Conference noted::equitation

    The types of tools/equipment you'll need for stall cleaning are
    long handled pitchforks, shovel(s), and wheelbarrows or manure buckets.
    For the disposal, it's best to have your manure pile as far away
    from the barn (and down-wind) as possible.  This will keep the flies
    and irritating gases away from the barn to help maintain a more
    sanitary stable.
    
    You should rotate your grazing pastures, and if possible, pick through
    them to remove manure piles periodically.  This is a good part of
    any worming program since the horses will not constantly be exposed
    to larvae and parasites that are deposited with the manure.  I have
    read that if you have both horses and cows, to rotate your paddocks
    between the two of them since horses are not affected by cattle
    parasites and vice versa.  You may also want to speak with a horse vet
    or other horse/stable owners in your area to see what they suggest.
    
    I don't know anyone off-hand that does manure spreading since local
    farmers usually come and take the manure for their fields.  If you
    were to do it, you'll want to make sure the horses are not able
    to get at it for the sake of parasite control.
       
    Good luck with your new farm.

    A comment about wheelbarrows. I was told by someone I know, that
    he uses plastic wheelbarrows versus metal, because the urine in
    the manure was doing a job (rusting) on the metal wheelbarrow.
    It sounds logically.
    			Cindy
    

    Presently we have both kinds of barrels.  The metal ones are about
    five years old and show a great deal of rust (holes to be exact...large
    ones).  Last year we went off and picked up a couple of the large,
    blue plastic barrels.  So far so good but we haven't had them long
    enough to really judge.  However, the cold certainly doesn't seem
    to affect them and the manure has less of tendency to stick in the
    barrel.
    
    As far as the fields go.  We like to rotate and spread both.  If
    we spread we leave the field open for the year.  Will try to get
    more information on this topic shortly.
    
    Good luck with your new place.
    

We have plenty of Manure, the problem we have is how to get rid of it.
    our location is right on 111 just above the acton High school. Last
    fall it cost us $400 to get rid of this stuff.  There has got to
    be a better price or way.
    
    
    Can anyone give me names of anyone in the the western Suburbs who
    hauls manure

    thanks
    
    bob jaques
    
    

    Well, I'm not positive, but I think Robert Carlson (of the Carlson
    Orchard Carlsons in Harvard) might be willing to help you out.
    
    It's probably worth a phone call.
    
    Gwen
    

    I constantly read in agricultural bulletins about free manure.
    Where you pick (shovel) it up yourself.  Backyard gardeners love
    this.  I know my friends are constantly asking for truckloads.
    
    Personally I believe in the old way of doing things where I collect
    mine for a year, let it age, spread it on the fields, fertilizer
    is expensive, and six months later the pastures never looked better.
    
    As mentioned previously pasture rotation is important.  We also
    pick up manure every day out of the area the horses are presently
    in to reduce worm problems, it also keeps the neighbors happy and
    the horses cleaner.
    
    good luck
    
    karen

    There really is a need out there for manure. People cart away our pile
    as quickly as we can dump it. I have to use a separate "reserve" pile
    sometimes so I have something left for my own garden.

    I'm looking for a source of horse manure for my garden.  If any of
    you have an excess, I would be happy to take a truck load off your
    hands this weekend.  I live in Hollis, NH so anything in that general
    area would be appreciated.  You can send mail to DATABS::STORM.
    
    Thanks,
    Mark
    

    
    
    	How do people get rid of there horse manure.. ???
    
    	If you don't have a neighbor that is willing to take it??
    
    	Donna

    My neighbors take it!  (;
    
    We also spread it in the corral and turnout area, as the
    horses feet really chews up the ground.
    
    L- 

    Spreading it in a turnout area only works for a while.  Once the ground
    has all it can take, you'll have nothing but mud all spring and nothing
    but dust once the mud dries up.  I used to do this, and ended up having
    to have someone come with a front end loader and scoop it out.  8^(
    
    I think it's OK if you just use the area for riding; maybe it doesn't
    get as mixed is as when it's a turnout.  But this mud was *incredible*! 
    It would suck shoes right off!  Off the horses, I mean!
    
    -ellie

    As for getting rid of the manure, you could advertise, but I don't know
    how successful that would be.  
    
    At one time I used to rent a dumpster, and have the manure taken away. 
    This was when I had 12 horses, and the manure pile was threatening to
    take over the farm.  I also did this when I briefly rented an apartment
    that had access to a barn in Pepperell.  This dumpster cost $40 per
    month, and was emptied once a week.  It was one of the "half" size
    dumpsters -- about 4' high, and maybe 3' by 5' at the top and a bit
    smaller at the bottom.  It worked out OK for two horses, if I was
    really careful sorting out the clean shavings from the wet dirty
    shavings.
    
