How Horses and Humans Can Impact the Environment

Despite profit-driven misinformation, wild horses and burros are good for the environment – and their capture by BLM is doing real harm to the ongoing climate crisis that impacts us all. These are simple but powerful actions we can all make to make a difference for the planet…whether you own a horse or not.

When it comes to the environment and wild horses, you will encounter misinformation spread by self-interest groups – organizations and corporations who benefit from eradicating horses, wolves, or any wildlife interfering with their profit-making machine.

Seventy-two grizzly bears near Yellowstone in Wyoming are to be euthanized by the Federal government. Why? Because of ranchers and their need for more grazing for cattle. Grizzlies are predators and part of an ecosystem that keeps other wildlife in check.

Those in charge will tell you that the ecosystem only needs two grizzlies rather than four because it supports their priorities – profit and money for those who comply.

More misinformation being spread is that wild horses and burros not only overgraze and destroy public lands, but also suffer from a lack of forage and water. Continuing droughts may become a problem for many, but removing the wild horses only exacerbates the problem.

Wild horses and burros protect the environment and aid the ecosystem, as proven by those who have dedicated their lives to saving the environment and all who inhabit it. How exactly do they protect it though?

HOW WILD HORSES AND BURROS PROTECT & IMPACT THE ENVIRONMENT

 Craig Downer

• They improve and build healthy soils through their droppings, even more so than ruminants (such as cattle and sheep).

• They spread intact seeds of many plants along with native species that equids have coevolved over thousands of years.

• Horses and burros sniff out water sources in drier ecosystems and dig them out with their hooves which are soliped (single) making water available to plants and other animals. That one fact, proven by Dr. Erick Lundren, is crucial in areas of desert or drier environments, helping the biodiversity and resilience of the ecosystem.

• Horses and burros contribute to building healthy soils, and by doing so, help augment regional aquifers or watersheds. Watersheds are defined areas or ridges of land that separate rivers or other bodies of water.

• Horse and burro droppings are less degraded than cows and sheep (ruminants), thus making them better carbon sequesters, meaning the manure they produce is less degraded and captures and stores atmospheric carbon dioxide. Craig Downer has published a study supporting this data.

• The large bodies and hard hooves of horses and burros can open up thickets and dense foliage, allowing access to water and forage by smaller and weaker animals.

• The naturally living horses and burros are excellent at mitigating and preventing wildfires, due to their teeth and digestive systems being able to handle coarser, drier vegetations that are highly flammable.

• The moisture in healthy soils prevents wildfires due to sparks or lightening.

• By fertilizing shelter trees, and knocking off lower branches, they also help prevent wildfires. Many areas have experienced wildfires after the removal of wild horses, offering further proof of their contribution to preventing such catastrophes. 

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“Wild horses and burros generally uplift the intrinsic value and beauty of the landscape and are natural healers of ecosystems throughout the world.”

Their removal adds to the continuing climate change crisis while the wild horses and burros endure inhumane treatment through round-ups and the loss of freedom.

However, wild horses are not the only ones who suffer due to their removal from public lands. Climate change and current weather conditions are affecting all horses, including domestics.

The monstrous heat wave ascending upon many parts of the world is causing health issues and even death. Bradley, a carriage horse in New Orlean’s dropped dead while in the middle of a funeral procession. More than one media source has reported the cause of death is believed to be the heat. Bradley’s owner was contacted for verification as to cause of his death with no response received.

Bradley’s death raises the question: are equine deaths happening due to the current weather crisis? I contacted various veterinarians and veterinary medical associations by email and telephone requesting data regarding the deaths of horses due to heat. A local equine veterinarian responded with “that’s a good question” and offered a referral.

Is it possible that a large portion of the equine medical community is unprepared for the climate crisis?  

Horse owners are seeing a shortage of hay due to droughts and floods. In areas of drought ranchers are selling cattle rapidly due to increased prices, lack of hay, and water. Those areas experiencing above-average rainfall and floods are unable to harvest. Either way, it creates a deficit of forage on which many horse owners may depend.

A recent article published by an agricultural organization in Texas warned of what might occur this winter; stating it could become brutal due to hay shortages.

As someone who buys hay regularly, I have seen hay prices in my area almost double for some types and others up at least 30 percent. In 2022 a local business providing hay last year has none to sell due to out-of-state buyers purchasing an entire cut right out of the field.

Many can no longer afford to maintain the horses in their care, as feed sources have also suffered from the weather, along with other circumstances creating a surge in prices. 

Factoring in the absence of water sources in some areas…it paints an ugly picture.

Removal of wild horses from public lands is obviously not the sole reason for the current weather crisis. But they are a piece of an ecosystem that is in crisis. Every piece counts.

Recall the early days of the Covid pandemic, when most Americans ceased to travel. With socialization curbed, remember how Mother Earth reacted? Carbon emissions were the lowest in decades, smog over significant cities lifted, and the animal kingdom emerged in areas of the world that had become quiet, the air breathable once more. Some species previously thought extinct made entrance, and certain zoo animals gave birth for the first time in years.

America the beautiful and all its inhabitants are suffering repercussions of human-induced climate change and actions. Droughts, record heat, massive storms, rising sea levels. Who is responsible?

We all are.

