Brigita McKelvie, Horse Property REALTOR Eastern PA Horse Properties & Farms

Are you aware that all farms with animals in Pennsylvania are required to either have a Certified nutrient management or a manure mangement plan?

Do you know how to manage your pastures to increase forage quality and reduce weeds and toxic plants?

Do you know how to compost manure so that it is a resource that you can use in your pastures?

The Equine Environmental Stewardship short course is an exciting, 4 part educational series that provides practical hands-on experiences that will help farm owners develop the knowledge and skills necessary to adopt environmentally sound farm management practices.

Everyone who owns a horse, manages horses for others, or works with farm owners should attend this short course.

The topics that will be covered are:

- Rotating, resting and reseeding pastures

- Identifying grasses, weeds and toxic plants

- Properly fertilizing and liming soil

- Managing pasture weeds

- Properly storing and composting manure

- Constructing heavy use areas

- Complying with manure and nutrient mangement regulations

These courses are offered on:

March 7, 14, 21, 28, 2012 at the Lehigh County Ag Center in Allentown, PA

April 3, 10, 17, 24, 2012 at the Columbia County Extension Office and

April 5, 12, 19, 26, 2012 at the Wayne County Extension Office

All sessions are held from 7:00PM - 9:30PM

The cost is $45 for all 4 sessions at each location.

Preregistration is strongly suggested.

This event is sponsored by Penn State Extension Equine Team and SARE (Sustainable Ag Research and Education).

Seminar on "CaringFor The Geriatric & Aging Horse" Held In Lehigh Valley

Do you know that older horses have special nutritional and health needs? Do you have the older performance horse and want to help keep him performing as best as he can? Do you have that sweet, older “lawn ornament” but you want to do the best by him? Or are you involved with an equine rescue program and often take in under-nourished or neglected animals?

Then consider attending the Caring for the Geriatric and Aging Horseseminarwill be held Saturday, March 10, 2012, (9:00 AM-3:00 PM; registration starts at 8:30 AM) at the Best Western Conference Center in Bethlehem, PA.This seminar will present the latest information on how to meet the nutritional needs of geriatric, underweight, and metabolically challenged horses. Other topics will include adopting practices to increase comfort and manage pain in older horses; understanding diseases associated with the aging process; addressing the mental and physical needs of geriatric and/or rescued horses; and knowing when to say good-bye to your equine friend. This seminar has been developed for barn managers, non-profit or equine rescue groups that care for older and/or neglected horses, and anyone that rides or cares for older horses. Cost for the program is $45 per person which includes all talks, written materials, and lunch.

The program is being conducted by the Penn State Extension Equine Program Team as one of many educational seminars being offered across the state to those in the equine industry. According to Donna Foulk, Extension Educator in Northampton County, “We are very excited to have such incredible speakers for this day-long program.”

Starting the program (9:00-11:00 AM) will be Dr. Sarah Ralston, VMD, and Associate Professor of Animal Science at Rutgers University, who will speak on “Feeding the Geriatric and Aging Horse” and “Metabolic Disorders Associated with Aging.” Dr. Ralston is nationally-noted for her research on aging equines and has authored many publications and contributed articles to numerous equine magazines.

Rounding out the morning program (11:00 AM-noon) will be Lisa Shotzberger of the Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines who will cover topics such as “What 100 Years of Caring for Retired and Rescued Horses Can Teach Us”, “Meeting the Physical and Emotional Needs of Geriatric and Neglected Horses” and “Tips for Running a Successful Non-Profit Retirement or Rescue Operation.” The Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines is a retirement facility for aged and/or abused horses. Founded in 1888, it is the country’s oldest, non-profit organization dedicated to equine care. Located on 383 beautiful acres of rolling hills in southeastern Pennsylvania, Ryerss Farm provides a wonderful setting for horses to graze and play, living their golden years in comfort and dignity.

From 1:00-2:00 PM, Dr. Jennifer Buchholz, VMD of Blauner, Vecchione and Associates in Skippack, will cover “Keeping Older Horses Comfortable and Mobile.” She will also touch on the use of alternative medicines and use of supplements.

Completing the program (2:00 - 3:00 PM) will be Dr. Ann Swinker, PSU Equine Extension Specialist, who will talk about “Knowing When to Say Goodbye.” Although some owners never want to think about that day, it is a reality and it is important to make decisions ahead of time on what and how to proceed, especially if your horse is boarded out or otherwise cared for by others. It is important to discuss these issues with family members, stable managers, and your veterinarian.

