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The official newsletter of Horses for Clean Water, http://www.horsesforcleanwater.com
Published on the 10th of each month by Alayne Blickle, Director of Horses for Clean Water
Newsflash!
The 2004 back issues of The Green Horse are now available to buy as Adobe Acrobat PDFs for just $3.97 each. Help HCW programs by purchasing these information-packed newsletters! Just go to The Green Horse page and use the easy Add to Cart buttons and our payment system through PayPal. We will e-mail you the PDF within a day or so of your purchase! You will no longer find the online versions of these newsletters.
BioDiesel Bumper Sticker
$4.97
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Also, take a look at this month’s featured HCW product. This bumper sticker will only be available for a limited time! Look for another new design next month!
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Message from Alayne: Reiner Turns dressage Rider (For a Week!)
I have always been a big fan of learning what I can about as many equestrian disciplines as possible. It seems to me that there is almost always something we can learn from watching another talented rider or trainer, regardless of their chosen discipline. In reviewing all the riding disciplines, I’ve always felt that dressage is like the trunk of the tree—the base from which most other disciplines branched, much like Latin is the base for so many other languages. When my friend Patricia suggested that we take a trip to Portugal to study dressage I thought, why not?! It was a great opportunity to experience an important discipline first-hand by riding highly schooled dressage horses. When would I have that kind of opportunity here at home?
As promised, this month I share more highlights from my November 2005 Portugal trip. The following is from my account of our final week spent in Arraiolos riding and studying classical dressage.
Us crammed into our little European rental car.
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DAY 10—We’re on our way to Arraiolos, a little town near Evora in the center of Portugal. For this leg we rented a car, crammed in all our gear (emphasis on “crammed”) and we’re off! We wind our way through the countryside and past charming little towns, finally arriving at beautiful Arraiolos. Coming into town we missed the Pousada (where we are staying) so we stop in town at a café to inquire—in our stilted, charades-like way of communicating. A really nice young man offers to show us to the Pousada so we follow him in his car.
Let me tell you about the Pousada! A Pousada is a government run luxury hotel usually in a converted historical building and setting. Our Pousada was built in the 15th century as a nunnery. The place was incredibly picturesque, surrounded by acres of olive and cork trees where cattle lazily grazed, the bells around their necks chiming. We began a week of eating and being treated like royalty like I could never have imagined! Pousadas specialize in exceptional service and this one was no exception: the staff waited on us hand and foot, especially at the restaurant where we had more silverware than I could guess what to do with. Since all meals were included with our stay we ate extravagantly. The highlights of our meals were the wonderful Portuguese deserts, their “heritage” deserts. When we inquired what they each were made of they all seemed to have the same ingredients: eggs and sugar. No wonder we liked them all so much! Meals were traditional Portuguese foods, however we quickly discovered we could also order anything we wanted. Meals, artfully prepared and served, were quite an activity requiring at least 2 hours for dinner! The Portuguese eat lunch from 1 to 3 pm and close all work during this time—including things like banks, grocery stores, shops and libraries. That means that skipping lunch to run errands wasn’t profitable, as everything in town would be closed during this time anyway. Dinner starts at 7 or 7:30 pm and lasts until 11 pm (or later!!) Meal schedules took us a while for us to get used to, but by the end we gave in to their pampering and used the time to relax and enjoy.
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The walkway and garden along the path from the Pousada to the stables (note the castle on the hill—and that all the stall waste from the barn is used regularly in the Pousada’s gardens!) |
Our Pousada and the cobblestone path we walked several times a day to our lessons. |
Looking from the Pousada to the little town of Arraiolos. |
DAY 11—Our first day of riding resulted in mixed reviews. The stables were about a 5-minute walk from the Pousada up a cobblestone path. Coralie, our dressage instructor, owns the horses and stable areas. Her two big Labradors greeted us enthusiastically, as they did for each of the successive days. We explored the barn, large outdoor arena and covered arena. About a dozen Lusitanos (lesson horses and clients’ horses) were in a simple, but beautiful open barn.
There were two geldings and two stallions in the lesson group (the Portuguese do not ride mares and primarily only ride stallions). While it was exciting to be riding my first Lusitano (we all are needing a “horse fix” after not riding for over a week!), at first we weren’t completely impressed with the situation. Several of us didn’t seem to have a good match with our horses.
