Your guide to sustainable horsekeeping

The Green Horse section provides practical information on managing environmentally sustainable horse properties, readers stories and tips, as well as advice and articles from equestrian experts in their fields.

February/March 24
Vol 45 No5

In this issue of The Green Horse you will find the following articles

IS YOUR PROPERTY PREPARED?
by Rhiannon Brown
Australia has always had a reputation for burning. Our native bush is built to burn and because of our love of the land, we often build our homes right on the doorstep of Mother Nature’s very own ‘Redhead’ matches.
The recent bushfires and floods across Australia should be a much needed reminder to all of us who are landholders and put us all on notice that the rural lifestyle we so enjoy requires diligence on our behalf in relation to care of the land and awareness of preparedness for fire, drought and floods.
To often, fires are thrown into the ‘it won’t happen to me basket’ until it’s all too late. This has been a hot topic in many states with bush fires this season taking people’s homes.


CAN A SOIL TEST TELL YOU WHAT IS IN YOUR PASTURE?
by Nerida Richards - Feed XL
A definite recommendation for horse owners is to have their pasture and hay tested so they get a much more accurate idea of what their horses are eating.

STOP THE ROT
by Bounceback Horse Fencing
Timber posts tend to rot at the base. It is a normal process in the breakdown of the wood, but it can be postponed, giving a longer life to the fence post.

DUNG BEETLES TO THE RESCUE
by Wendy Elks
Nature is constantly proving it knows best, and regenerative farmers are tackling the problem of oxygen-starved and depleted flood affected land with the help of a humble yet powerful ally: the dung beetle.

ROSEHIPS- THE HERB WITH A POWERFUL PUNCH
by Catherine Bird
The hips (fruit) of the dog rose are source of readily assimilated forms of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, including - vitamins C, A,B1, B2,B3, and K, bioflavonoids (including rutin), carptenoids, tannins, calcium, magnesium. silica, phosphorous,and copper

WIN A YEAR'S SUBSCRIPTION...
share your equine property management tips and each issue one reader will win.

Send ideas to -
The Green Horse Support <enquiries@hoofbeats.com.au>

 



PREVIOUS ARTICLES
Available on line

 

August September 23
CREATING AND USING THE SACRIFICE PADDOCK

Functional areas that are safe and useable are essential, with an area set aside as a ‘sacrificial’ area or paddock considered by many horse owners to be an invaluable component of their property’s set up and design.

June July 23
CREATING A WEED MANAGEMENT PLAN - your property your weeds.
by Rhiannon Brown, Envirapest
Keep it Simple as making a weed management plan doesn’t have to be like studying for that master’s degree or passing your driving test for the first time either.

Apriil/May 23
SIMPLE FEED BUDGET
by Belinda Taylor
Although most horse owners are nervous at the prospect of creating a budget, a few quick
calculations can give you the power to compare prices and alternatives that can reduce your horses’ feed
costs, without impacting on their health and wellbeing.

February/March 23
CROFTON WEED KILLS HORSES
by Angela Davison

If you have this weed on your property then it is best to not have any horses in the paddock until such time as you can eradicate it.

December/January 22 23 PROPERTY PLANNING
-Working with your property- not against it.
by Teele Worrell
Property planning is about
using your property effectively
and efficiently and sometimes
starting with a clean slate.

October/November 22
WHAT IS EQUESTRIAN LANDCARE

by Teele Worrell
Part 1 In a series in which Teele will explore what equine landcare is, and why it benefits equine landholders

August/September 22
THE IMPORTANCE OF GROUND COVER
by Belinda Taylor
Ground cover, whether it be dead grass, weeds, hay, or mulch is the insulating layer that protects your soil from the extremes of temperature and erosion.

June/July 22
SOLAR FOR YOUR ARENA

Environmentally-friendly solar lighting for your arena will allow you to use your arena for longer, and as energy from the sun is free it is therefore an ideal long-term solution for powering lights. Jeff Florence from Blackfrog Solar, Queensland suggsted some solar tips.

April/May 22
MAKING THE MOST OF MOSQUITO CONTROL
by Rhiannon Brown - Envirapest

Climate change that has brought high temperatures, more rain and increases in humidity will provide ideal breeding grounds for the many species of mosquitoes, including those that spread the Japanese Encephalitis virus (JEV).February/March 2022

February/March 22
SUSTAINABLE DEWORMING

by Sophie Fletcher
There has been a relatively big shift in deworming treatment strategies in recent years, due to increasing levels of worm resistance to the chemicals we have been using for decades to control them, resulting in a lot of confusion among horse owners.

