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The official newsletter of Horses for Clean Water, http://www.horsesforcleanwater.com
Message from Liz: The State of Horse-Ownershipby Liz Clark In the past, I have alluded to horse owners taking responsibility for their charges. And it is clear that now it is even more of a necessity. In the northwest and around the country the media has been telling many stories about horses being starved and/or allegedly dumped. While I personally have not heard of or seen horses abandoned, I have seen many neglected severely. Save A Forgotten Equine (SAFE), one of several rescue organizations, has recently taken in numerous horses from various seizure cases in the Puget Sound area.
Sometimes the media seems to paint a picture that this neglect is caused by rising hay prices and the recent closure of U.S. horse slaughter facilities. While the hay prices are rising along with other costs of horse ownership, all this really points to is a lack of planning by horse owners. Many parts of the country have been in a drought for years. Other parts of the country have had a majority of the hay sales converted to export sales instead of domestic, as in the Washington area. Some other people chalk it up to hay fields in some areas being converted to corn crops for the production and manufacture of biofuels. What it really comes down to is a lack of planning and foresight by horse owners, but more importantly breeders. Just go do a search for “horse” on the craigslist for your area. See how many FREE horses of all kinds are out there. Young, old, sound, lame, athletic, pasture pets, etc. The horse market is in a major glut and with feed and fuel prices being so high, owning a horse is even more expensive than ever. One last note on the slaughter subject. Just because we no longer have a slaughter facility in this country doesn’t mean that slaughtering isn’t still being done. The slaughter pipeline is very much alive and well in the United States. Just read around the various message boards on the internet. Someone will be able to tell you of a horse dealer in your area that buys and sells horses for slaughter. Sure, the dealer might still deal in saddle horses, but I bet if you really watch, that same dealer is at your local auction buying the horses no one else bids on and won’t hesitate to fill a truck to be sent to Canada or Mexico. Eventually those “surplus” horses end up on a fancy plate in France or Japan or Belgium as cheval du tartar. I implore you as a horse owner to educate yourself and prepare ahead. Don’t wait until November to get your winter hay supply. Do it early. Realize the costs and responsibilities of proper horse care. Be prepared. If you are in a horse club, talk amongst members to explore options for providing education to novice horseowners and the general public. And take care of your horse. And if you have to find a new home for your horse, please make sure you have placed it in a GOOD home. Do a site check, ask for references, and if possible put a first right of refusal or buy back clause into your bill of sale or contract. As a member of the horse owning public, you have a responsibility to your horse(s) and other animals you care for, as well as to the horse community as a whole. Please do your part.
Your Questions: Fencing and Border for an Outdoor ArenaHi April, I read, with interest, your two-part article on arena construction in The Green Horse.
I am planning to build an arena (I’m in northern California) and I’m looking to create something similar to what was Arena #2 in your article—the personal, all-weather ring. Is there anyway you could explain more about the border used to keep the footing in and the drainage pipe—it’s hard for me to see what was done from the picture because it’s so small on the web. Also, what sort of fencing is that? Electric? Any help or advice you can provide would be appreciated—it’s such an intimidating process to do this all correctly but cost effectively. Thanks! Holly Hi Holly, The arena you mention happens to be mine, so hopefully I can answer all your questions. We weren’t sure if/when we were going to cover it (unfortunately not yet!), so we made the base a little larger than our arena so we don’t have to disturb the riding area later. This also serves as a cool out track when multiple horses are working and is a handy place to store arena equipment. We wanted a safe but portable fencing for the same reasons... expansion. We chose a 1 1/2 inch electric poly tape from Safe Fence because we could get it in black to match our other fences, and we saved a little money by ordering out of the Valley Vet catalog. It is just plain metal t-posts with the Safe Fence vinyl covers, hot tape and connectors. We have a solar charger on it to keep out elk and deer, but can turn it off for horses. So far it’s been safe enough for the errant stray horse, but I think I’d want something a little stronger if I had babies or horses with other issues. My husband came up with the footing containment, which is