DAY 12—We got our assigned horses straightened out which made us all feel more at ease. Our routine is lessons in the morning, Pousada for lunch from noon to two, then more lessons in the afternoon. Following the afternoon lessons we had free time that we usually used to walk into town and explore. Later in the week we substituted an afternoon lesson for a trail ride through the Portuguese agricultural countryside. We rode through a cattle operation, past sheep, crops and orchards. For Friday afternoon the plan is to do a road trip tour of several fine Lusitano training and breeding facilities.
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Patricia and Mary in their lessons. |
Patricia grooming her guy after a lesson. |
Inger bathing her horse. |
Things I will miss...
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Olive and cork trees along the walk between the Pousada and the stables. |
The best olives and olive oil I’ve ever had! Delightful, healthy breakfasts with lots of fruit, cheeses and bread. Great deserts at the Pousada. Long, light-hearted conversations with my friends over relaxing meals. Reading books at night for long periods of time. Spending a huge, horsey adventure with my trainer, Inger, and being able to share perspectives with her and gain feedback. Seeing a completely new world. Learning new things about horses.
What I can’t wait to return to...
Open spaces! After thousands of years as an agrarian culture, all the land in Portugal looks to be domesticated with little or no open, wild lands. Fresh air: Pollution seems to be an issue here—I noticed that no matter where we were there was always a dark haze on the horizon. My horses: I miss them and appreciate just how well trained and kind my horses truly are! Going for a trail ride on Pepper on the 164 acres of state lands next to our property sounds like a wonderful dream right now. And of course it goes without saying that I can’t wait to see Matt again. I keep envisioning what it will be like to see him at the airport waiting to pick us up with my dog, Saylee, anxiously watching for me.
What I learned from riding dressage...
While I did not start out being impressed with several things (including my assigned horse) by the end of the week I felt like I had tried hard, learned a lot and had truly experienced riding dressage. Coralie was very knowledge and solid in her training and background and was quite generous with her help. I had fun attempting to master the difference between a shoulder in, side pass, and a half pass (emphasis on “attempting”). My goal was simple: To come away with a more balanced seat, able to sit deeper and more evenly, and with a better understanding of the basics—how our aids affect different parts of the horse, how to straighten a horse, and how to keep my body quiet.
My favorite horse part...
Definitely the field trip to several extremely fancy Lusitano farms. We saw Lusitano breeding and training farms for combined driving as well as for dressage. The last and most exciting place we visited was the home of a world champion combined driving trainer, Lusitano breeder and former coach for the US Olympic Combined Driving Team. He was the first person we met who spoke (in English!!) of training mares. Traditionally mares are usually used only for breeding as the Portuguese mostly ride and show stallions (although driving horses are often gelded). “We Portuguese are missing a whole market by not showing and promoting our good Lusitano mares,” he said to me.
Like any good adventure, there is always more to talk about. I leave the rest up to you to discover if you decide to explore Portugal and dressage riding for yourself!
Alayne
See more pictures from Alayne’s trip to Portugal!
Spring Cleaning Tips: Getting Ready for a Busy Season
by Matt Livengood
Spring is just around the corner—our daffodils are up and are ready to bloom! That means now is the time to get things done around your farm so you will be ready for the coming growing season. Here are a few things to get started on, so add them to your existing “Honey-Do” list:
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Get your Violet-green swallow boxes ready!
Why do we at HCW love Violet-greens so much? Not only are they beautiful and fun to watch, they’re also voracious insect eaters, eating about 4,000 insects per day, per bird! Mid-March is when our faithful insect controllers return from Central America and begin house shopping. Clean out last year’s boxes by simply opening the trap door and cleaning out the contents. If you don’t have any nest boxes hung yet, now’s the time to do it so the Violet-greens will want to spend their spring and summer hunting insects on YOUR farm! Remember: You must use nest boxes designed for Violet-greens. Consult your local Audubon chapter, birding organization, extension office, the library or the internet for advice on the types and sources of nesting boxes. Or, purchase The Original Birdhouse Book, by Don McNeil.
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Add compost to gardens.
The manure and stall waste that you have been composting over the winter should be just about ready to rototill into your garden or share with your neighborhood gardening friends. You might want to check it if you haven’t already. It may need to be turned or have aeration pipes put into it to help finish it off before you spread or move it to your garden. Compost is an excellent soil amendment that adds organic material, important microbial life and micro-nutrients to gardens and pastures.
