On Track to Healthy Pastures
/Sarah Vecchi picks up manure in the track paddock. The composted manure will later be spread in the pasture during the growing season as a soil amendment.
Many Snohomish County and Camano Island residents have horses, but not all are aware of the effects these equine companions can have on our environment. Horses can overgraze their pastures and compact the soils, and if manure isn't managed properly it can contribute to water pollution.
Luckily, Snohomish Conservation District’s Sound Horsekeeping program is available to support horse owners that seek to maximize their horses’ wellbeing while minimizing their environmental impact.
The District has served horse owners for more than 20 years. In 2023, we received over 38 assistance requests from current and prospective horse owners. These requests sought answers and advice in a number of areas related to horsekeeping, including fencing, mud management, habitat improvements, drainage, manure composting, and pasture health. Many of these horse owners were committed to safeguarding the health and well-being of their animals, land, and the surrounding area. With goals like that, we were excited to help.
Two of the many environmentally-minded horse keepers we worked with were Sarah and Jeremy Vecchi. Sarah and Jeremy own a five-acre property in Monroe where they keep and board horses. They embarked on a comprehensive journey that began with site visits and guidance from District farm planners on what best management practices would help them meet their goals while protecting the natural resources on their property.
After weighing their options, the couple decided to pursue a track paddock and pasture rotation system. The track paddock limits horses to carefully partitioned paths—or tracks—around the edge of their pastures. It can be used year round, even during the winter when horses need to be kept off of pastures in order to prevent overgrazing and compaction. The track paddock gives horses the opportunity to move and explore their environment throughout all seasons.
“We were surprised by just how much exercise the horses truly get with the track and how some of the inseparable best buddies end up on opposite sides of the property, doing their own thing,” reported Sarah.
During the growing season, Sarah and Jeremy’s pasture rotation system allows them to move horses through the different pastures, giving the grass in each pasture time to regrow between grazings. Sarah and Jeremy monitor soil saturation and grass heights to help them determine when to graze a pasture and when to remove the horses.
With the track paddock and pasture rotation system in place, Sarah and Jeremy’s pastures and horses have flourished. Together, these practices help keep horses happy while protecting soil and water quality.
Planning and implementing projects like this can happen over months or years, especially as farms evolve over time. Regardless of the scale, our farm planners are available to partner with horse owners to enhance the wellbeing of their animals, natural resources, and property.
Photos courtesy of Sarah Vecchi.
A wide track paddock corner allows for safe passage around the system when multiple horses are turned out at the same time.
Horses take a break in the track paddock.
