Clean & Green
by Nicole Lanphear
Water conservation, good waste management, and knowing how your products affect the environment all play a big part in horse ownership and barn management. Every human has an impact on the environment, so each horse owner leaves his or her own unique ecological footprint.
There are many ways horse owners can be mindful of the environment, and some are as simple as checking a label.
Keeping Healthy and Clean
Several companies feature environmentally friendly and non-toxic cleaners and other products. When you pick up fly spray, saddle cleaner or horse shampoo, check the label to look for natural ingredients such as aloe, lanolin or tea tree oil. The fewer chemicals, the better. Non-toxic and environmentally friendly also mean it will be a non-irritant and safer for your horse’s skin.
Despite an “all natural” claim on the label, some products contain ingredients derived from toxic plants. Be careful with fly sprays, especially since many of them have “natural” insecticides that can still be toxic, such as pyrethrum pyrethrin, permethrin, or resmethrin, which are neurotoxins from the chrysanthemum plant. Exposure to these ingredients can cause headaches, nausea and heart problems for you, and similar reactions in your horse.
Many tack-cleaning products are also non toxic and biodegradable. Again, look for natural rather than chemical ingredients. If the ingredient list resembles a Twinkie wrapper, it's probably best to stay away.
Spending a few minutes online can save a trip to the store (good on both the environment and your wallet!) and can show you natural, safe products for your horses that you might not find otherwise. If you must use products with harsh chemicals, don’t pour them down drains or into the ground. Dispose of them properly (read the directions or contact your local waste management company) to ensure a healthy environment around you and all your animals.
Rinsing out and recycling containers from your fly sprays, shampoos, tack cleaners and other products will help lower the amount of waste from your barn. Keeping a recycling bin handy at the barn will encourage others to do the same.
As for that more natural waste—yes, manure—see Alayne Blickle's past Horse Farm Management columns or her website www.horsesforcleanwater.com for tips on how to turn your horse's waste into a useful tool or get rid of it cleanly and efficiently.
Water Conservation
Be sure to save as much water as possible. Here in the Pacific Northwest, water seems to fall out of the sky 364 days out of the year; however, we receive an average of 20 inches of rainfall annually and typically dry summers. Projected freshwater availability is low, so conserving water today can greatly influence tomorrow.
Washing your car with a hose and sprayer uses 100 to 300 gallons of water.* Your horse may be smaller than your car—or not, depending what you ride and drive—but a constantly running hose wastes the same amount of water in any case. Whether washing four legs or four wheels, use a bucket and sponge and turn off the hose when you are not using it.
Around the house, you know that turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth can save gallons of water. Following that example, use water wisely while cleaning tack, stalls, and water buckets.
Spread the Word
Getting your own riding group or 4-H group involved with green practices can help make a bigger difference in your area. Organize meetings to share ideas or call in speakers to share holistic, healthy horse management tips to help encourage other horse owners to join in. You can also support each other by ordering hard to find supplies in bulk and sharing the cost or by taking turns gathering and turning in the recyclable containers at your barn if it doesn't already have a recycling program set up.
Going to horse expos or lectures can expand your knowledge and benefit you greatly. Check online or printed calendars (such as Northwest Horse Source's "What's Happening") to find upcoming educational opportunities.
We can all do our part to ensure the health of our horses as well as our land. Whether cleaning your tack, bathing your horse, or filling up a water bucket, realize the mark you and your horses leave on the environment. A little change here and there can go a long way.
* Source: King County Natural Resources and parks
Other information provided by US Global Change Research Program
Water conservation, good waste management, and knowing how your products affect the environment all play a big part in horse ownership and barn management. Every human has an impact on the environment, so each horse owner leaves his or her own unique ecological footprint.
There are many ways horse owners can be mindful of the environment, and some are as simple as checking a label.
Keeping Healthy and Clean
Several companies feature environmentally friendly and non-toxic cleaners and other products. When you pick up fly spray, saddle cleaner or horse shampoo, check the label to look for natural ingredients such as aloe, lanolin or tea tree oil. The fewer chemicals, the better. Non-toxic and environmentally friendly also mean it will be a non-irritant and safer for your horse’s skin.
Despite an “all natural” claim on the label, some products contain ingredients derived from toxic plants. Be careful with fly sprays, especially since many of them have “natural” insecticides that can still be toxic, such as pyrethrum pyrethrin, permethrin, or resmethrin, which are neurotoxins from the chrysanthemum plant. Exposure to these ingredients can cause headaches, nausea and heart problems for you, and similar reactions in your horse.
Many tack-cleaning products are also non toxic and biodegradable. Again, look for natural rather than chemical ingredients. If the ingredient list resembles a Twinkie wrapper, it's probably best to stay away.
Spending a few minutes online can save a trip to the store (good on both the environment and your wallet!) and can show you natural, safe products for your horses that you might not find otherwise. If you must use products with harsh chemicals, don’t pour them down drains or into the ground. Dispose of them properly (read the directions or contact your local waste management company) to ensure a healthy environment around you and all your animals.
Rinsing out and recycling containers from your fly sprays, shampoos, tack cleaners and other products will help lower the amount of waste from your barn. Keeping a recycling bin handy at the barn will encourage others to do the same.
As for that more natural waste—yes, manure—see Alayne Blickle's past Horse Farm Management columns or her website www.horsesforcleanwater.com for tips on how to turn your horse's waste into a useful tool or get rid of it cleanly and efficiently.
Water Conservation
Be sure to save as much water as possible. Here in the Pacific Northwest, water seems to fall out of the sky 364 days out of the year; however, we receive an average of 20 inches of rainfall annually and typically dry summers. Projected freshwater availability is low, so conserving water today can greatly influence tomorrow.
Washing your car with a hose and sprayer uses 100 to 300 gallons of water.* Your horse may be smaller than your car—or not, depending what you ride and drive—but a constantly running hose wastes the same amount of water in any case. Whether washing four legs or four wheels, use a bucket and sponge and turn off the hose when you are not using it.
Around the house, you know that turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth can save gallons of water. Following that example, use water wisely while cleaning tack, stalls, and water buckets.
Spread the Word
Getting your own riding group or 4-H group involved with green practices can help make a bigger difference in your area. Organize meetings to share ideas or call in speakers to share holistic, healthy horse management tips to help encourage other horse owners to join in. You can also support each other by ordering hard to find supplies in bulk and sharing the cost or by taking turns gathering and turning in the recyclable containers at your barn if it doesn't already have a recycling program set up.
Going to horse expos or lectures can expand your knowledge and benefit you greatly. Check online or printed calendars (such as Northwest Horse Source's "What's Happening") to find upcoming educational opportunities.
We can all do our part to ensure the health of our horses as well as our land. Whether cleaning your tack, bathing your horse, or filling up a water bucket, realize the mark you and your horses leave on the environment. A little change here and there can go a long way.
* Source: King County Natural Resources and parks
Other information provided by US Global Change Research Program
Labels: Equine Wellness, June 2008, nicole lanphear
posted by NWHS at
6:24 PM
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