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Tune-up your manure spreader.
Take a look at your manure/compost spreader to see if it needs any tune-up work done. You may need to oil or grease a few parts before putting it into action. The drive mechanism or beater bar gears could probably use some attention. Check the air in the tires and see if you need to grease the bearings or PTO shaft and couplings. It is always good to check these things out now because when you’re ready to start spreading you don’t want spend half the day running around fixing things before starting the real work (speaking from experience!)
Tune-up your tractor.
Even if you have been using your tractor all winter long, it is still a good idea to give it the once over at the beginning of the growing/mowing/spreading season. So what if your tractor is only a supped-up riding lawn mower you still need to do some basic annual maintenance such as an oil change, check/change the fuel and air filters, grease all the fittings and check those tires. And while you’re checking over the tractor also check your mower deck and any other implements you use around your place. Taking care of these things all at once is a good idea so you don’t end up having to stop to fix something when you’ve already starting mowing or spreading (and so you don’t have to hear “I told you so.”)
Do a soil test.
Spring is a good time to do a soil test before you spread any fertilizer and/or lime, especially if you haven’t done a soil test in a while. The soil test will tell you exactly what your grass plants and soil need in the way of nutrients; it’s like using the dipstick in your car. If you don’t check the level first you could be doing more damage than good. If you simply add fertilizer you may not need it and it will wash away in the next rain, possibly contaminating ground or surface water. (However, if you prefer to waste your money, then just send me the cash you’d be spending on the fertilizer and save yourself the trouble of buying and spreading it in the first place.) A soil test is a cheap way to find out just what your soils and plants need (they usually cost less than $25). Contact your local conservation district or extension office for a soil test kit or information on how to get one.
Walk fence lines.
Depending on the layout of your property, you’re probably not able to see all of the fencing from one location. And if you’ve been keeping your animals off the pastures in the winter, you may not have seen your fences in a while. Now is a good time to do a close inspection of your entire fence line. Weeds, tree branches (or the entire tree, for that matter), wildlife (aka elk and deer) may have taken a toll on your fencing during the winter months. We had damage from all of the above this past winter. So, before the weather starts to dry out and you are ready to begin using pastures, walk the fence line to see what repairs or clean-up are needed. You’ll be glad you did it now instead of waiting for your neighbor to bring over your horse after it has torn through his newly planted garden. Don’t forget to check your hot wire also.
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Check pastures for weeds.
While you are out in your pastures, take some time to check for any weeds that may be trying to creep their way in. Weeds often start to come up before grass plants so it should be easy to spot them. Early spring is a good time to attack the young weeds as they start to come up. This is also a good time to look for bare spots and spread grass seed before weeds move in. While you are walking around, pick up downed branches and rocks before grass begins to grow and covers them up. Otherwise you may be doing repairs on your mower after you hit something covered up by the tall grass.
March Issue of Horse & Rider Magazine
If you have a chance to pick up the March issue of Horse & Rider magazine, take a look at the article “Mud Wrestling.” Alayne Blickle was interviewed as a source for the article and supplied photos. You may recognize some of the places in the photos, including the showcase Mukilteo farm of Alan and Mary Shank. Alan is a farm planner with the Snohomish Conservation District and HCW has held several tours at his environmentally friendly horse farm, which has a picturesque view of Puget Sound! The next event to be held at Alan’s farm is the 4-H’ers for Clean Water Train-the-Trainer Workshop on Saturday, March 25th. Please call 425-432-6116 or e-mail Alayne for more information.
Building an All-Weather Arena (Part 1)
by April LaLande
This article is the first in a two-part series. See the upcoming April issue of The Green Horse for the second half!
Stuck inside looking out at wet trails, slippery slopes and soggy ground? Horses getting fat? Has your outdoor riding area turned into a mud pit? Want to build a safe, mudless outdoor area to ride in...but wonder, how much will it cost? Will it really work after the time, money and sweat?
I must admit I have made some expensive errors in judgment when planning my exercise areas. And when I say “my,” I mean I get more exercise than the horses repairing holes and raking! My first arena project involved using the tractor and to carve out a little lunging area. Well, the little lunging area got expanded into a 70 foot diameter round pen, and later got a beautiful fence (courtesy of my patient husband) and now it is a permanent fixture on our property. It looks good, but it doesn’t work too well! I didn’t know I would change from having two quiet geriatric mares to a three year old who could dig in and take off like a rocket, or that I would have visiting horses that resembled live pogo sticks, and draft horses that could ruin my footing by just walking. Luckily, we have space, so the round pen is only used during dry weeks and in the summer. The old saying “do it right the first time” has come to mind more than once!
