Consultation Services

On-Site Farm Consultations

An in-person visit from Horses for Clean Water is a great way to start planning your horse farm. It begins with walking your property together, so our consultant, Alayne Blickle, can see what terrain, vegetation, water and soil conditions, and environmental zones are present, and so she can hear your ideas, questions and concerns. She will then help you design a plan to develop your land in a way that is environmentally sustainable for its particular location and conditions, and that sets you on the way to your dream horse farm.

Topics addressed during the site visit are:

Mud and Manure Management

Reduction or elimination of mud
Options for both small and large scale manure management, including recommendations for bedding
In depth help with composting including resource and contact information for agencies, consultants, and other professionals.

Pasture Management Techniques

Rotational grazing (Alayne specializes in managing small grassy areas)
Identification of weeds and toxic plants on your property and information on controlling them

Farm Structures

Siting and layout for buildings and fences
Barn, paddock, and riding arena construction and design
Footing options and considerations for different structures and riding disciplines
Horse fencing options and considerations

Landscaping for Horse and Non-horse Areas

Using horse-friendly native plants to reduce mud and/or dust and create buffer zones where needed
Enhancing wildlife
Reducing animal and insect pest habitat
Dealing with creeks, wetlands, and other sensitive areas

Resources

In addition to the knowledge her many years of experience have given her, Alayne has an extensive library of books, catalogs, and other media for any necessary research. She also has access to the best consultants and professionals, and to the right agencies for the right information and assistance. She not only uses these resources in her own work, she provides you with contact information so can continue to use them throughout development of your farm. Here are just a few examples:

Barn and arena builders
Contractors
County agencies and offices
Equestrian trail information
Equipment operators
Farriers
Farm suppliers
Hay and feed dealers
Horse industry professionals
Horse organizations
Local and regional businesses
Riding instructors and trainers
Vets

Also included in a farm consultation are educational handouts Alayne has created on topics such as:

Composting
Facility Planning
Fencing
Manure Management Options
Mud Management
Naturescaping on Horse Farms
Pasture Management
Plants Poisonous to Horses
Septic and Well Issues
Small Farm Equipment

Farm Consultation Pricing

$75	First hour
$65	Per additional hour
$0.505	Per mile travel expense *
$65	Per hour for post-visit research and report writing
Additional travel expenses, such as road and ferry tolls.
Most consultations total around two to three hours. * Unless your visit can be combined with Alayne’s travel to other consultations or meetings, there will be a $65/hour travel time fee for driving trips one hour or longer.

Long Distance Consultation

Sometimes an in-person consult is not possible, so Alayne also offers “virtual farm visits” via phone, e-mail, and/or snail mail.

In a virtual consult, you will send Alayne a description of your property (such as size, topography, natural features, and buildings present), a bit about the horses and/or other animals that will be living on the property, a list of your goals, questions you would like to ask, and maps and photos if they are available.

Alayne will study the materials, then discuss plans and options with you. She will provide handouts on relevant topics and put you in contact with the right agencies and professionals in your area.

Long Distance Consultation Pricing

$75	First hour
$65	Per additional hour
$0.505	Per mile travel expense *
$65	Per hour for post-visit research and report writing
Additional travel expenses, such as road and ferry tolls.
Most consultations total around two to three hours. * Unless your visit can be combined with Alayne’s travel to other consultations or meetings, there will be a $65/hour travel time fee for driving trips one hour or longer.

Speakers Bureau

Horses for Clean Water can provide speakers to talk to your group or class on any of the topics mentioned here. There are slide-show presentations on the following topics:

Basic Horse Care
Composting Horse Manure
Designing a Horse-Friendly Facility
Horse Fencing
Horse Manure Management
Horse Pasture Management
Mud, Horses and Paddocks
Natural Ways to Control Mud, Dust, Bugs and Weeds
Preparing Your Horse Farm for Winter
Shopping for Horse Property: Finding a Suitable Site
Small Farm Equipment

Speakers Bureau Pricing

Rate is $550 per day plus expenses for travel, mileage, accomodations and meals.

Agency Assistance

Alayne works with state and county agencies to:

Develop educational materials on environmentally sensitive horse and livestock keeping practices. Formats include printed handouts, manuals, slide show presentations, video and radio productions, and displays.
Set up peer education programs similar to Horses for Clean Water
Provide outreach to local horse communities
Present horsekeeping materials to local audiences

Agency Assistance Pricing

Rate is $550 per day plus expenses for travel, mileage, accomodations and meals.

Horses for Clean Water looks forward to helping you provide a happy, healthy home for your horse, and a chore-efficient, cost-effective property for you to enjoy. Your horse farm will be an asset to your neighborhood AND the environment!

Please contact us:

Horses for Clean Water
Environmentally Friendly Horsekeeping Practices
Alayne Renee Blickle
Program Director
425-432-6116
alayne@horsesforcleanwater.com

17717 252nd Ave. S.E.
Maple Valley WA 98038