KEEPING YOUR HORSE PASTURE GREEN
(Basics of Grazing Management for Horses)
Dr. Stephen Herbert - February 17, March 14, March 24
Well managed pastures can furnish horses with high-quality, nutritious feed at a relatively low cost. Proper grazing management is necessary to take advantage of pasture's potential. Development of a grazing plan requires an understanding of the growth requirements of forage species that can provide good grazing for horses in Massachusetts . Dr. Stephen Herbert will help the participants through the basics of systems of pasture management, and how to maintain pasture quality. Forage species for horse pastures, forage establishment, and renovating old pastures will be covered.
MANURE AND MUD MATTERS FOR HORSE OWNERS
(Best Management Practices for Horse Operations)
Dr. Masoud Hashemi - February 17, March 24, March 28
Keeping horses in small suburban communities may threaten the quality of water in our wells, ponds, or lakes. Dr. Hashemi will first discuss managing nutrients and manure on horse farms. Methods of handling manure (composting) and the application of the correct amount of manure to the pastures will be reviewed. Also, simple practical and economical techniques that significantly reduce environmental impact from nonpoint source pollution related to a horse operation will be discussed.
WILL THIS PLANT HURT MY HORSE?
(Managing Weeds and Poisonous Plants in Horse Pastures)
Mr. Randall Prostak and Dr. Stephen Herbert - February 17, March 14, March 24
Many weeds in pastures are actually quite palatable and nutritious if the pasture is maintained in a vegetative state and not allowed to become too mature. Learn about weed management by mechanical techniques or by spot spraying with the appropriate herbicide. Horses usually avoid eating poisonous plants as long as quality hay or pasture is available. However, faced with no pasture or hay, a horse might decide to sample one of the poisonous weeds still left standing in the field. An understanding of the factors influencing horse poisoning and poisonous nature of plants will be presented.
RIDING IN STYLE
( Opportunities to Enhance your Equine Operation)
Pat Barry and Carrie Chickering-Sears - March 3, March 28, April 7
Explore Therapeutic Riding to see if it might be the right fit for your facility. We will also discuss the MA 4-H Program for opportunities to attract students into your program. Pat Barry is the Executive Director of the Pioneer Valley Therapeutic Riding Association and NARHA Registered Instructor & MA Licensed Riding Instructor, and Carrie Chickering-Sears is an Extension Educator and Director of Community Education in Animal Agriculture at UMass Amherst.
HAY, NO MOLD OR DUST PLEASE!
(Understanding Hay Quality for Horses)
Dr. Stephen Herbert - March 3, April 4, April 7
Hay is an important and the most common used feed for horses. Feeding hay of unknown or low quality may adversely affect your horse's nutrition, and will cost more that necessary. Learn about hay quality and how to determine it. This will be in-part a hands-on workshop examining several hay samples of varying quality.
DOES YOUR HORSE NEED CANDY FEED?
(Health Issues and Nutritional Management for Horses)
Dr. Michael Katz - March 3, April 4, April 7
Horses must have a balanced diet, which includes all the essential nutrients in the correct proportions to total amount fed. The basic feeding management practices are based on the structure of the horse's digestive tract and the activity of the horse. Dr. Katz will discuss the nutrient requirement for mature horses and help the participants with an understanding of the digestive process of feed by horses. Implications of feed management will be related to horse health issues.
For more information contact: Carrie Sears at ccsears@umext.umass.edu or 413-549-3257
Locations
Berkshire - Claire Teague Senior Ctr
909 Main Street , Great Barrington
From Mass Pike - take exit 2, go 4.6 miles on Rt. 102 west- turn left onto Rt 7 south, go through center of Great Barrington to Rt. 909, pass by Big Y Supermarket on the right, the Center is 1/2 mile on the left.
Eastern Mass. Dean College
99 Main St . Franklin
From I-495 take Exit 17 to Rt. 140 South toward Franklin . At 4th set of traffic lights (Edwin's Gifts on left) turn left onto Beaver St . At 2nd light turn right onto Main St (Town Common to your right ). Follow Main Street to the College. Take left onto School Street . Follow to end to Jones Parking lot (on right).
From Mass. Turnpike (I-90) take Exit 11A to I-495 S. Take exit 17 from I-495 South to Franklin and follow above directions.
Smith Vocational High School
80 Locust St , Northampton
From I-91 N take Exit 19 (Rt. 9) toward Northampton Center . Follow Rt. 9 toward Cooley Dickenson Hospital . Go in first driveway after hospital between stone pillars and park in front of school.
Registration (print, then fill in this form and mail to the address below)
Berkshire - Claire Teague Center , Great Barrrington
Feb. 17
Keeping Pastures Green (9:30am)
Manure and Mud Matters (11:00am)
Will this Plant Hurt My Horse? (1:20pm)
Each talk $25; Whole Day $60 if paid by Feb. 9 or $70 ____
Mar.3
Hay, No Mold or Dust Please! (9:30am)
Riding in Style (11:00am)
Does Your Horse Need Candy? (1:20pm)
Each talk $25; Whole Day $60 if paid by Feb. 9 or $70 ____
Eastern Mass. - Dean College , Franklin
Mar. 24
Keeping Pastures Green (9:30am)
Manure and Mud Matters (11:00am)
Will this Plant Hurt My Horse? (1:20pm)
Each talk $25; Whole Day $60 if paid by Feb. 9 or $70 ____
Apr. 7
Hay, No Mold or Dust Please! (9:30am)
Riding in Style (11:00am)
Does Your Horse Need Candy? (1:20pm)
Each talk $25; Whole Day $60 if paid by Feb. 9 or $70 ____
Conn. Valley - Smith Vocational High School
Mar.14
Keeping Pastures Green (6:00pm)
Will this Plant Hurt My Horse? (7:15pm)
Each talk $25; Whole Evening $40 if paid by Feb. 9 or $45 ____
Mar.28
Manure and Mud Matters (6:00pm)
Riding in Style (7:15pm)
Each talk $25; Whole Evening $40 if paid by Feb. 9 or $45 ____
Apr. 4
Hay, No Mold or Dust Please! (6:00pm)
Does Your Horse Need Candy? (7:15pm)
Each talk $25; Whole Evening $40 if paid by Feb. 9 or $45 ____
TOTAL ENCLOSED ______
Mail to: UMASS CDLE Program, Bowditch Hall,
UMass, Amherst , MA 01003-9294