Conservation for Horse Farms

Thanks to a grant from the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) we were able to produce a video series (left) highlighting best management practices on horse farms in our district. If you are interesting in funding and technical assistance opportunities for your farm, please contact our office. Be sure to check out our resource library for a great selection of horse related publications.

In 2018, TJSWCD was awarded a generous grant from a local anonymous donor to help our equine community and reduce pollution levels in streams and rivers within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The funding supports the development and distribution of outreach and educational resources, technical assistance, and financial incentives to landowners who wish to address water quality concerns related to the management challenges of small-acreage horse farms in our District.

The District approved 17 applications for a total of 34 best management practices across all four counties. All projects for this program were vetted through an extensive ranking system to ensure cost share funds were allocated to the conservation practices that will be most cost-effective, will provide future educational opportunities, and will be managed and maintained adequately. Projects that were approved for funding began construction in August 2019 and were fully completed in May 2021. Completed projects included manure compost facilities (10), water systems (4), gutters & outlet protection (5), hardened use areas (5), critical area planting (2), stream exclusion fencing (2), animal lane ways (2), a rain garden (1), division fencing (1) and hillside stabilization (1). Click the video above to take a tour of one the projects and to learn more about District services.

The application window for this program in now closed; however, if you are interested in conservation practices on your horse farm, please email agriculture@tjswcd.org to inquire about other funding opportunities that may be available.

Eligible conservation practices include:

• Rotational grazing systems
• Stream exclusion fencing
• Stream crossings
• Alternative water systems
• Vegetative buffers
• Tree plantings
• Manure Compost Facilities
• Hardened Use Areas

If you are interested in donating to our equine conservation program, please contact us.

Educational materials for this program are made possible in part by a grant from Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund (CBRF). CBRF provides financial assistance to many Bay-related educational programs and restoration activities through the sale of the special Chesapeake Bay license plate “Friend of the Chesapeake.”

Additional Technical Resources
Virginia Cooperative Extension Publications:
VCE: Common Plants Toxic to Horses
VCE: Horse Manure Management
VCE: Maintaining Healthy Horse Pastures
VCE: VA Horse Pastures Grazing Management