Nordo
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Location: Cooroibah, Queensland

Chemicals in Horse Manure

I recently collected a trailer load of horse manure in urine soaked sawdust which I plan to compost for a couple of months before digging it into my vege patch. The horse manure came from stables for show horses.

I've been chatting in the Organic Gardening forum, and the issue of the residual affect of the chemicals given to the horses was raised. In particular the worming medicine they are given, and the devastating effect this could have on the earth worms in your garden.

Does anyone know if the chemicals typically given to horses would still be a danger to your gardening (or your family :? ) after you have composted for a couple of months or so?

top_dollar_bread
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Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 5:34 pm
Location: Inland Empire,CA

Here's a link I found on the study of chemicals in horse pooh and if there toxic or a risk to humans.
https://www.bayequest.info/pdf/manure.pdf
and few more
https://www.californiastatehorsemen.com/enviro/ENVIRO-poop.htm
https://www.californiastatehorsemen.com/enviro/index.htm
I also PM'd U with another link :)

Nordo
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Posts: 25
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 4:27 am
Location: Cooroibah, Queensland

Thanks very much.

Great links and good information. :)

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gixxerific
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Location: Wentzville, MO (Just West oF St. Louis) Zone 5B

I'll be adding a truckload or 2 of horse pooh to my garden this winter. I will deal with possible additives rather than get store bought manure in bags. That would NOT be cost effective at all, plus who knows what is in them.

We also have a city wide compost site I might try.

But I think I will let it sit in a pile over the winter before tilling it in. Probably put a tarp over it as well. Not quite sure what the best avenue is yet.

Dono

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stella1751
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Location: Wyoming

Gixxerific, my dad, a farmer, always said horse manure was the most acidic of the herbivore manures, well, right up there with pig, and as such could burn plant roots. He recommended just what you plan to do: over-winter it before using.

I've had wonderful luck with our municipal compost site. They offer what they call a "pound for pound" program. For every pound of organic waste you bring them, they will let you take away a pound. Last year, I cut down a dying tree. My cousin took it to the compost site. The weigh in was two tons. (It was a big old cottonwood.) Whenever I have time, I run up there and fill my car with trash bags full of what they call "compost," which is essentially organic material mixed with soil. I let the bags sit over the winter. By the time spring arrived, it was really decent enriched soil!

The bad news is that you only have one year to make the exchange. I'm getting close to the expiration on the remaining one ton :cry:

rot
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Location: Ventura County, CA, Sunset 23

..
I'd rather hazard some composted horse manure than some of that municipal stuff.

I get some donations from the neighbors. Some of them bring over their curbside pick up and you wouldn't believe what gets tossed into some of those yard waste bins. I have to pick out the plastic trash, the motor oil bottles, the dog sheet and the stuff that makes me itch the most, the painted treated wood.

God knows what herbicides and root killer and chemicals get tossed into the municipal yard waste stream. I've seen the undigested white picket fence debris in the mulch spread around the office.

Horses are picky eaters. At least that's what the French tell me and why they tell me horse meat is so good. At least if you're composting horse manure you're dealing with stuff that won't kill a horse.

two cents
..

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Those are great linkis t_d_b. :D
FWIW, I also listed some possible chemicals present in horse manure based on my limited experience with horses in this thread:
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17261



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