds

aredestroyed.Manurevolumeisreducedby5065percent,and

valuablenutrientsarestabilized.

Forsmallvolumesthatwillbeturnedbyhand,promoteaera-

tionbylayinglengthsof4-inchperforateddrainlinepipeacross

thepileevery2feetofpiledepth.Pipeendsmustremainexposed.

Thistechniqueisnotrecommendedforpilesthatwillbeturnedby

atractor.Turningacompostpilealsoaddsoxygen,anditincreases

compostqualitybymixingcomponentsandreducingparticlesize.

Smallcompostpilescanbeturnedbyhand.Tractorsandfront

loadersgaintractionwhencompostisstoredonaconcretepad.Thismethodiseasierifyouhaveareinforcedwallforequipment

topushagainst.

Byprotectingmanurepilesfromrain(left),youcankeepnutrientsinthemanure,ratherthanlettingthemrunofforleachinto

thesoil.


22/24


Lowmoistureandinsufcientaerationslowdecomposition.

Checkmoisturelevelswhenyouturnthepile;addmoistureif

needed.Thetrickistoprovideenoughwatersothatthemateri-

alshaveathinlmcoatingmostsurfacesbutthereisstillspace

betweentheparticlesofbeddingandmanurethatcontainsair,not

water.

Oddlyenough,toomuchwateralsoslowsdecomposition.

Undersaturatedconditions,oxygen-intolerant(anaerobic)bacteria

takeoverthejobofbreakingdownthecompostpile.Theywork

veryslowly,notveryefciently,andmaycontributeplant-toxic

compoundstothecompost.Duringthewetseason,itsimportant

tocovercompostpileswithaweightedtarptopreventsaturation.

Duringthedryseason,itsimportanttocovercompostpilesto

conservemoisture.

Isolate waste piles rom streamsBufferstripstrapowingcontaminantsandtakeupwater-car-

riednutrients(seepage10).

Spread manure and compost when

plants can use itSpreadmanureandcompostwhenthesoilisdryenoughto

permiteldaccessandplantsareactivelygrowing.Agoodguide-

lineistospreadnomorethan 14inchofcompostatatime,andno

morethantwiceperyear.Spreadingcompostinspringmightbe

idealforplantgrowth,butheavyequipmentcancauseseveredam-

agetowetpastures.Inlatesummer,activelygrowingpasturesare

shortenoughtoallowefcientapplication.Emptymanurestorageprovidesspaceforwintersaccumulation.

Spreadingmanureinlatefallislessdesirable.Winterrainswill

carrynutrientsawaywhiledormantplantsareunabletousethem.

Spreadmanureandcompostonlywheneldsaredryandplantsareactively

growing.Otherwise,nutrientswillendupcontaminatingsurfacewateror

groundwaterratherthanfertilizingyourpasture.


23/24


GeneralCounty soil surveysareavailableatyourlibraryorcountyofceoftheOSUExtensionService.

Healthy Horses, Clean Water: A Guide to Environmentally Friendly Horsekeeping for King County EquineBusinesses. Forcommercialhorsefacilities.ContactLaurieClinton,KingCountyWashingtonLivestock

Programs,[email protected]

Healthy Horses, Clean Water: A Guide to Environmentally Friendly Horsekeeping. Fornoncommercialhorse

owners.ContactLaurieClinton,KingCountyWashingtonLivestockPrograms,at206-296-1471orLaurie.

[email protected]://www.wa.gov/puget_sound/Programs/Agriculture.htm

Horse Housing and Equipment Handbook(MidwestPlanService,122DavidsonHall,IowaStateUniversity,

Ames,IA50011-3080;phone1-800-562-3618).

Horsekeeping on a Small Acreage,CherryHill(StoreyBooks,Pownal,VT,1990).Excellentbookonhorse

facilitydesignandmanagement.Includesinformationonunderstandinghorses,designingahorsefacility

foryourland,andgeneralconsiderationsanddesignsforhorsebarnsandotherfacilities.

Horses for Clean Water, AlayneBlickle.http://www.horsesforcleanwater.com

Managing Livestock on a Small Acreage (WashingtonStateUniversityCooperativeExtension).

http://coopext.cahe.wsu.edu/infopub/eb1713/eb1713.html

Oregon Small Acreage Fact Sheets (OregonAssociationofConservationDistrictsandUSDA-NRCS)http://

www.or.nrcs.usda.gov/pas/factsheet.html

Organics Outlook.http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/organics

Small Acreage Management(ColoradoStateUniversity).http://www.cnr.colostate.edu/RES/rc/small.htm

Tips for Small Acreages in Oregon(WashingtonCountySoilandWaterConservationDistrict).Maybeavail-

ableatcountyExtensionofces,orcalltheWashingtonCountySWCDat503-648-3174.

Using Geotextile Fabric in Livestock Operations,AEX-304-97(TheOhioStateUniversityExtension).

http://ohioline.osu.edu/aex-fact/0304.html

Manure managementCERWA(CompostEducation&ResourcesforWesternAgriculture).http://www2.aste.usu.edu/compost/qanda/qal.htm

Fertilizing with Manure,PNW533(WashingtonStateUniversityCooperativeExtension,2000).

