Putting the Plan Before the Horse
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Plan it out: before you get a horse, you need to make sure you and your property are equipped to handle one.
Camano Islander Patricia Rhinevault knew she wanted horses.
Growing up on a farm, she always had a passion for them. But the 5-acre property she and her husband purchased left much to be desired. And with plenty of work left to do until they had the new barn, paddocks, and pasture they envisioned, their work was cut out for them.
Instead of starting projects on their own, they reached out to us first. We’re here to equip livestock owners with needed tools and resources. We also help prepare those looking to dive into the farming and livestock-owning communities.
The Rhinevault pasture.
Our farm planner Michael Hipp connected with the Rhinevaults and helped them start from the ground up, literally! He conducted a soil test to reveal what was needed to grow healthy pasture grasses and used LiDAR maps to reveal which areas to avoid building structures upon or near due to soil saturation.
“Getting ideas from him was really great for us, and knowing we had support was so nice,” Patricia said.
The couple also attended our workshops to gather as much information as they could about pastures, emergency preparedness, and horse health issues that can be addressed through pasture and mud management.
This has been a project five years in the making, but for the Rhinevaults, it’s finally paying off.
“I just want a horse,” Patricia said with a smile. “This has been a very long time coming.”
It’s a privilege to be a part of new beginnings, and we’re fortunate to have stories like the Rhinevault’s to share with others starting out. If you need technical assistance with your property, horses, and other livestock, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team!
This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement PC-01J18001 to the Washington State Department of Health. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.
