HCW Organic Cotton Women’s T-Shirt Priced at $29.89 Take a look at this month’s featured HCW product. And don’t forget to browse our CafePress store!

	In this issue... Message from Alayne: Update New DVD and Updated Sacrifice Area Tip Sheet It’s All in Your Perspective! Tips for Safer Grazing Bat Houses Farm Focus: Cosgrove Farm Educational Events

Message from Alayne: Update

It’s only the start of June yet Matt and I are already on our fourth reining show of the year. Next weekend will be the Reining Horse Association of the Northwest’s Derby in Moses Lake, WA. The derby class is a special event for young horses, ages 4, 5 and 6 years old.

Matt and I are only showing one horse this year, partly due to a slowing of the economy and less work (i.e., less finances), but also due to the fact that both of my horses are on the injured list. I planned to retire RB from showing this year due to arthritis in a front knee. RB, a big strong horse, is one of the most physical reiners I’ve ridden. He was a blast (almost literally!) to ride and slide. You could tell he loved his job as he would give it his all when he ran. On a simple trail ride earlier this spring he managed to pull a muscle somewhere in his hip. So, now he’s on the lay-up list and he’s not being a very good patient squealing and bucking in his small paddock; he’s sick and tired of stall rest and is ready to hit the trails again.

Bob, my other seasoned reiner who accompanied me to Las Vegas, Arizona and elsewhere winning buckles, money and awards as he went, was diagnosed with chronic laminitis earlier this year. With that diagnosis, I became another of the heartsick horse owners to travel down the laminitis road. While Bob’s laminitis wasn’t caused by metabolic issues (it was more likely due to poor hoof conformation combined with hard show arena footing,) all metabolic issues come into play for him now. Where things like pasture, treats, and feed types weren’t issues before, they certainly are now. As we puzzle together a management plan and struggle to bring him back to good health, I have been forced to learn more and become even more aware of nutrition and pasture management issues in horse health, hence this month’s article in The Green Horse on safer grazing. Check it out if you have a horse with metabolic issues or if you are just watching your horse’s waistline.

In the meantime, we were lucky enough to have another talented horse to show, Matt’s young reiner, Felix. Matt was gracious enough to pass on showing for this year, concentrating instead on working the young horses we have at home and on his judging jobs. This gave me the opportunity to show his athletic, young horse, which I will do next weekend in the RHANW Derby. I feel privileged to do so as this horse has tons of ability and can easily slide 20 feet, the hallmark of a reiner. Besides that, he is sweet and quiet; a winning combination in my book. Wish me luck next weekend for when I enter the arena of that big derby class!

I hope that you, too, are you are off to a good start of enjoying summer with plenty of opportunities in store for horse’n around!

Alayne

New DVD, Updated Tip Sheet and More CafePress Products!

Here at HCW we’ve been working hard to come up with the best ways to help you have horsekeeping success. We recently worked on a few short DVD presentations and they are now becoming available for purchase. The first DVD is Manure Management on Horse Properties. Purchase it from Amazon via the link to the right.

Additionally we have recently updated the Creating and Using a Sacrifice Area for Horses Tip Sheet. Many new photos have been added and some of the information in the Tip Sheet has been rewritten and contains new ideas and resources. If you have previously purchased this Tip Sheet, please e-mail Liz for information on how to obtain your free update. If you haven’t purchased this Tip Sheet before, now is a great time to do so. Spring and summer are the ideal times to get your sacrifice area in shape before the poor weather returns in fall and winter.

We also have updated the HCW CafePress shop with great new organic cotton items and also a wonderful new 1.0 Liter Sigg water bottle!

It’s All in Your Perspective!

Sheep help out with the weed war on an eastern Washington wheat farm

by Debbie Fortner, Eastern Washington Wheat Farmer

It all started with a simple statement, “We have a cereal rye problem in the outground...”

My family has been farming wheat and grains for four generations. We have a moderate sized farm in the Palouse region of southeastern Washington, a semi-arid area of beautiful rolling hills that rise up to about 2300 feet in elevation with about 16 inches of rain per year—perfect conditions for growing wheat. But when you’re farming a grain crop, weeds are a big problem since they contaminate the end product and reduce profits.

Herder with two of the guard dogs.

Sheep in the sacrifice area for the night. Yes there really are 1400 head!

Overview of the areas grazed. Sheep are in sacrifice area in middle of photo.

Cereal rye, or just “rye” as it’s commonly known, isn’t terribly tough to control on a small scale. Traditional methods on our farm include hand roughing or maybe a spot spray with the backpack sprayer. I’ve even used the rye as an excuse to ride my horse: “There’s a rye problem out in the back corner of that field. I think I’ll ride Wally out there and pull it!”

