Environmental Best Practices for Horse Owners

Researchers compiled a set of best management practices to help reduce horse-related environmental pollution.
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Environmental Best Practices for Horse Owners
Photo: University of Kentucky's College of Agriculture
Managing horses can be both rewarding and challenging. Horse owners often struggle to balance their horses’ needs with environmental concerns, while remaining within their farm’s budget. In the United States farmers must comply with both federal and state regulations concerning agricultural sediment, pathogens, and nutrient pollution to the air and water. Fortunately, researchers have determined a set of best management practices (BMPs) that are the most effective, practical, and economical means of reducing and preventing pollution. In addition to BMPs’ cost savings, these practices typically increase animal welfare and facilitate proper farm management.

In this article we will list a few best management practices beneficial to owners, horses, and the environment. Usually BMPs are not needed for the entire operation, and owners can target installation to areas with the highest potential for environmental pollution, especially those areas that could affect surface or groundwater.

Streams and Waterbodies

Limiting horse access to streams and riparian areas can greatly reduce pollutant loads to surface and groundwater.

Stream Crossings Implementing a stream crossing with exclusion fencing will improve water quality as well as reduce nutrient, sediment, pathogen, and organic matter loads in streams. Limiting foot and equipment traffic around these areas also helps reduce farmwide erosion. Stream crossings can be designed for use with farm equipment and can provide horses with easy access to pastures, thereby improving grazing distribution while reducing the likelihood that horses will be injured while walking to difficult-to-reach pastures

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