The Sustainable Horsewoman
By Catherine Montague

As a horse owner for over 20 years, I’ve had ample time to reflect on whether my horse habit is good for the environment, or if perhaps my four-legged friends are yet another example of over-consumption of dwindling resources. I certainly can’t claim that they exist in any kind of natural balance on my property: without me buying feed, managing manure, and mitigating the dust and flies, all vegetation would be stripped in a matter of months, and the neighbors would be looking at miserable animals in a miniature dust bowl. To save myself a heavy load of guilt—and potential social embarrassment—I’ve learned to follow the trail of sustainable horse-keeping.
The first rule in my book has always been: don’t have more horse than you need. When my daughters first started riding, a medium-sized pony was the ideal friend and companion. Ponies are known as “easy keepers:” they can live on far less food than a horse and still stay pleasingly plump. Fewer pounds of hay purchased means fewer trips to the feed dealer in your truck, and ultimately less environmental impact per animal. For each ton of hay produced, you can imagine the costs of gas and diesel that went into tractors and trucks for harvesting and shipping it. In addition, almost all hay is produced on irrigated farmland, and very little of it is farmed organically. More sustainable hay farming may eventually develop as a response to the demand for organic milk. Until then, I try to avoid waste and overfeeding, while still providing ample fuel for my hay-burners.
When the kids graduated to a full-size horse, we moved into the world of boarding stables, horse trainers, and the show ring. I tried to exercise environmental caution: I used a six-cylinder truck to tow a modest two-horse trailer, rather than driving a huge gas guzzler. Whenever possible, our horse traveled to shows or trail rides in the trainer’s large trailer. Like a car-pool, this “horse-pool” is a more efficient sharing of resources. Sharing a trailer reduces my horse-habit budget, but the same practices that keep costs down can also reduce our environmental “hoofprint.”
Over the years, I’ve learned a lot about conservation from professional horsewomen (and horsemen!) For fly control, I have resolved to try something different this year: a fly predator that is available from several companies. The predator is a tiny parasitic wasp that eliminates fly pupae. At my current trainer’s barn, I was pleasantly surprised to find absolutely no flies, and decided to get a supply of the wasps for the upcoming summer season. Those ugly dangling fly strips will be part of the past at my place!
Another great innovation at many professional stables is dust-free arena surface. The traditional arena surface material is coarse sand, laid over a layer of fine gravel for drainage. Most stable owners have to install a sprinkler system to water their arenas, almost daily in the summer season. Using one of the dust-free products now available, many of them made with recycled material, is a great way to conserve water and avoid creating a dusty mess in your immediate neighborhood.
Naturally enough, that most famous by-product of equestrian activities, horse manure, is also a potential problem if not managed correctly. Since I’ve never had more than two horses in my backyard corral, I’ve always been able to create my own compost. Whenever the pile grows faster than my own garden needs, I’m lucky to have neighbors who happily use the compost for their organic gardens. Some stable owners are able to sell manure, while others, with ample room, create a permanent compost area. The main guideline here is to avoid letting manure-laden runoff contaminate nearby water systems, whether these include wells, creeks, or storm drains. Polluters can be fined in some extreme cases.
A recent discovery, which I would recommend to any horse owner, is the use of pelleted feed to replace hay. Our pony is now thirty years old, and the vet recommended switching to pelleted feed to spare her worn-down old teeth. The oat pellets we now use are less expensive than the grass hay we were feeding before. Our family soon found out that as less feed was going in, less manure was coming out! So, for any situation where time and space for manure management is limited, the pellets can really reduce waste.
Although a hungry herd of horses has destructive potential, careful horse management can help nurture the earth as well as creating a unique connection with another species. Organizations such as the Sonoma County Horse Council sponsor trail-maintenance events, and promote responsible equestrian use of parklands. Specialists in equine facilities, nutrition, and health care are constantly striving to find earth-friendly ways for horse owners to feed, shelter, and exercise their horses. Many horse-focused publications offer tips on improved products and practices; free monthly publications are available in most local feed and tack stores.
Becoming a well-informed horse owner and using the latest innovative techniques for horse care is the most responsible way to ensure that our partnership with the horse will also enhance the natural environment. Our special bond with these beautiful animals should be a cherished legacy for the next generation. We can only pass down this legacy when we take steps—or let’s say strides—to leave our children a healthy environment.

Catherine Montague is a writer who lives, rides, and occasionally shovels manure in Sebastopol, CA.