described below—and I thought of the drainpipe on top as an inexpensive way to “simulate” a straight wall for my young horse (about 1/10th of the cost of one of those pre-made arena fences). We get 100 inches of rain a year here, and after 4 years, everything has held up rather well. It drains fast and I can ride during most weather—if I can get the motivation to go out in it! Here are the instructions: Borders are constructed of pressure treated 4" x 6" x 10 foot lumber with three, pre-cut lengths of pressure treated 2" x 4" x 12 inch lumber nailed to the bottom to allow water to drain underneath the 4" x 6"s . The 4" x 6"s are kept in place by 12 inch pieces of steel rebar. Drill three holes the diameter of the rebar (1/2 inch) in every 10 foot section and drive the rebar through the compacted gravel. The 4" x 6"s are also kept straight by using Simpson building plates screwed on both sides of the 4" x 6"s where the 10 foot sections join and also at each corner. Attach the 2" x 4" x 12 inch lengths at the center of every section and at each end of every other 10 foot section with 6 inches of the 12 inch section sticking out of each end. This way you can place the next 10 foot section on top of the 2" x 4" and nail or screw it into place so it makes one continuous piece. This was all done before the footing was brought in and after the base was compacted. The top black piece is 4" flexible drain pipe (without holes) we bought in 100 foot rolls at the plumbing supply store—any home center probably has them. Use couplers to join the rolls on the long runs and use 90-degree couplers on the corners. To secure the pipe to the top of the 4" x 6"s drill a 1 inch hole in the top of the drain pipe. Use all weather screws with attached washers (like are used to attach metal or fiberglass sheathing to roofs). To get the screw into and through the pipe use a magnetic drill bit with an extension on your screw gun. And don’t worry; we were intimidated to begin with, but it’s worked out really well. If you get the base and the drainage right, everything else can be changed if you don’t like it! Good luck with your arena! April LaLande Side note from the webmasterFor all articles that have pictures in The Green Horse, you can view a larger picture by clicking on the thumbnail pictures you see on the page. If you ever come across a photo where you would like to see an even larger version than the one posted, feel free to e-mail me and I will track down the largest version I can find for you and post that as well. Liz
Bat HousesWhere to hang them and how to attract a renter
Reprinted by permission from the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife’s newsletter, Crossing Paths. Bats provide excellent insect control, particularly for the nocturnal, flying bugs. Spring is a good time to be thinking about locating a bat box to cut back on those pesky bugs! A homeowner in Issaquah recently wrote Russell Link, WDFW’s Urban Biologist, with this question: I received a bat house for Christmas and would like to know the best place to locate it. Link answered: A well-designed, well-constructed and properly located bat house can attract bats if they live in or pass through your Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary. I have four bat houses located on my Whidbey Island property and all have been occupied! I’ve used the recommendations provided by Bats Conservation International, which has been researching bat house designs for more than 12 years. The following will answer your question about bat house location, and I’ve included answers to other commonly asked questions about bat houses. Too little sun exposure is the most important known cause of bat house failure, even in hot eastern Washington. Female bats with “pups” need a warm, draft-free house, between 80 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The idea is to create a tight microclimate inside the house capable of trapping both the heat captured during the day and the warmth generated by the bats. (To achieve this I have had to recaulk my bat houses after they’ve been outside for a few years.) To increase the temperature inside the bat house, paint the outside with multiple coats of dark exterior paint. Use black paint west of the Cascade Mountains. Use a dark or medium dark color east of the mountains in areas where the average high temperature in July is 85 to 95 degrees. Locate your new bat house in full sun, preferably on its own post; the next-best location is on the southern side of a wood, brick or stone building—in full sun. Don’t mount the house on a tree, as it will be in too much afternoon shade. Branches and twigs also make entry difficult and tree-mounted houses are more vulnerable to predators, such as hawks and owls. (Because bats tend to fly straight down when exiting a bat house, there must also be a vertical clearance of at least a few feet under a bat house.) Even if you don’t have the ideal location available, it may be worth trying a house in a next-best site. I mounted a single-chamber house