Views? Equine Industry and the Environment

[magicchett]

Hi All,

Haven't been on here in a while!

Im putting together a little investigative project about the Equine Industry and the Environment...

I was hoping you could all help me by putting your views across (how ever ridiculous , rubbish or boring you may think they are!) on the subject of the environment and our industry.

If you are a leisure rider/yard owner/eat horses (joke) .. doesn't matter, it would be great if you could put forward your views, even if you have none..

i.e:
what is your role in the industry?
what are your views (for example, on burning waste, eco bedding, over grazing fields... do people only want to save money,.. if it all roles into one for you, does the environment matter to you enough etc etc..anything to do with the environment..

...I need all your thoughts and ideas on this so please spill the beans on your opinions

Many many thanks

Sarah

 

[Orangehorse]

People who don't have horses hate to see paddocks fenced with electric tape and untidy yards with a mish mash of hay stacks, trailers, jumps and not very pretty stables. Soaking hay in water can be an environmental hazard and what to do with all the plastic string and plastic bale wrappers.

 

[magicchett]

Thank you for your response OrangeHorse

I understand what you mean about non-horse folk and electric tape!

If you could elaborate on soaking hay etc, I understand it takes a massive amount of water.. and I know if you soak it for longer than 24 hours the hay becomes toxic,.. do you have any more knowledge? is the old water harmful to the environment? (could be a stupid question)

What are people views on muck heap locations..burning waste.. water saving techniques?

Does anyone have recycling facilities?

Sarah

 

[touchstone]

Iam purely a leisure rider now, but I try to be environmentally aware in horsekeeping, although I do think we should probably use our horses more than we do in an ideal world; eg. ride more instead of trailer or horsebox, using a horse to do harrowing etc instead of a tractor while horses are stood idle in a stable or field!

For my own part I collect rainwater in water butts from the stable roof which provides water for drinking and cleaning buckets etc.

Supplement tubs are recyled and used to carry water/feed/tack cleaning etc.

Pasture wise I use a track system mostly, which does end up overgrazed, but it is a minimal area and it means that the centre of the field is allowed to grow long and can be grazed off, either by sheep during the summer, used as foggage or for hay.
I don't fertilise the pasture as it was heavily fertilised with nitrogen for many years and this caused a loss of native species and a glut of rich rye grass. There are more native species in the sward now.

Droppings are collected in recycled feed bags daily and left at the field gate, the local gardeners help themselves and return the bags for re-use.

Bedding from the stable (woodchips or shavings) is deep littered and taken out in the spring when it is heaped and left to rot and can be spread on the field (by wheelbarrow!) as organic matter later in the year.

Baler twine from hay is used for fastening gates etc.

Water left over from soaking hay is kept for watering the garden in summer (I don't soak hay in winter) Apparently it is full of nitrates.

I try to plant native trees/hedging around the field when I get the chance. Makes useful natural shelter and food sources and supports wildlife.

All in all not a great amount, but I feel happier doing what small and easy things I can, mostly to try to get back to a more organic way of managing things and improving wildlife habitats, but also to save money.