If you drive a car, if you frequent the drive-throughs at fast food restaurants, if you buy groceries produced by factory farms, if you drink through a plastic straw…it may seem inconsequential, but that Big Mac or those chicken tenders come with consequences. Habits have evolved, and plastic has become the norm.

Unfortunately, habits are easy to create but hard to break, especially when money supports them.

Corporations and their lobbyists have a chokehold on our government, making millions of dollars in campaign contributions to elected officials who governing to keep laws in place that favor their agendas.

At such a critical time in our history, you would think that each and every one of us would recognize and demand change. Yet it seems no matter the consequences, it is easier to turn a blind eye and place blame where it interferes with the profit-making machine.

As domestic horse owners, our care choices can make a difference in how we maintain our horses and the property they inhabit. How can you and I change our ways for a better tomorrow?

TEN THINGS HORSE OWNERS CAN DO TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT

1. Rotational grazing, especially on a small property, can lessen the stress on your pastures and paddocks. They all need time to breathe.

2. Manure can be utilized in many ways – as fertilizer for farming, power resources, or selling for a little extra cash in your pocket. By making use of this abundant resource, you are lessening the stress on the environment.

3. Don’t waste water. Have you ever noticed how animals prefer collected rain to water pumped by wells? By adding gutters and rain barrels to catch the water shed from roofs, you are both saving water and preventing water runoff from relocating your soil. Also, check those faucets and automatic waterers for leaks. Thousands of drops add up to gallons wasted.

4. Reduce plastic use. Plastic is a huge issue. For common items like fly spray, shampoo, or packaging, try making your own, use a reusable container, and/or buy in bulk. Recycle plastic bottles and plastic grocery bags no longer needed.

5. Opt for paper or reusable. If possible, select feed sold in paper instead of woven plastic bags. Remember “Croker bags”, or cloth bags that held flour? There was a time clothes were made from pretty printed cloth bags that once held foodstuffs.

6. Let them graze! The less feed you buy, the less stress on the planet. Remember that horses are meant to graze, not eat out of a bucket. It is amazing how sometimes we are more concerned with what comes in a bag than a bale.

7. Try biological pest control instead of a toxic chemical. Have you ever heard of beneficial nematodes? Not only is it good for the environment, but it also works! Nature rules.

8. Plant certain herbs or seeds to attract beneficial insects or deter the ones you would rather not have present. For instance, many insects – including flies and fleas – do not like peppermint plants. Also, many herbs are beneficial to horses! (Do your research.)

9. Consider a holistic way of caring for your horse. The less toxic chemicals used either topically or ingested will benefit the horse and the environment.

10. Buy in bulk, and plan your shopping. The fewer trips that are needed, the less fuel that’s burned and fewer carbon emissions produced.

Horse owner or not, simple changes in habit or routine can benefit all, make Mother Nature happy, and contribute to a better tomorrow.

TEN CHANGES WE CAN ALL MAKE FOR POSITIVE CHANGE

1. Do away with plastic bags, both grocery and garbage sacks, when possible. Replace plastic grocery bags with reusable containers or ask for paper bags if you forget your dedicated shopping bag. There was a time when garbage cans were the only way to dispose of your unusable or waste. Let’s go back to that.

2. Choose paper cups and straws; avoid plastic or styrofoam drink cups and plastic straws or stirrers. Ask your local convenience store manager to send a message or contact corporate and request them to replace with environmentally safe products.

3. Organize your shopping and your time to make fewer trips by vehicle. The less fuel used, the less money you spend and the less damage to the environment.

4. Buy local. When shopping, think about what you are purchasing, where it comes from, and how it is produced. Shopping local means supporting your community and its economy. The less factory farming in meat or produce, the less damage is done to the environment and the less inhumane practices to farm animals.

5. Eat less meat. Science has proven that eating an overabundance of meat causes health problems. Factory farming and inhumane practices contribute damage to the environment, humans, and the animals themselves. Corporate profits are the priority – not the well-being or health of humans, the animal, or their environment.

6. Explore plant-based options. Explore the world of vegetarian products! You don’t have to give up all meat or dairy; educate yourself about the whys and hows and the results.  Giving up meat and dairy one or two days a week could make a huge difference.

7. Wash your clothes with laundry sheets. They are sold in cardboard containers and lessen the need for plastic containers. Easy to store and use, they are also economical.

8. Wash full loads of laundry and dishes instead of small loads. Modern appliances are designed to use water and energy efficiently, and taking advantage of the maximum capacity means less water and less energy used.

9. Consider going solar – not just for saving money monthly, but for being less dependent on electric companies. The initial cost can be prohibitive, but there are grants and tax credits that may help offset the cost. Contact your local representatives and ask them to support federal and state incentives in exchange for a safer environment.

10. Vote for those who stand up and demand change regardless of political party. Check out your state representatives to see who is receiving record campaign donations from oil companies, pharmaceuticals, and major corporations – and then vote them out. They are not working for you, they are working for businesses whose only concern is profit, not the world you inhabit.

The climate change crisis is universal and brutal. Inhabitants of the world – plants and animals alike – are dying from heat, whether it’s starvation or being washed away by floods due to weather-related issues. If we do not stand up together and demand change now, many species will become extinct.

Including ourselves.