Improving Habitat to Attract Wildlife Helps You and Your Horse
- Posted by Alayne Blickle
While development seems to be a fact of life today and most of us can’t do much to stop the encroachment of buildings and development, horse owners actually can do quite a bit to provide wildlife with suitable living conditions. Inviting many types of wildlife into our horse places actually has wonderful payoffs to horse and property owners, as well as for our neighbors and the environment.
Some payoffs include natural insect and rodent control, and low cost/low maintenance landscaping that can double as a dust barrier, wind break, shade, mud management, or a buffer between neighboring uses. Vegetation planted for wildlife also acts as a natural biofiltration system and helps preserve water quality and protect soil. Plus, wildlife is free! As horse and land owners, you and I know that there are few animals we can enjoy that are as low cost and low maintenance as wildlife.
At Sweet Pepper Ranch we recently installed an owl box to help with rodent control in our barn and fields–and because we enjoy seeing raptors around. Our county installed it as part of their non-toxic gopher control program, making it cost-effective for us. This past summer we also worked at planting native plants, creating brush and rock piles, and planting hedgerows.
While it’s winter in most of North America and we can’t plant now, it’s a great time of year to dream and plan. So let’s begin! Encourage wildlife by providing three things: cover, food, and water (Tip: you can also use these same principles to discourage unwanted wildlife by eliminating their habitat on your property
Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.
TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com.
Start your free account today!
Already have an account?
and continue reading.
Written by:
Alayne Blickle
Related Articles
Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with
9 Responses
re: Improving Habitat to Attract Wildlife Helps You and Your Horse
As a wildlife biologist/ecologist and equestrian I work with people to develop ecological equestrians facilities and yes, various habitats have different issues regarding horses and wildlife.
In Africa the vegetation barriers are much farther a
re: Improving Habitat to Attract Wildlife Helps You and Your Horse
We are successful at mixing the two efforts at our home in Macon – we have plenty of room for wildlife and we DO encourage the snakes – guess what? No MICE and RATS in the feed room! Mother Nature designed a fantastic rodenticide… lol!
re: Improving Habitat to Attract Wildlife Helps You and Your Horse
I tend to agree with the comments that note that the idea of attracting wildlife to mix with horses is generally not the best thing. I have lived with horses in more than half a dozen states in all areas of the country except the West and NW and
re: Improving Habitat to Attract Wildlife Helps You and Your Horse
We practice many of these suggestions in Northeast Vermont, doing our best to live in peace with the wildlife. Areas differ in terms of risks. There just are risks with having horses, but for the sake of the earth, and so that we can continue to pastur
re: Improving Habitat to Attract Wildlife Helps You and Your Horse
My horses pasture is surrounded by woods and there is alwyas an abundance of wildlife around it. To minimize my horses exposure to the wildlife, I keep weeds and other vegetatation a few feet away from the fencing so my horses will not be able to touch
re: Improving Habitat to Attract Wildlife Helps You and Your Horse
While my husband and I love the outdoors and all the wildlife that goes with it, I cannot agree that brining wildlife and horses together is a good thing. While all the ideas are great it is not mentioned that they can also invite deer, raccoons,
re: Improving Habitat to Attract Wildlife Helps You and Your Horse
A great article. I just bought a farm a few months ago and it is partly wooded. Wildlife in the form of turkeys and deer are already here, and there are many beautiful birds. I am surprised by all the negative comments on this idea. M
re: Improving Habitat to Attract Wildlife Helps You and Your Horse
These ideas works great where I live in NC except I don’t want more snakes. Almost touched a big copperhead while weeding this summer. We have a large pond and I have allowed it to go wild, no more mowing within 15 feet except for a small area for fish
re: Improving Habitat to Attract Wildlife Helps You and Your Horse
Unfortunately, many of the suggestions made here will attract wildlife that can be deadly to horses, as well. For example, opossums carry EPM, and what you describe doing would create a haven for these creatures. Where I live, you would also be putting