Fun Facts About Horse Manure

If you own horses, then you own horse manure. Some people find it distasteful or odd to be interested in horse manure and compost. However, there are dozens of benefits for horse owners to take an interest in horse manure, one of them being it indicates the health of your horses. A healthy pile of horse manure is an indication that everything is well with your horse’s digestive system. 

Here are some amazing facts about horse manure that could help you in the future.

Quantity and Weight

A horse can poop about eight piles in one day of manure or 50lbs in a day. This means that horses create nine tons of manure in a year. This is why pasture and stall cleaning is important for your horse’s health. If the manure is not cleaned regularly, it can create a perfect environment for producing ammonia fumes in stables which is unhealthy for horses.

This can also create a place for the growth of bacteria, molds, and parasites to grow. If you notice too much water in horse manure, it is an indication of health problems. Also, if a horse is making zero manure, it means there is impaction in the gut, which is bad news. 

Ingredients

Another fact about horse manure is that it contains grain fibers and grass, shed cells, fats, minerals, sand, and water depending on the type of soil the grass or hay was growing in. about ¾ of manure weight comes from water. Horse poop may also contain weed seeds and undigested grain, which is why you need to compost it before horse manure for the garden as it can sprout.

Manure Names

Horse manure has a lot of names. Sometimes it is called horse pucky, road apples, horse buns, horse hooey, horse apples, and horse chips. 

Horse Manure in Your Garden

Horse manure should be at least six months ls for use in the garden. Manure tea, when made with fresh horse poop, can be used to feed flower gardens and vegetables and even build a lasagna garden. Horse manure compost does not kill plants, so you are safe to work with it. 

Horse Poop Is Not Disease Spreader

Horse manure does not spread diseases to people or any other bacterial problems as it is killed in sunlight. Dog and human waste are more likely to spread disease and parasites. 

Color

Horse manure tends to change consistency and color depending on the diet of your horse. When a horse eats a grass diet or rich green hay, the manure will have a bright green color. If a horse eats pale hay, the manure will have pale color too and similar to brown hay when fresh. The weather ultimately bleaches it all to brown color, and sun and rain break it down into the soil.

Horse Poop Stinks

Horse manure does not stink like dog or cat feces. Many people do not find the smell offensive. Foul-smelling manure can be because of many reasons- change in diet too frequently, too much protein or fat in the diet, ulcers, C Diff or Salmonella, and internal parasites.

 Fuel

Dried horse manure makes great fuel. You can use it as your heating fuel. The horse manure bricks have more heating value than seasoned hardwood. Also, the ash makes a great soil additive. 

Now that you know all the cool and beneficial facts about horse manure, it does not sound that odd. Right? Do not forget to leave a comment below if you like this article.