The Penn state Extension Equine Program team is also offering several “Equine Environmental Stewardship” short courses which will be held on the following dates and locations: March 7, 14, 21, and 28 - Lehigh County Ag Center, Allentown, PA; April 3, 10, 17, and 24 – Columbia County Extension Office; April 5, 12, 19, and 26 – Wayne County Extension Office. Additional sites are also being planned. Participants in this short-course will be made aware of new and emerging information that will benefit their horses, their farms, and the environment. Participants will learn how to: reduce grazing health risks; rotate and rest pastures; identify grasses, weeds, and toxic plants; properly fertilize soil; properly store, compost, and apply manure; develop feeding programs for horses that meet but do not exceed nutritional requirements. Participants will also learn how the new manure and nutrient management regulations will impact their farm. Cost is $45 per person for all four sessions.

For any of the course content information, contact Donna Foulk at dlf5@psu.edu or at 610-746-1970. To receive program registration materials or to be added to the list serve regarding future Equine Program Team offerings, contact Norma Young at njy1@psu.edu. For these and additional course offerings, you can also visit: http://www.das.psu.edu/research-extension/equine/Penn-State-Extension-Equine-Team/penn-state-extension-equine-program-short-courses-and-workshops or http://bit.ly/tKXAks. Penn State is an equal opportunity university.

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Here it is the beginning of February and the Ground Hog predicted another 6 weeks of winter. You are itching for spring so that you can begin riding your horse again.

While waiting for spring, this would be a great time to go through all of your horse stuff and tack that you have collected and sort through it. Take inventory and see what you have too many of and what items you actually do need for your horse or you.

After doing so, you see that there are items that you don't ever use and should sell. But where?

At the annual Tack Swap in Northampton County 4 H Center on Saturday, April 14, 2012, from 11AM until 2PM.

Now is a great time to register for a table or space. The cost is $15 for a table in the blue building and $12 for a table in the pole barn, on a first come first serve basis. After these spaces are filled, there will be outdoor spaces available for $10.

So use this time to take inventory of your horse stuff and tack. Reserve your space now to sell off any unused or extra horse items you may have.

For more information call 610-837-7294

Here are some great short courses offered in the Lehigh Valley, PA, for horse owners and anyone involved with horses. Anyone that wants to learn more equine information can register.

Horse Owners Listen Up-Things are Changing:
Equine Environmental Stewardship
March 7, 14, 21, and 28 - Lehigh County Ag Center, Allentown, PA

All sessions are evenings, 7:00PM - 9:30PM
Cost: $45 for all four sessions at each location

• Are you aware that all farms with animals in PA are required to have either a certified nutrient management or a manure management plan?
• Do you know how pastures can benefit your horses and how and when grazing may put some horses at risk?
• Do you know how to manage your pastures to increase forage quality and reduce weeds and toxic plants?
• Do you know how to compost manure so that it is a resource that you can use in your pastures?
• Do you know how to feed your horses to supply the proper levels of nutrients in their diet?

The Equine Environmental Stewardship short course is an exciting, four-part educational series that provides practical hands-on experiences that will help farm owners develop the knowledge and skills necessary to adopt environmentally sound farm management practices. Equine research is providing new information that is generating many changes in recommendations in the management practices that have been in place for many years.

Participants in this short course will be made aware of new and emerging information that will benefit their horses, their farms, and the environment. Participants will learn about forage biology, how to reduce grazing health risks, how to rotate and rest pastures to increase plant growth, how to identify grasses, weeds, and toxic plants, how to properly fertilize soil, how manure and nutrient management regulations will impact their farm, how to properly store, compost, and apply manure, and how to develop a feeding program for horses that meet but do not exceed nutritional requirements.

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Horse Owners Listen Up-Things are Changing:
Caring for the Geriatric and Aging Horse
March 10, 2012
9:00AM - 3:30PM
Best Western Conference Center, 300 Gateway Drive, Bethlehem, PA 18017-9076
Cost: $45

This short course provides the latest information on managing the health and well-being of geriatric and older performance horses. Owners of older horses usually have cared for them for a long time and have developed a special bond with their animals. Research in the field of geriatric medicine has increased due to the interest of equine caretakers in enhancing the comfort, mobility and health of older horses.

This short course will present the latest information on how to meet the nutritional needs of geriatric, underweight, and metabolically challenged horses. Other topics include: dealing with equine metabolic diseases, adopting practices to increase comfort and manage pain in older horses, understanding diseases associated with the aging process, developing appropriate vaccination, dentistry and deworming programs, and addressing the mental and physical needs of geriatric and/or rescued horses.

This short course has been developed for barn managers, non-profit groups that care for older and/or neglected horses, and anyone that rides or cares for older horses.

Registration information, etc.:

http://bit.ly/sYkCDn

or contact

Donna Foulk

dfs5@psu.edu or 610-746-1970

In October, 2011, the 4H State Horse Show took place in Harrisburg, PA at the Farm Show Complex. All the 4H members that qualified at the Regional Level exhibited their horses here. Several members from Northampton County qualified.

The members that participated had a great time at the competition. It was an honor just to get up to that level.

Congratulations to all that had made it to the 4H State Horse Show and braved the weather!