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msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] Feeding SAR horses certified weed free

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  • From: "Chuck Daniel" <iwhound@voyager.net>
  • To: "Mounted search and rescue" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Feeding SAR horses certified weed free
  • Date: Fri, 6 Jan 2006 10:07:56 -0500


Subject: Re: [MSAR] Feeding SAR horses certified weed free


Irv is right about the problem with weeds, or non native plants, spreading
through animal droppings, although since I am a "horse person" I prefer to
blame birds for spreading the "bad seeds". ;-)

Your are actually right, a study that I can't seem to find now indicated that hikers, birds and fur bearing animal lead on passing seeds into the environment. One other study from envirohorse@yahoo.com entitled Horse Trails and Other Environmental Issues by Adda Quinn notes that there is little research on the complex mechanism of weed seed dispersal by horses.

The article summary stated:


"The impact of the horse on trails offers very little risk to the environment. The risk of horses eliminating and impacting groundwater or surface water is very small. Best management practices are available for stream crossings. Horses may be the user class of least impact to wildlife. The role of the horse as a disperser of weed seed is not known. Most food passes through the horse gut within 48 hours. While seeds can survive gut passage, they face formidable odds of survival. Two studies of horse impacts on trails were reviewed."

Chuck







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