    Another thing you can do is to try to cut down on the size of the pile
    by using less bedding, which you can do if you put rubber mats in your
    stalls.  I find it's really the bedding that makes up most of the bulk.
    
    -ellie

The attached reply was placed in the Neighbors note.  One half directly went to
the discussion.  The other half - about manure - belongs here.

Ed..


        <<< NOTED::DISK$NOTES1:[NOTES$LIBRARY_1OF5]EQUITATION.NOTE;3 >>>
                          -< Equine Notes Conference >-
================================================================================
Note 1640.34                        Neighbors                           34 of 43
KAHALA::HOLMES                                       19 lines  13-JUL-1992 15:02
                               -< more thoughts >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    RE: Names,

    A more expensive solution might be to change usernames.
    Noone should confuse FULTZ_D with FULTZ_E or PAANANEN_X
    with PAANANEN_Y.  (I couldn't help that !)

    RE:  Manure,

    There have been problems when large comercial farms are developed
    (my baby sister is a civil eng.) but I think I read in the Pedlar
    that 1 years manure from 1 horse contains the same chemical content
    as a single 100 lb bag of lawn fertilizer.  In addition as it is
    somewhat chemically bound with the other organic matter is released
    much more slowly.  I think also that the less stable elements
    evaporate quite fast.

    (one of two Bill H's in DEC.  I did get the other guys paycheck once
     but have not bumped into him in a notes file.)

    Another way for getting rid of manure is also along the lines of
    advertising.  I started out by calling some of the nurseries in the
    area.  They always nees ferterlizer.  Other than that, the dumpster
    idea is realy the best.  
    	On the mud issue, I have lived on the East coast and had forgotten
    there is much more rainfall than in the desert.  I can remember the
    manure piles turning into black gooie mud traps.  I guess it wouldn't
    be a good idea to spread it then.  We don't use beding either.  Like I
    said before, the desert sand takes over everything, even the inside of
    the barn.
    
    vlm

The attached reply was placed in note #1640 - Neighbors.  This discusses what
can be done with manure.  To see the original reply, look at note #1345.  It
was moved to the note that discusses building an outdoor ring.

Ed..

        <<< NOTED::DISK$NOTES1:[NOTES$LIBRARY_1OF5]EQUITATION.NOTE;3 >>>
                          -< Equine Notes Conference >-
================================================================================
Note 1640.35                        Neighbors                           35 of 45
SWAM2::MASSEY_VI                                     16 lines  13-JUL-1992 16:17
                             -< no manure problem >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    It's me again, the one with the desert horses.  We have started using
    manure in our arenas.  When dried out and mixed with the sand it
    produces less dust than the sand alone.  Also, when it is weted, it
    holds water longer.  We have never had to dump or have our manure
    picked up.  Of course, here manure dries out alot faster so there is no
    chance of attracting flies or other bugs.  It does attract rabbits and
    chickawas.
    	Any way, my neighbor is now complaining because his dogs are eating
    manure and bring it home.  I cited the city code about dogs being
    restrained or fenced inside the city limits.  He shut his mouth
    directly, but I do believe he was thinking of something else to
    complain about.  I'll just have to wait to get home and see what
    senceless note he has left for today. 
    
    
    vlm

The attached reply was placed in the Neighbors note - note #1640.  I have
moved the original to the outdoor ring note - note #1345.  But, the last
part of this note dealt with getting rid of manure.

Ed..

        <<< NOTED::DISK$NOTES1:[NOTES$LIBRARY_1OF5]EQUITATION.NOTE;3 >>>
                          -< Equine Notes Conference >-
================================================================================
Note 1640.40                        Neighbors                           40 of 46
SWAM2::MASSEY_VI                                     12 lines  14-JUL-1992 10:54
                               -< keep it even >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    It's great that someone can take your manure off your hands.  The best
    way to keep the arena sand even is to grade or rake often.  We do it
    once a week.  I don't have a tractor but all my horse have been taught
    to ground drive so I took and old harness and modified it to pull a
    drag.  The horses love it.  It gives them something different to do and
    a reason to act a little goofey.
    	As far as getting rid of manure,  that isn't a problem.  It's
    biodegratable and can be spread just about anywhere out here.  Like I
    said before, the rabbits and other desert dwellers love to pick
    through it and they spread it out enough to dry by morning.
    
    vlm

    My ex-farrier's wife seems to be doing a booming business at
    $2.00 per bag - she uses Blue Seal Trotter 100 lb bags, and
    fills them about 2/3 full. She just leaves them out front by
    the road, and people leave their money. She bags the manure
    from the year before, rather than the current year.

    I find this interesting - it's easy, you don't have to be home
    to make the sale, and so what if a few bags get stolen? It's
    *manure*! And the whole point is to get rid of it, anyhow.

    Julie