Introduction

Intensively used areas on horse properties such as stable yards, arenas and horse yards have a lot of hoof traffic on the ground. Unless the ground on these areas is stable or surfaced with a hard-wearing material, there may be problems with mud, dust and soil erosion.
 

Bare soil in grazing or feeding areas increases the risk of horses getting sand colic. Dust also increases the risk of horses getting respiratory tract infections.
 

Often these traffic areas also form part of a workplace and there is the consideration of the safety of workers, volunteers and visitors to your stableyard.
 

Manure build-up, storage and management is also an issue in these areas. Soil erosion and water runoff from these areas can lead to pollution of watercourses, including dams and creeks if management regimes and facilty design features are not put into place.
 

Under wet, muddy conditions, pugging (paw holes) of soil can occur in these areas. This increases water ponding after rainfall and leads to build-up of bacterial and algal growth which can contribute to pollution of dams and creeks downstream.
 

In South Australia, property owners also have responsibilities under legislation (Environmental Protection Authority's Environmental Protection (Water Quality) Policy 2003) to avoid discharging or depositing waste or pollutants into any waters, bores or onto land where it might enter the water.
 

Steps to achieve best practice

Suggested actions are:-

• Surface these areas with materials such as horse rubber matting, sand, asphalt, cement or quarry rubble, or alternatively establish a hard-wearing grass such as kikuyu.
• Regularly collect and remove manure from stables, yards and other areas where it tends to build up. Work out ways to dispose of or use the manure, such as selling it in bags, having it removed by a waste disposal company, or having it collected to be composted by a composting company.
• Have 'stableyard rules' about pathways and areas to be used for the leading, grooming and attendance to horses. No rules (especially on busy agistment centres, riding schools or studs) leads to degradation of the whole stableyard area.

 

 
Intensively used areas on horse properties have a lot of hoof traffic on the ground and there may be problems with mud, dust and soil erosion.

 

Links

• Land Management Program advisers: www.amlrnrm.sa.gov.au/services.html
• Legislation: www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au/legislation.html or www.parliament.sa.gov.au
• Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au
• Hoofprints - A manual for Horse Property Management - J. Foyel, Primary Industries SA. Agdex 461/10
• A Legal guide for South Australian primary producers - SA Law Society, available from PIRSA offices, Natural Resource Centres (but note some legislation referred to is now superseded)
• Managing Horses on Small Properties - by Jane Myers. Landlinks Press available through CSIRO publishing or Horse SA: www.horsesa.asn.au
• Horse Sense - Landlinks Press or from Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au
• Check the websites from your State department of agriculture for additional books and fact sheets