We now use our all-weather sand arena most of the time—it has seen three seasons of record rain, snow and wind yet looks the same as when we put it in! The general building principles that we used are the same as those used by professional arena builders and contractors. You can save some money by doing many of the steps yourself, but having the right equipment available is key.
When you plan your arena (especially if you don’t have a lot of room), write a list of what you want to accomplish with your horse property over the next five years and what type of riding you expect to be doing. Then talk to as many people as possible that have built an arena. It is invaluable to go look at and ride in as many horse arenas as you can before you start. We’ve all ridden in arenas we don’t like, but it’s good to take the time to find some you do like before you start.
First Things First
Determine your goals: What do you want to do in your arena? What is your time frame for completion? How much use will the arena get?
Under Foot, the great United States Dressage Foundation’s very useful all-purpose guide to building and maintaining arenas, states: “Footing is to the horse as the shoe is to the athlete.” This couldn’t be more true. Everything you do from start to finish will be with one goal in mind: Provide the best surface possible for the type of riding you do. There are three main components to an arena, 1) the subbase, 2) the base and 3) the riding surface. The more diligent you are about getting these components right, the longer your arena will last, the more traffic you can have, and the less maintenance you’ll need. If you have time, you can do one layer at a time, letting it sit in between to determine problem areas. This also lets nature do some of the compacting work for you. Depending on what time of year you start and the soil moisture content this may take up to a year, but you will have a great finished surface. If you need an arena right away, there are contractors and machines that can get the same effect, but expect to pay for this.
If you are going to have a long-term arena with moderate to heavy use, it is imperative you don’t skimp on any of the three steps in your building. If your arena is for light use and depending on your soil type, the subbase step can sometimes be skipped.
You also need to decide what size you want up front. What is the minimum size you can use for your sport and keep yourself and your horses safe? Lastly, if you plan on someday covering your arena, many manufacturers use pre-made truss and panel dimensions so you will need to pick your arena size accordingly.
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Some Typical Arena Sizes |
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Round pen |
60 foot diameter is best, 40 foot minimum |
Cows and Reining |
100 x 200 feet minimum |
Jumping |
80 x 120 feet minimum |
Small Dressage |
66 x 132 feet (20 x 40 meters) |
Large Dressage |
66 x 198 feet (20 x 60 meters) |
Driving |
132 x 264 (40 x 80 meters) |
Multi Purpose professional |
150 x 300 feet |
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Location, Location, Location! Choosing a site.
Your first investment in your project should be a good 200 foot reel tape measure. You’ll be using it a lot! Once you have determined the size of your arena, go out with your tape to the highest spot on your property and measure off your site. Ideally, it will be in an accessible location that you could drive all the way around with a tractor or truck for maintenance, easy to access for the heavy equipment and it would have good sub soil that drains in all directions. This was the case for arena #1, which didn’t need any excavation to start their project.
It’s safe to assume we aren’t all going to be as lucky as arena #1. The less earth you have to move or fill in the better, both on cost control and for surface integrity. Look for the most level site on your property. This is very difficult to eyeball, so once you think you have a site, rent a laser level to determine how many feet, front to back and side to side your area is off from the highest point. This will give you some idea of the work that needs to be done and whether this is a feasible site. If you use a contractor they will help you with this process, usually as part of their initial consultation and bid process. Arena #2 was built on a sloping property with the most level area being initially 5 feet higher on the topside. This arena required excavation, fill and both a swale and drainage ditches to keep the surface area and base dry.
The least desirable and most expensive option is building your arena at the bottom of a hill. Extensive drains must be put in to keep the subbase and base from getting wet, plus the base and surface must be built up higher than the surrounding area.
A few other considerations:
- The less organic matter the better. Your subbase will be more stable if you can scrape off the squishy top layer of soil and don’t have a lot of deep stumps and rocks to pull out.
- Notice how water runs across the site after a heavy rain. Test the soil moisture by digging small holes and seeing where it’s wet or dry. This will give you some idea of how many and what kind of ditches or drainage you’ll need.
- If you are going to use your arena for competitions, generally they are laid out North to South so judges can sit with the sun at their back.
