Composting, the process where organic matter is degraded by micro-organisms to produce a dark, earthy-smelling substance, soil, is an excellent option to dealing with manure management in the horse industry.

Contrary to popular belief that horse manure is not ideal for composting, horse manure compost can be an excellent source of nutrients for your gardens, pastures, and hay fields if managed properly.

While many small-scale operations would never have thought they could compost the waste generated on their farms, many are surprised that they actually can. One consultation we did, a lady with 2 acres was considered installing a system for her 3 horse operation but doubted she could handle the volume produced. Later that spring she called us to ask if we knew of any one with extra compost because she ran out when she was spreading on her field.

Horse manure compost has many other uses including in gardens, mixed with potting soil, mulching around trees and shrubs and mulching lawns. Horse manure compost is an excellent soil amendment as it not only provides a natural source of nitrogen for plants, it also has other benefits including:

Improving soil structure
Improving drainage
Improving soil moisture retention during hot, dry months
Increasing earth worm populations
Increasing soil aeration
Reducing soil compaction
Increasing available macro and micro nutrients