Water is a precious resource that is essential for all living things. It is startling that only 2.5% of the Earth’s water is freshwater and of that percentage only 1.3% is from surface water sources like lakes and rivers. Groundwater makes up 30.1% of freshwater sources and the remainder is frozen in glaciers and ice caps. It is no wonder then that water usage and conservation continues to be a hot topic for horse owners everywhere. Drought conditions are expected to persist and worsen in the Western U.S. this spring and the long term forecast doesn’t show much improvement. While we can’t change the weather, we can implement some simple management practices to help conserve water on the farm, ranch or stables. Early summer is the perfect time to consider these four simple steps.

Step One: “Green” Your Landscape – Compost. Mulch and Plant Native Species  

A 1000-pound horse will produce approximately nine tons of manure over the course of a year. According to the Rutgers University Cooperative Extension Service, a ton of horse manure will contain roughly 11 pounds of nitrogen (N), two pounds of phosphorus (P), and eight pounds of potassium (K). Composting your horse’s manure takes three to six months and the process kills most parasites, pathogens and weed seeds. Composting is also an excellent way to boost your soil’s productivity.

“Compost is going to absorb and retain moisture,” said Alayne Blickle, director and owner of Horses for Clean Water – a nature-based solutions for horse keeping business based in Nampo, Idaho. “If you spread the compost on pastures, lawns, gardens then you don’t have to water as frequently. Using mulch in your landscaping will reduce evaporation on the soil surface and retain soil moisture. If you use a lot a bedding, it’s possible that you could use that straight from the stalls as mulch around landscaping.”

Blickle keeps her training current in the areas of sustainable agronomy, natural resource management, rangeland ecology, and equine science. She holds undergraduate degrees in psychology and biology and a graduate degree in communications.

When it comes to keeping your farm or ranch looking beautiful, Blickle suggests that native plants be used in flower beds and landscaping. Native plants will require less herbicides, pesticides, fertilizer and water to thrive in your landscape. She also encourages horse owners to consider implementing pollinator habitats on their properties.

Step Two: Practice Good Pasture Management – Rotate, Water Deeply & Infrequently and Reduce Run-Off

If you have irrigation installed in or around your pasture, it is recommended that you water deeply and infrequently to promote deep root growth. Deeper roots will help your pasture withstand drought and develop disease-resistance.

 “Watering plants in the evening is encouraged because it is more efficient and you have less evaporation,” said Blickle. “You can use various kinds of irrigation systems like soaker hoses or drip irrigation. We want horse owners to get the water to a depth of about five to six inches in the soil of the pasture. The best way to figure out if that is happening is to push in a shovel blade or even a long handled screwdriver into the ground. If it slides into the ground easily, then you are good. But if the shovel or screwdriver can’t go into the ground, then (more) irrigation is needed.”

Develop a rotational grazing plan to help limit areas that get overgrazed. Overgrazed pastures can result in compacted soil which reduces water infiltration and increases run-off.

“Swales and native plant buffers are great at absorbing water run-off and letting it soak back into the ground to recharge your groundwater aquifer,” said Blickle. “This will reduce sediments from the soil being washed off into surface waters. Let the plants absorb it, they’re putting it back into the ground and into the natural hydrology.”

Step Three: Install Automatic Watering Systems

Automatic waterers are a key component in reducing water usage and waste. Automatic waterers conserve water by providing only as much water as the horse can drink at any given time.

“I always recommend that horse owners choose an automatic watering system that has a 5 gallon or less pan (trough) to water their horses,” said Blickle. “This also makes it easier to clean because you only have a small pan to clean and rinse, instead of dumping and scrubbing a 50 gallon stock tank. You don’t have to clean an automatic waterer as frequently either because the water is circulating. Since the water is moving and not stagnant, it means that your waterer won’t give mosquitoes a habitat to grow in. That’s especially important when it comes preventing or reducing the West Nile virus.”

Cost Share & Rebates May Be Available for Automatic Waterers

Whether it is due to water conservation, energy efficiency or West Nile virus/mosquito prevention, there may be cost-share programs available through your local conservation district or natural resources agency that will reduce the cost of installing automatic waterers. Visit the National Association of Conservation Districts at www.nacdnet.org to find your local district. In addition, many local electric cooperatives offer rebates or incentives on high efficiency automatic livestock waterers such as Ritchie EcoFount, OmniFount, WaterMatic, Thrifty King, WaterMaster and Classic Equine waterers. Rebates can range from $40 to $500 per unit, depending on your co-op’s program. Check with your local rural electric cooperative to find out more.

  “I am a huge fan of automatic waterers because of the water conservation but also because they are so chore efficient,” said Blickle. “It is a little bit more work upfront but then you don’t have hoses you are dragging around, no more frozen hoses, no more frozen pipes in the winter. You also don’t have to worry about colicky horses because somebody forgot to give them enough water and the expensive vet bills that go with it. I have all but two paddocks at (Sweet Pepper Ranch) that have Ritchie automatic waterers and I just can’t wait to get those stock tanks changed over to automatic waterers. Cleaning the stock tanks is back breaking work, they are heavy and the water doesn’t stay clean for very long. There is always so much work to done on a horse property that you need to be efficient with your time and choose your battles. That’s why I am such a huge fan of automatic waterers.”

Step Four: Capture Water Through Roof Run-Off with Rain Barrels & Cisterns

Install rain gutters and roof run-off systems on all barns and sheds to capture rainwater into rain barrels or cisterns that can be used for non-potable activities such as watering the garden or cleaning stalls. Blickle cautions horse owners about using roof run-off in stock tanks because materials from some roofs can contaminate the water and be harmful to your horses.

Capturing the water during the rainy season has the added benefit of reducing mud in high-traffic areas.

“Out here in the high desert of Southwestern Idaho we only get about 10 to 12 inches of rain annually,” said Blickle. “The problem is that most of the rain comes in the winter or spring and not in the summer when we need it most. So, it is important to have water storage systems like a cistern that can hold the roof run-off. Then, if you have a pump or gravity system you can utilize that water all throughout the year.”

Final Thoughts

Freshwater is a finite resource and as responsible land and horse owners; it is critical that everyone take steps to conserve and preserve our water. These four simple conservation improvements and upgrades will add efficiency and value to your property as well as provide a healthy environment for you and your horses.