Horses poop. A lot. On average, a single horse creates 55 pounds of manure per day. According to the University of Minnesota Extension, that amount adds up to more than 10 tons of equine manure each year! Literally tons of crap!
So what are we supposed to do with all this manure? Where do we put it and how do we get rid of it? Thankfully, equestrians have many options when it comes to manure management. This post will run through these options and give pros and cons for each. Happy reading!
Why Manage Manure?
No matter the size of your equine facility, failing to manage your manure can create numerous costs. These costs can affect you, your horses, and the people living around your facility.
1. Parasites
While horses in the wild avoid manure-contaminated areas, many domesticated horses living in manure-filled pastures cannot. In perfect weather conditions, parasite eggs in manure hatch approximately every three days.
Consequently, horses living in manure filled conditions are constantly reinfesting themselves with parasites (unless fed a daily preventative or long-acting dewormer). To learn more about equine-affecting internal parasites, check out our previous post, here.
2. Muddy conditions
Nobody likes mud, and yet many equine managers do little to prevent it. Excessive manure in pastures can create a wet, slippery mess that can lead to injury for both horses and humans.
3. Insect problems
Just like mud, equestrians hate bugs. Manure-fouled mud as well as fresh manure create a perfect breeding ground for insects. These insects are annoying, can bite, annoy neighbors, and spread disease.
4. Equine skin and hoof disease
Wet organic matter harbors many bacteria and fungal organisms responsible for diseases like scratches, rain rot, hoof abscesses, and thrush.
5. Wasted space
Manure piles that aren’t managed and cleared out regularly take up a lot of space. As stated before, horses create around 55 pounds of poop per day which converts to about 1-2 cubic yards per month. All that manure and waste covers land that could be used for more productive things.
6. Unattractiveness
Nobody wants to look at a pile of crap.
7. Unpleasant odors
Although you may be used to that lovely smell of equine manure, your neighbors and other infrequent visitors may find it repulsive and unpleasant.
8. Contamination of the surrounding environment
Sediment deposits and nutrient runoff from manure piles can create devastating effects on fish and other aquatic life. Even if you don’t live near a wetland or body of water, the contaminants will find it. These contaminants can also affect groundwater which is especially a concern if you rely on a well.
Equine Manure Management Options
Manure Spreading
The first option is to simply stockpile your manure in a 3-sided structure with a concrete pad to be spread on pastures at a later date. You will want to place your pile in an area far enough away to keep flies at bay but is still accessible to your machinery .
To prevent contaminants from leaching into the environment, cover the manure pile with a roof or tarp. Once you are ready to spread, apply manure to pastures during the growing season. If you have a lot of shavings in your pile, add an extra source of nitrogen (like bloodmeal, bonemeal, or pure nitrogen fertilizer) to help balance the carbon and nitrogen ratio.
PROS
- Nutrients are added to the soil which helps improve soil fertility and grass growth.
- Money is saved on fertilizer.
- This method is simple and labor/cost efficient.
CONS
- If you don’t compost the waste, you will have to be aware of parasites present in the manure. Without a proper deworming regimen, the horses will be ingesting parasites as they graze.
- If the waste you spread has a lot of stall waste (i.e. shavings), the ration of carbon to nitrogen in the soil may be too high and cause the pastures to “burn” and turn yellow.
- You will need access to a tractor and manure spreader (whether through owning, renting, or borrowing).
Composting
Composting your equine manure is a great way to make excellent fertilizer for pastures, gardens, flower beds, and lawns. For a more detailed explanation of how to do this, check out TheHorse.com’s post, “9 Steps for Composting Horse Manure“.
PROS
- During the composting process, the heat that is produced kills off parasite eggs, pathogens, and weed seeds. This reduces labor and disease risk in the future.
- Fly breeding ground is lost leading to fewer flies.
- Compost smells much better than straight manure.
- Composting reduces the volume of the waste by nearly 50%.
- Equine manure makes an exceptional soil amendment.
CONS
- Composting requires more labor and supervision.
- Manual application requires some sort of love for gardening.
- A manure spreader and tractor are necessary for spreading larger amounts.
Local Residential Pickup
Another option would be to offer up your equine manure to local gardeners or growing operations. You’ll need to place the pile in an accessible location so that your “customers” can serve themselves.
PROS
- Useful when space is limited
- Provide excellent organic matter for local gardeners and landscapers
CONS
- People will be coming onto your property (possibly when you are not at home)
- Marketing may be required to inform people of your offerings
- Composting the waste first may be required to make the manure more desirable
- Not feasible for larger operations due to demand and seasonal changes
Haul Away
Oftentimes you can find a local farmer or hauling company that will pick up your manure for a fee. If you don’t have the equipment to handle the loading or driving yourself, be sure to make the pick up area as accessible as possible.
PROS
- May require less effort and energy
CONS
- Hiring a loader can be expensive
- Research is required to find the right contacts
- Fees may be higher when manure goes to landfill
Thank you so much for reading about how to manage equine manure piles! Did any information in this post surprise you? Let us know! We’d love to hear from you!
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Bonus resources and reading materials
- TheHorse.com – 9 Steps for Composting Horse Manure
- University of Massachusetts-Amherst – Composting Horse Manure