Spreading horse muck on horse fields? Good or Bad?

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Rainbowrider

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I have always poo picked since I had my own yard and paddocks. Before me, the land was not used for horses, so I have tried to keep it clean and worm free (as much as possible).
I have a big old muck heap in the corner of the field which has not been used for 2 years, although it has been turned with the digger a few times.

It looks like a huge pile of perfect compost now, but I do not know if it would do good or harm to spread it on my fields?
 
Had a lecutre the other day on worming and they said that harrowing the field/spreading the poo most definately speads the worm burden. I don't know if that applies to muck spreading. What I will say though is that farmers say that horses poo weeds - so on that basis I wouldn't recommend spreading. Hope those comments are helpful?!
 
Thanks for the reply Michelle, this is what I have always thought too, but just wanted to see if it makes a difference that it is 2 year old muck which is rotted down to compost. Will there still be worms or eggs in it?

If this is the case, I will have to pay to have it taken away, but want to check first!
 
Yes, during the lecture they told us about worm eggs that lay dormant in the ground for years and years! The hard frosts don't kill all the worm eggs. As a demo we were told about a sample of poo that had been in a freezer for 6 years - whichever worm egg it was (sorry can't remember) appeared dead initially but within 10 to 15 mins it the larvae was wriggling around as it came up to room temp. We were all shocked by that, everyone thought that this years hard frost and snow would have killed off any worms!!

If you've got any local garden centres/market gardeners you never know, they may want it!
 
I thought worms and their eggs were killed off in the high temperatures within the muck heap so perfectly safe to spread it once it had rotted down?
 
I already have postcards up in the local shop offering it to people. I have a few people come and take a few sacks every now and again, but doesn't really make too much difference to the heap. I will try local garden centre though!
 
I don't know if you are in a town or village but your local town will have council allotments and a committee - find them or call your council (they will have an allotment manager/co-ordinator) and give them your contact details. Your local garden centre might not be to receptive as they would rather sell their very expensive bagged up manure!
 
That's the thing, everyone thinks differently on this, and I just don't know who to listen to!

I don't want to spread worms on my fields, and I don't want to waste/give away good fertiliser if it doesn't spread the worms!!!!
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I have always poo picked since I had my own yard and paddocks. Before me, the land was not used for horses, so I have tried to keep it clean and worm free (as much as possible).
I have a big old muck heap in the corner of the field which has not been used for 2 years, although it has been turned with the digger a few times.

It looks like a huge pile of perfect compost now, but I do not know if it would do good or harm to spread it on my fields?

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It will be perfect for muck spreading. Our old muck heap has been spread quite recently, and gets spread every year prior to fertilising.
 
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Hi Amymay, do you think the worms are in it or not?

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I very much doubt it. If there was any concern over that it would not be spread.

It is a well rotted down muck heap, perfectly composted. The natural heat from the muck pile would have killed any worms or larvae that was in it.

Remember - muck spreading goes on all over the country using all sorts of manuer - not just from horses. It's a natural way to fertilise the land, and used as part of your yearly land maintenance will put loads of goodness back in to the soil.
 
I understood that the heat in a muck heap kills/denatures worm eggs hence a well rotted muck heap is excellent fertilizer for your fields. It is the 'well rotted' that is the key difference between fresh muck and manure for spreading. At least 12 months is best.
 
Thanks, when we rented our fields when I was a kid, we had it spread with cow muck, but never horse muck. Now I am paying for muck heap removal for 7 horses, I feel like looking into it further, to make sure I am doing the right thing!!!!
 
I most certainly would not spread it on the pasture because of dormant eggs that will become re-activated. I would definately get rid of it. No point keeping your pasture nice and clean and then spreading the eggs back on it.

(I do not recommend fertiliser on fields used by horses as it can cause a number of problems including Laminitis).
 
Thanks, the heap is at least 2 years old, and I have another heap that is at least 1 year old. The muck has come from my own horses, who are on a worming programme, so shouldn't be a high worm count in the heap anyway.
 
Ok, will do that tonight after work.

It just looks like a big pile of dirt. It was mostly poo pickings, with some straw, and muck from stables. It has been pushed up and turned as we have a digger, and just looks like compost.

I feel like getting it tested in some way, but don't want more expense, and wouldn't know how to go about it.
 

I have always understood it to be fine to spread well-rotted horse manure on fields. However, am surprised by the mixed response here.

If it is just your horses grazing the land and you therefore know they have been correctly wormed then I really can't see a problem.
 
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