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."