b'Bringing Your Horse Homeyour muck pile relatively close, so youour area a couple of years ago, she says.soil is deficient in any minerals, your hay dont have too far to go with the wheel- We make a point of locking the doors.and grass will also be deficient. Generally, barrow. But you want it far enough awayDepending on where you are, no trespass- for easy keepers I recommend (based on that it doesnt contribute to a fly probleming signs can be helpful. Like swimmingthe horses size) 1 or 2 pounds of a ration in your barn.pools, horses are an attractive nuisance.balancer to provide enough vitamins and Many people dont consider the factPeople are probably the hardest things tominerals with very few calories. If your that horses produce 40 to 50 pounds ofkeep out, along with neighbors dogs. horse isnt an easy keeper or is a perfor-manure a day, so they dont think aboutmance animal, he may not have all the what theyre going to do with it, WaiteSupplies Youll Need calories he needs. For extra calories Id says. Building compost bins away fromIt takes a lot of gear and supplies toadd free-choice alfalfa hay and, if he still the horses can be an effective and ef- manage horses anywhere, including atneeds more calories, many different, ex-ficient way to deal with it. home. Heres some of the most importantcellent products are available. I personally You may be able to get somebody toequipment youll need to manage yourlike to buy concentrates that are mixed at come and haul your compost awayahorses at home, aside from any tack ormills that make horse feed exclusively, so farmer or a gardener or some companiesriding equipment: theres less chance of contamination with will, she adds. But some places dont Hay; products that can be fatal to horses.want it in landfills anymore.A salt block for free-choice licking, for- Speak with an equine nutritionist for Waite describes the three-bin compostmulated for horses (not livestock); guidance on your horses diet.systems shes had built at her small, at-A manger and/or grain bucket to keep home facility: We have a tractor with afeed off the ground; Bring in the Prosfront-end loader so we can move manure Water buckets and/or a trough or auto- Both Waite and Camargo stress the from one bin to the next, which turns it,matic waterers; importance of forming and maintaining so by the time it gets to the third bin, its A heat source to keep your horsesa relationship with a veterinarian and pretty well composted. It doesnt take verywater from freezing if you live in a colda farrier. Depending on your area and long in the summerprobably after threeclimate (or you can break ice with ahow many equine veterinarians there are, months its half the mass it was. When itshammer); they will tend to treat their regular clients all done, we put it into a big pile of blackfirst, says Waite. The same with a far-dirt and use it in flower beds and such.rier and getting on a regular schedule. People should realize, though, that a tall,Remove any trash They appreciate having regular clients static pile of manure that gets taller thanin your pasture beforethey know theyre going to be working your barn isnt compostcompost actu- with. Id say the same is true for hay pro-ally has to be managed. you even put horses ducers and growers: Telling them early Routinely (at least weekly, says Waite)in, because they willhow much you think you might need and scout and rid your horses quarters ofpaying on time and up front will save you anything that might hurt him: machinery,find it, and they will some angst up the road.protruding nails, wire, junk, low-hangingget hurt on it. To find a veterinarian, get on social lights, broken boards, and the like. Re- media and ask your friends who they use, move any trash in your pasture before youDR. KAREN WAITE says Camargo. Or, you can go to aaep.even put horses in, because they will findorg and type in your ZIP code for a list it and they will get hurt on it, she says.Bedding or mats (if your horse isof equine veterinarians near you. Many Here, ice is one of the biggest hazardsstalled); (first-time horse owners) find their vet-we have to deal with, so having some idea Stall cleaning supplies: wheelbar- erinarian when they have a prepurchase of how your turnout lots and pastures lierow, manure fork, scoop shovel, rake,exam done. As soon as you get the horse, and where water collects in the summer- broom; invite the veterinarian over for a wellness time will give you some idea of where the A halter and lead rope for every horseexamvaccinations and a fecal egg count. biggest hazards will be in winter whenin your care (especially necessary inIf that relationship works out, great. If theyll thaw and freeze and thaw andan evacuation, so you dont waste timenot, then you can try someone else.freeze, she adds. Horses that are outswapping out gear); and Above all, treat your veterinarian and 24/7 seem to handle ice pretty well, but if Of course, safety gear for when youreyour farrier as the professionals they are, its a situation where theyre stalled partworking around horses, includingshe adds. Maintain that relationship and of the day and out part of the day, theysturdy boots. theyre going to be eager to come over react to the going out and arent always asDepending on what the horse is goingand treat your horse and give you advice. careful as they might otherwise be. to be doing, he might need a concentrateThat relationship is important for your To safeguard your property Waite rec- feed, says Camargo.horses health.ommends installing security cameras. WeIf your horse is an easy keeper, hay andThe better your horses health, the actually have cameras inside and outsidegrass alone may be sufficient, she says.happier hell be and the more youll get our barn, and we have a lock on our tackHowever, hay and grass will only haveto enjoy him. And thats what keeping a room door because we had some theft inthe minerals that the soil provides. If yourhorse at home is all about. h14September 2019The Horse | TheHorse.com'