Managing manure, erosion, and water quality in and around horse pastures

Unmanaged equine grazing has the potential to create numerous environmental problems. The loss of topsoil through erosion harms the pastures and allows sediment bound to manure contaminants to migrate into surface water. Other contaminants may dissolve in storm water and either leach into the groundwater or run off to surface waters. Salinity, parasites, weed seeds, insects, and aesthetics are also concerns when raw horse manure is applied to pasture. Despite these risks, it is possible to manage grazing animals and manure to minimize threats to water quality and recycle nutrients to fertilize pasture plants. A number of Best Management Practices have been designed to keep uncontaminated water clean and filter contaminated water. One such practice is the use and maintenance of riparian forest buffers to slow the flow of runoff and filter out nutrients, sediments, and other contaminants.