December/January 21/22
ARE YOU PREPARED FOR THE FIRE SEASON
In the many areas where horse owners live this season's fire preparation should be well underway; if you’ve not already started preparing your property for summer then now is the time to do so.

October/November21
SNAKE UNIVERSAL ANTIVENOM
The good news is that there is no longer any need for a snake to be identified to administer antivenom. A universal antivenom is now used that covers the five genus of snake that will cause serious harm or death.

August/September 21
BEAT THE BINDI
by Rhiannon Brown - Envirapest
The prickly weeds that grow on our properties across Australia usually have long classical Latin names, are often known by a variety of common names in different localities but are regularly called very rude names when we happen to stand on one (or a dozen) or when they find our hands as we are dislodging tangles in the horse’s mane or tail.

June July 21
BARN OWLS by Wendy Elks
A silent partner in rodent control.
Non-toxic pest management is the most humane and ecologically sustainable way of bringing nature back into some kind of balance during non-plague times.

April/May 21
LOVELY LAWNS
by Rhiannon Brown - Envirapest
On a horse property there always seems to be hectares of grass, but we all have that little bit of lawn we want to look luscious all year round.
It could be the entrance to the stables, laneways bordering the driveway, that little ‘special’ snack paddock or you could even dream of a beautiful green arena.
So, how do we achieve this?

Feb/March 21
STABLE DANGERS
by Elizabeth Tollarzo
They say that horses are accidents-waiting-to-happen as they are inclined to find every conceivable way to injur themselves, usually just before a competition. Being aware of potential dangers in the stable - and addressing these - may help aleiviate injury.

Dec/Jan 20/21
HORSES AND HONEY BEES-
Can they share space on the property?
by Wendy Elks

Oct/Nov 20
SOLAR-POWERED PRODUCTS
by Celine Bønnelykke
In previous issues we have discussed the economics of setting up a solar-driven property, but if finances don’t stretch to installation of the whole package, there are ways to ease into the solar-world.

Aug/Sept 20 THE HIDDEN DANGERS IN OUR PADDOCK.
by Elizabeth Tollarzo
Horses love to run, play, buck and then run again and we often, through lack of risk assessment or management practices, place them in areas that are fraught with dangers.

JUNE JULY 20 GOING SOLAR ON THE HORSE PROPERTY Where to put your panels Part 2
Once you have selected what solar system best suits your needs, then you need to look at how you can maximise the advantages.

APRIL MAY 20 GOING SOLAR ON THE HORSE PROPERTY Part 2
Once you have selected what solar system best suits your needs, then you need to look at how you can maximise the advantages.

FEB/MARCH 20 ANTS AWAY
by Mark Brown Envirapest
So, what can you do to deter ants from your house and your stables??


DJ19/20 KEEPING SNAKES OUT OF THE STABLE by Wendy Elks
Snakes may be protected under Wildlife regulations in Australia, and they may be great for keeping the mice and rats down, but do we want to find them in our stables near our horses and pets?

ON19 - TERMITES- common myths
by Rhiannon Brown, Envirapest
Your house and stables are looking wonderful this spring, but do you know what is happening inside the walls of your brick or timber building?

AS19 - OUCH THAT HURTS
by Catherine Bird for Country Park Saddlery
The extent of the swelling is usually an indication of the severity of the infection or injury and the cause needs to be established before giving herbs.

JJ19 - MANAGING PASTURE
by Rhiannon Brown, Envirapest Healthy pasture means healthy horses.

A/M19 - STOP THOSE WEEDS
Property biosecurity
by Rhiannon Brown, Envirapest
Putting simple precautionary steps into place can make it tough for weeds to get a hold on your equine paradise.

 

 









“People ask us if soil tests can be used to work out what will be in their pasture or hay, and the answer, quite simply, is no.
“While a soil test is an infinitely useful tool that will allow you to make important choices when it comes to managing your pasture, it cannot accurately tell you what will be in the pasture.
“There are definitely trends and relationships between your soil and your pasture. For example, if your soil phosphorus or potassium is high these minerals will generally be high in your pastures, especially when the pastures are lush and growing. If nitrogen is low in your soils, generally your pasture will be lower in protein. BUT, there is very little, if any, relationship between soil levels of minerals like calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc and the levels of these minerals you will find in your pasture.”
SOIL pH and PLANT MATURITY
“The level of most minerals taken up by plants is heavily influenced by the pH of the soil and also by the stage of maturity of the plant.”
The take home message is...
• if you want a good estimate of what your horse is eating, test your pasture
• if you want to know how to better manage your soil and improve pasture growth, test your soil.
“The two work hand-in-hand beautifully, but one should never be used in place of the other.”

 

 

 


Register your email to receive
the monthly newsletter

 

facebook




Heap - iOS and Web Analytics