Good Neighbor Guide for Horse-Keeping: Manure Management(UniversityofNewHampshireCooperative

Extension,1995).http://ceinfo.unh.edu/aahr1050.pdf

Horse Manure ManagementPreventing a Soil Nitrogen Deciency,AGF-212-95(TheOhioStateUniversity

Extension).http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~ohioline/agf-fact/0212.html

In-Vessel Composting of Horse Manure(TexasA&MUniversity).www.tamu-commerce.edu/coas/agscience/

res-dlc/horse/horse.html

Managing Horse Manure(NorthCarolinaStateUniversity).Includes42-slideshowonproperstorageofhorse

manure.http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/programs/extension/manure/equine/manure/sld001.htm

Manure Storage and Compost Facilities for Operation with Limited Numbers of Livestock(USDA-NRCSandWashingtonCounty(OR)Soil&WaterConservationDistrict,Hillsboro,OR).

On-farm Composting Handbook, NRAES-54(distributedbyNortheastRegionalAgriculturalEngineeringSer-

vice,152Riley-RobbHall,CornellUniversityCooperativeExtension,Ithaca,NY,14853-5701;

phone607-255-7654;fax607-255-4080;[email protected]).Informationonagriculturalcom-

posting.

For more inormation


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This publication was produced and distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Extension work is a cooperative program ofOregon State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Oregon counties.

O S U i i E i S i ff d i l i i i d i l i h di i i i b d l li i l

2003 Oregon State University.

Photo creditsAlayne Blickle (pages 2 (middle), 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 18, 21, 22); Maggie Livesay (page 19); and Garry Stephenson (pages 2 (top, bottom), 3, 7, 10)

AuthorsGarry Stephenson, Extension small farms faculty, Benton County, Oregon State University; David Hannaway, Extension forage specialist, Oregon StateUniversity; Alayne Blickle, program director, Horses for Clean Water, Maple Valley, WA; Larry Brewer, grazing management specialist, USDA NaturalResources Conservation Service; Linda J. Brewer, faculty research assistant, Oregon State University; Marty Chaney, pasture management specialist,USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Olympia, WA; and Maggie Livesay, former well water education faculty, Benton County, Oregon StateUniversity.

AcknowledgmentsThe development and printing of this publication were funded by a 2001 OSU Extension Service Innovation Grant.

Pasture managementA List of Analytical Laboratories Serving Oregon,EM8677(OSUExtensionService,revised2002).

Orchardgrass(DactylisglomerataL.),PNW502(OSUExtensionService,1999).

Pacic Northwest Weed Management Handbook(OSUExtensionService,updatedanually).

Pasture and Hay for Horses(PennStateUniversity).http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/pdfs/uc099.pdf

Pasture and Hayland Renovation for Western Washington and Oregon, EB1870(WashingtonStateUniversity

CooperativeExtension,2002).http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/cepublications/eb1870/eb1870.pdfPasture for Horses(video,PennStateUniversity).http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/Videos/25504vh.html

Pastures Fertilizer Guide: Western Oregon and Western Washington,FG63(OSUExtensionService,revised

1996).

Perennial Ryegrass (LoliumperenneL.),PNW503(OSUExtensionService,1999).

Plants of the Pacic Northwest Coast, J.Pojar,A.MacKinnon,andP.Alaback(LonePinePublishing,Vancou-

ver,BC,1994).

Rotational Grazing: Livestock Systems Guide (ATTRAAppropriateTechnologyTransferforRuralAreas).

http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/PDF/rotgraze.pdf

Soil Sampling for Home Gardens and Small Acreages,EC628(OSUExtensionService,revised1995).

Tall Fescue(FestucaarundinaceaSchreb.),PNW504(OSUExtensionService,1999).

Tall Fescue/Endophyte/Animal Relationships (OregonTallFescueCommission).

Weeds of the West(WesternSocietyofWeedScience,revised2001).DistributedbyOregonState

UniversityExtensionService,422KerrAdministration,Corvallis,OR97331;fax541-737-0817;

[email protected]).

Whos Coming to Dinner? Livestock Eating Habits and Their Effects on Grazing Management,

VTP28(video)(OSUExtensionService,1998).

Well water protectionBackow Protection for Private Water Systems,G.GlickAndrews,EC1488(OSUExtensionService,July

1997).

Keeping Your Well Water Well, G.Glick,EM8752(OSUExtensionService,2000).

Septic Tank Maintenance, J.A.Moore,EC1343(OSUExtensionService,1989).

Twelve Simple Things You Can Do to Protect Your Well Water,G.Glick,EM8651(OSUExtensionService,June1996).

OSUExtensionServiceWellWaterProtectionProgram.541-737-6294;Web:http://wellwater.oregonstate.edu

Note:ManyOSUExtensionServicepublicationsmaybeviewedordownloadedfromtheWeb.Visittheon-

linePublicationsandVideoscatalogathttp://eesc.oregonstate.edu.Copiesofmanyofourpublicationsand

videosalsoareavailablefromOSUExtensionandExperimentStationCommunications.Forpricesandorder-

inginformation,visitouronlinecatalogorcontactusbyfax(541-737-0817),e-mail(puborders@

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