on the west side of my house, under an eave, and there are a few “bachelor bats” in there all summer. Males don’t seem to mind the slightly less than ideal conditions I’ve provided. To prevent a bat house from overheating in hot summer areas add a couple of vents. These should be approximately six inches tall by 1/2 inch wide and located about halfway up the bat house. Bat houses west of the mountains do not need vents. My rocket bat box originally had vents, but I quickly covered them after observing wasps entering. I know you were the recipient of a thoughtful Christmas gift, but I want to warn you that small, poorly made bat houses commonly sold in stores often fail to attract bats. This is mostly due to their small size. Small lightweight bat houses are great for shipping, but not suitable for bats, which are used to roosting in large snags, attics and caves. Based on years of experience with bat houses across the U.S. and Canada, Bat Conservation International recommends that bat houses be at least two feet tall and 16 or more inches wide. Taller and wider boxes are better. (Rocket boxes, seen on the links below, should be at least three feet tall.) A rough textured landing platform measuring 3 to 6 inches should extend below all bat houses. One note on bat house location that I have found useful: One of my bat houses is located in view from our hot tub. I’ve done some of my best bat watching from there on July evenings!
Weed of the Month: Creeping Buttercup (Ranunculus repens)
Reprinted by permission from the King County Noxious Weed Program This month’s weed is a good example of a plant that is such a common sight we almost don’t notice it anymore. However widespread it is now, creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens), is a European import that has hitchhiked into our country and is not part of our native flora. The earliest specimen in the University of Washington herbarium is from 1889, so this plant has certainly been with us for a long time. However, those of you with long memories may remember a time when this plant was not nearly as abundant as it is now. If you are looking for creeping buttercup this time of year, it is most easily recognized by its three-parted, toothed leaves lying close to the ground in rosettes, usually growing in damp areas. The leaves are typically dark green often with light patches. Most of the stolons between the plants have died back for the season, so the rosettes are growing as single plants. If you leave them alone, they will start forming stolons from their leaf axils in the spring and begin to spread into large dense mats of inter-connected plants. We will probably start to see their glossy, yellow flowers in late March and plants will continue to flower throughout the summer. There are some excellent pictures at the UW Burke Museum Herbarium web site. In urban areas, you can expect to see creeping buttercup in backyards, garden beds, vacant lots and along streams and lakeshores. In rural areas, it is often found in pastures and wet meadows as well as gardens and yards. And, unfortunately, many natural areas, even some quite remote, have sizable populations of creeping buttercup along trails, wetlands, streams and lakeshores. In fact, creeping buttercup is so widespread in the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Valley that it was considered too pervasive to survey for. It just isn’t practical to consider removing it throughout the valley, let alone recording each place it occurs. However, this is even more reason to look for areas where creeping buttercup hasn’t established yet and to keep it out of those areas, for instance on the more pristine higher elevation trails. In pastures, yards and gardens, we also may need to accept that we can’t entirely get rid of this plant. First decide on the level that you can tolerate and work to keep it below that level. For instance, if you have grazing animals, they will mostly avoid buttercup because of its flavor. However, if there isn’t enough healthy forage or if they develop a taste for buttercup, animals could very likely get sick. Also, keeping grass and other forage healthy and abundant is crucial for keeping buttercup at bay, as well as providing healthy forage. In yards and gardens, it will definitely help for you to recognize this plant in the winter when the rosettes are easier to remove and before the plants start their rapid spring growth. A large area heavily infested with buttercup is a huge challenge to control with or without herbicides, so early detection and quick response is very important with this plant. ControlPrevention and Cultural Control
Manual
Mechanical
Chemical
Make sure to have a long-term plan to ensure success, protect native and beneficial species while doing the control, and start in the least infested areas first and then move into the more heavily infested areas. For information on creeping buttercup identification and control, please visit the KC Noxious Weeds web site or contact the office via e-mail or call 206-296-0290.