- Get a soil survey of your property. This will tell you what your subbase will be composed of, which will make your site selection and all the work thereafter much easier in the long run. If you have sandy loam, you may not need extensive drainage ditches no matter where your site, but if you have clay you will need a lot more planning. If you need to bring in fill, it will make the selection of material much easier. According to Matt Dunnahoe, a farm planner from the King Conservation District in King County, there are two soil surveys: the 1973 survey which covers the western and central parts, and the 1992 survey which covers eastern areas including Snoqualmie Pass and parts of Pierce County. You can get this information online, or go into the King Conservation District offices (call 425-277-5581) and pick up a copy of your soil description (to interpret the map) and a black and white soil survey map. If you live outside King County, contact your local conservation district to obtain soil maps and descriptions of your soil type or types. Visit the Washington State Conservation Districts directory or Washington Soil Survey Reports.
- Research whether you’ll need or want to use a geotextile fabric. See US Fabrics Geosynthetics Resource Center for more information. GeoTextile fabric goes between the subbase and base—not under the top layer of footing. Advantages for some types of soil are 1) rocks won’t work their way up through the subbase 2) water will wick away more evenly and 3) compacting of the base will be improved.
Protect your horse and yourself. Choosing an appropriate footing.
Choosing your footing can be the most frustrating part of your arena. All choices have their advantages and disadvantages, so you will need to weigh the pros and cons. You don’t have to decide right away since it doesn’t make any difference in how your base is constructed.
Outdoor footing options are numerous. In the Northwest they are usually sand, wood or some combination of the two. Other footing options include various forms of recycled rubber. It does provide excellent cushioning for the horse but shouldn’t be used by people with latex allergies or where it can’t be contained and maintained properly (it floats!). Cedar hogfuel is popular; it breaks down into an even, cushiony footing, but it can get dusty and is lighter weight than other hogfuels. It is also good to consider your “microclimate. ” All types of wood will become slippery and hard during a frost, whereas dry sand will usually have adequate traction. Some hogfuel will break down quickly and you will get slimy or slippery spots. Make sure to check with your supplier and get the right size and type for arena use. Kiln dried wood such as cedar play chips have been used successfully and last longer than most hogfuel. A mix of sand and a wood product can be ideal, providing both good traction and cushion. Avoid mixing sawdust in with anything as it breaks down quickly (causing mud) and is extremely dusty when dry.
If you don’t live in the Northwest, talk with other horse owners in your discipline who have arenas and find out what types of footings work and don't work for them. Visit and, if possible, ride on several types of arena footings before making a decision.
One last thing to consider: If you are using a wood product for your arena surface, consider what you will do with it when it breaks down and needs to be replaced. If you have a hogfuel arena and trails that need surfacing, great! You’re all set and have somewhere to put the old surface. Hauling or piling mounds of old surface can be expensive—so be sure to have a long-term plan.
That’s it for Part 1. Next month we’ll get into the nitty-gritty technical details as well as listing more resources, so stay tuned!
Educational Events
Meet HCW Staff at these upcoming events this winter. Visit the Educational Events page for more detailed class descriptions.
Brush Prairie, WA |
The HCW Spring Horse Farm Management Workshop |
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Saturday, March 18th, 2006
9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Clark Conservation District Office
Brush Prairie, WA
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Goodbye to Mud, Bugs and Weeds!
Join HCW near Vancouver, WA (north of Portland, OR) for a full day’s workshop on mud, manure and pasture management options. Learn great ways to reduce mud, compost manure, grow more grass—all while making your horse property more productive, healthier for your horse and more chore efficient for you!
Cost: $12 per person. Will include lunch and handouts.
To register or for more information: Contact the Clark Conservation district at 360-883-1987x112. Accepted ONLY until March 13th. Checks payable to Clark Conservation District and mailed to: 11104 N.E. 149th St., Bldg C-400, Brush Prairie, WA 98606.
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Everett, WA |
Snohomish Horse 4-H’ers for Clean Water presents the Train the Trainer Workshop |
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Saturday, March 25th
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Everett, WA
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Goodbye to Mud, Bugs and Weeds!
Join HCW and fellow 4-H’ers for a workshop to help you make the most of the new 4-H’ers for Clean Water materials and program. Prior participation in HCW events is required. The workshop is open to 4-H leaders and club members, 8th grade and above. FREE!