Help Reduce Flooding with a Rain Garden
Reprinted by permission from the winter 2008 Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife’s newsletter, Crossing Paths. The damage from flooding in Washington this winter left many with a feeling of helplessness. But there’s actually something Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary managers and other property owners can do to help reduce flooding—harvest that excessive precipitation with a “rain garden.” A rain garden is a shallow depression in a yard that collects rainwater and absorbs runoff through plants. It doesn’t hold water for more than a few hours, so it doesn’t breed mosquitoes or create other problems; in fact, a well planned and maintained rain garden attracts birds and insects that can control pest populations. It may seem like a small thing, but collectively rain gardens might help stem the proverbial tide—as more development occurs in the Pacific Northwest, rain pours off roofs, driveways, sidewalks, and other impervious surfaces into our streams and rivers. In addition to excessive water, these flows transport pollutants such as fertilizer, oil, pesticides, and pet waste. Rain gardens keep runoff from leaving your yard and pollutants stay in the garden where they can be absorbed by plants. As an added bonus, a rain garden planted with the right types of plants attracts birds, butterflies, bees, and other wildlife. The following information about rain gardens is excerpted from the Watershed Stewards program of Washington State University Extension of Clark County and the Clark County Clean Water Program. Planning the Rain GardenThink carefully about how the rain garden will function in your yard. Is the area sunny, shady, windy, or sheltered? Do you want to view the garden from inside your home or from an area in the yard? Consider the color and bloom time of plants incorporated into the garden. The rain garden should meld seamlessly with existing or planned garden features such as arbors, patios, picnic areas, and benches. Rain gardens work particularly well near other wildlife friendly features such as ponds, bird baths, and feeders. Choosing a LocationLook for a relatively level site that is slightly downhill from your downspout(s) and at least 10' from the basement or foundation of the structure. Talk to your neighbor if the garden will be located on or near the property line. Do not locate a rain garden over a septic tank or its drain field. You should also mark the underground utilities even when digging the garden by hand. Shape the rain garden to your personal taste, but make sure rainwater will flow and pool where needed. A kidney or horseshoe shape may be best in the middle of the yard, while a long, narrow garden usually works best along a property line. Testing the Absorption Rate of SoilBefore investing the time and expense of building a rain garden, test your soil to determine its suitability. Some soils simply drain too slowly to adequately infiltrate rain water fast enough. Test your soil by digging a hole six inches deep. Thoroughly soak the ground around the hole and fill the hole completely with water. Water should drain completely from the hole within 24 hours. If it does not drain, the area will not support a rain garden. In this event, look for another site in your yard with better drainage. Determining SizeAlmost any size rain garden will help remove pollutants from storm water, improve groundwater recharge, and reduce your impact on the environment. However, you can accurately size your rain garden by following some simple guidelines. You will need to estimate how much area will drain into the rain garden, the general type of soil you have, and the slope of the land where the rain garden will be. First figure out the roof area that will drain to the downspout(s) feeding the rain garden. For example, a roof measuring 45' by 50' drains 2250 square feet. However, you determine that only half that will drain to the downspout(s) watering the rain garden. This leaves 1125 square feet of area. Remember to count only those downspouts draining directly into the rain garden when determining the roof area. You can calculate the slope of the land by running a string from a stake pounded into the ground at an uphill spot to a stake pounded into the ground downhill. Measure the length in inches of the string (your width measurement) and then measure the height from the string at the downhill stake to the ground. Divide the height by the width to get the slope in decimal format. Multiply this times 100 to obtain the percent. (For example: a height of 26" divided by width of 240" equals 0.108, which multiplied by 100 produces a slope of 10.8%.) A slope of 8% to 12% requires a rain garden depth of 8"; 5% to 8% requires 6" to 7" of depth; 3% to 5% requires 3" to 5". Your soil type helps determine square footage of the rain garden, according to the depth. For sandy soils use a factor of .08 for 8" depth, 0.15 for 6" to 7" depth, 0.19 for 3" to 5" depth. For silty soils use a factor of 0.16 for 8" depth, 0.25 for 6" to 7" depth, 0.34 for 3" to 5" depth. For clay soils use a factor of 0.20 for 8" depth, 0.32 for 6" to 7" depth, 0.43 for 3" to 5" depth. Using the example of 1125 square feet of area and a clay soil, multiply the area drained times the size factor of 0.20 for an 8" depth to arrive at a rain garden area of 225 square feet. Site PreparationDefine the edges of the garden using a hose, string, or marking paint. Dig the rain garden about 12" deep, sloping the sides at a 45 degree or less angle to reduce sloughing. Make the main “basin” of your rain garden as level as possible to ensure water spreads evenly and infiltrates the soil. Use excess soil from the excavation to create a berm or dam around the downhill edge of the garden so water remains in the garden after a hard rain. Place an outlet in the berm, usually just a small dip in the edge, to drain excess water from a particularly large storm into your yard without causing damage to your garden. Next, determine how you will divert water from your downspouts to the rain garden. Choosing to simply allow water to flow across the lawn toward the garden can create muddy areas in the yard. A corrugated, non-perforated plastic drain pipe provides the simplest method to convey water to the rain garden. (Perforated pipes allow water to seep out and sediment may eventually block the pipe.) Attach the corrugated pipe to your downspout using an downspout adapter and bury it in a 12" deep trench at a 2% or greater slope to your garden. After testing the system, cover the pipe in the trench. Add a few rocks at the outlet of the pipe inside the rain garden to break up the flow during a heavy rain and prevent erosion. Water can also be conveyed in a dry creek bed. Dig a 4" to 6" deep trench about 12" wide from your downspout to the rain garden. Line the trench with weed cloth and cover with two or three inches of river rock. Add a meander or two to make your stream look more natural and complement your landscape. Test your layout by running water through the downspout. Be certain the water runs smoothly through the stream or pipe and spreads evenly across the bottom of your rain garden without eroding the sides. Now work 3" to 5" of compost into the soil over the entire garden using a roto-tiller or shovel. This aids stormwater infiltration and gives plants a healthy start. Plant SelectionA wide variety of plants work well in rain gardens, but species that do not require well drained soil work best. Vigorous perennials work great in sunny sites. Native plants are adapted to the area and usually resistant to disease. Coneflower, Oregon grape, snowberry and others that also provide food for wildlife are good choices. After planting, mulch the entire rain garden with wood chips 2" to 3" deep. Avoid bark dust since it will likely float away during a heavy rain storm. The large surface area of wood chips captures and holds pollutants, keeping them out of our streams and lakes. Wood chips also reduce your garden’s water needs during the drier summer months. MaintenanceRain gardens may require extra water during the first couple of summers to become established. Water thoroughly, deeply, once weekly to encourage deep roots and vigorous growth. The garden also requires more weeding during establishment. Weeds decrease considerably as the plants become established. After each growing season, stems and seed heads can be left for winter interest, wildlife cover, and bird food. They should be cut back in the early spring to allow room for new growth. As the rain garden becomes more established, the need for maintenance will decline. Pick up your free copy of this publication from the King Conservation District office in Renton, WA. Call 425-277-5581 for directions or more information.
Educational EventsDiscover great ways to increase your chore efficiency, reduce mud, compost manure and make your horse life more pleasant this winter. Check out the web site, www.HorsesforCleanWater.com, for new events added regularly.
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If you have any questions or would like to submit an article for publication in The Green Horse, please e-mail info@horsesforcleanwater.com. |
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