For more details or to register call 425-432-6116 or e-mail.
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Peace River, Alberta, Canada |
The Healthy Happy Horses Workshop on Mud and Manure Management |
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Saturday, April 22nd
Peace River Agricultural Society Fairgrounds
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Alayne Blickle will be the featured speaker at this workshop. Topics: Mud, Paddocks and Horses, Great Ways to Grow More Pasture, and Natural Ways to Control Mud, Dust and Bugs. Other speakers include an equine veterinarian presenting on equine health and a representative from the province’s department of agriculture.
Pre-registration by April 10th is CDN$10, CDN$15 at the door. Details or registration: 780-835-4903 or 780-624-8846.
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Warrenton, MO |
Horsekeeping on Small Acreage |
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Friday, April 28th
6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
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Saturday, April 29th
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Warrenton Extension Center
Warrenton, MO
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HCW will be in the St. Louis, Missouri area to help you learn about ways to manage horses on small properties that work for you, your horses, the community and the environment. Learn techniques for reducing mud, managing manure and making your farm chore efficient.
Friday, April 28th
Composting and Manure Management for Horse Owners
Saturday, April 29th
Shopping for Horse Property
Pasture Management and Basic Farm Equipment
Six Easy Steps for Eliminating Mud
Natural Ways to Control Mud, Dust, and Bugs on Horse Properties
Refreshments Friday evening and lunch Saturday provided. Registration by April 26th at 636-456-3434x3 or e-mail.
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North Bend, WA |
Naturescaping on Horse Properties: Controlling Insects, Dust and Mud the Natural Way |
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Sunday, May 7th
9:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Cedar River Watershed Education Center
North Bend, WA
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Inviting wildlife to your farm and landscaping with native plants can have many wonderful benefits for horse owners including “natural” insect control, mud reduction, dust barriers, visual screens between neighbors, cooling of buildings, summer shade for horses, low-cost/low care landscaping, and entertainment and enjoyment. We will also discuss useful options for managing creeks or wetlands on horse properties.
Please call 206-233-1515 or e-mail for details and registration.
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Enumclaw, WA |
Animal Grazing Behavior: Understanding and Managing Livestock, Wildlife, Plants, Soils and People |
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May 9th, 10th and 11th
Enumclaw, WA
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This 2 1/2 day workshop, presented by world class animal behavior specialist Dr. Fred Provenza of Utah State University, will explore the relationships among soils, plants, herbivores, people, and ecosystems and focus on how behavior influences food and habitat selection. Using examples from a variety of landscapes, Dr. Provenza will show how behavior can be used as a tool for changing the patterns of grazing animals around riparian areas, for controlling weeds, managing fire breaks, minimizing damage to crops, enhancing biodiversity and for reducing animal losses due to toxic plants. For more information on Dr Provenza’s work visit http://www.behave.net/. The information presented will have immediate applications for cattle and sheep producers, dairy farmers, wildlife biologists, horse owners, hay producers and others working with grazing issues, animal re-introductions, or foraging behavior of any kind.
For details or more information: 425-432-6116 or e-mail.
Registration for both events: King Conservation District at 425-277-5581x125 or e-mail.
FREE PUBLIC LECTURE on this topic: Monday, May 8th, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Carco Theatre, Renton, WA
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Brush Prairie, WA |
Shopping for Horse Property: How to Select a Suitable Site |
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Friday, May 19th
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Brush Prairie, WA
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Many things go into selecting a suitable horse property—beyond the barn and arena. Join HCW in this presentation to discuss soils, vegetation, drainage and many other considerations that can save you frustrations, heartache and lots of money down the road.
Details: Clark Conservation District, 360-883-1987x112.
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Brush Prairie, WA |
Great Ways to Grow More Horse Pasture! |
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Saturday, May 20th
9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Brush Prairie, WA
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Join Horses for Clean Water and the Clark Conservation District for a workshop on Horse Pasture Management. Learn basic techniques for good pasture management including how grasses grow, creating a winter paddock, rotational grazing and managing small, grassy areas. We will also cover basic small farm equipment necessary for managing a small acreage horse property. Weed identification and control will be covered, as well as fencing. Learn about horse-safe fencing choices, the difference between power and electric fencing and more. Make changes now so your pastures will be more productive and nicer to enjoy this summer, as well as healthier for your horse!
For cost and details contact the Clark Conservation district at 360-883-1987x112.
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