With diligence, we’ve been successful at controlling and even coming close to eradicating the rye. But this year it’s been different. We’re farming a new, 1700 acre parcel of ground but didn’t have the luxury of being able to manage it on “our” terms. So now there was a rye problem.

“Outground” is what we call ground that isn’t farmed and is typically left in native or introduced grasses, forbs, trees and shrubs. This ground is usually STEEP. Not just a rolling hill, but a slope that can easily be 55 percent. One down which you would slide, not walk. The kind you see from the highway where the fencing looks vertical. Rye is labor intensive to deal with in outground because it’s too steep for any equipment to deliver a dose of herbicide. So you get on your best work boots and grab a backpack sprayer.

When the outground is 100 plus acres, though, there aren’t enough days in the year to spray the area by hand and your problem becomes exponential in a very short time. An aerial application of herbicide isn’t effective simply because of the steepness of the terrain, the cost and the risk of harming beneficial vegetation. Beneficial vegetation is also part of a weed eradicating strategy because desirable species can outcompete the rye and assist you in your endeavor.

But I had an idea. When my family sat down to discuss how to deal with the rye problem, I piped up, “What about sheep?” Sheep love to graze on rye, and I have a close friend who used them in a particularly tough area on her farm. They worked wonders. Sheep don’t mind steep terrain, they especially love rye in its infancy stages, and if you have enough sheep you can cover many, many acres.

I was prepared to be laughed at, even mocked, by my loving family but, to my surprise, everyone immediately jumped on the sheep bandwagon! A few calls were made to friends of friends and with a little effort and a bit of time, we had the name of a person with sheep who would bring them to our farm to graze the outground.

A few weeks before the sheep were due to arrive, their owner, Wayne, came by to look things over. He needed to know the logistics so he could put up temporary fence to keep the sheep IN where they were supposed to be, and OUT of where they were not supposed to be—the neighbor’s lovely stand of wheat planted last fall. Once Wayne got an overview, he decided to bring about 700 head of sheep to begin grazing the outground. Then he asked “What about the stubble?”

Stubble is what remains from harvesting the crop of the previous season. It is left standing after harvest through both winter and spring, gathering and storing moisture to help the crop that will be planted in the fall. We are dryland farmers and have no irrigation. Average annual rainfall in this particular area is about 16 inches for the entire year, most of which falls between the months of November and March, so we need all the moisture we can get. The problem with idle standing stubble is that unwelcome plants grow there, stealing the precious moisture we are trying to “bank.” To deal with these plants, such as cheat grass, volunteer wheat and China lettuce, we usually apply herbicide.

So, hmmmm...what about the stubble? My family and I exchanged looks of agreement: Why not let the sheep graze on the stubble as well? We told Wayne, “Yes, graze your sheep on the stubble, too.” After all, we were just going to spray the field, so the sheep might as well get the benefit of grazing the unwelcome plants (unwelcome to us, very welcome to the sheep!) So Wayne changed the original number of sheep from 700 to 1400 head.

Fourteen hundred sheep! Several thoughts raced through my head: “They’ll run out of feed.” “It’ll look like a tornado went through here.” “They’ll be in the neighbor’s wheat.” “What have we done?!”

It’s been three weeks since they all arrived. Not just the sheep, but the three guard dogs, the three herding dogs and the herder who tends the sheep 12-14 hours a day, seven days a week. Initially, the sheep were grazed in the small pasture next to the house and barn until they all arrived. It looks FABULOUS! It’s not overgrazed, nor is there any bare soil showing; it is now a tidy, manicured 40-acre pasture. Without the sheep, this pasture would by now be on the verge of being overgrown and wild with weeds, turning into a fire hazard later in the year.

The sheep have done their job well on the outground, too. It is now tidy and neat. This year will be void of the madness of thistles and cheatgrass whose seed always finds its way into my dog’s ears and between his toes. There is still rye, but it’s eaten as fast as it grows, greatly reducing the chances of it going to seed. It will take several years of repeating this exercise, but over time, we’ll get a handle on the rye. It didn’t become out of control overnight, nor will we gain control of it in one grazing season.

Sheep are peaceful creatures and low impact when managed correctly. I rode the 4-wheeler out to the edge of the grazing flock a week ago just to sit and watch them graze. Eventually I was surrounded by the mob and could hear their contented guttural feeding sounds as they walked up to me, past me, continuing their grazing. They don’t leave huge voids in the landscape, and they don’t leave much evidence that they were present. The herder who stays with the sheep is also interesting to observe. He is as quiet, and I believe as happy, as his sheep. The sheep ebb and flow in a way that almost matches the herder’s gestures and location. For their safety, each night the sheep are taken to a smaller area surrounded by electric fence. They don’t have to be driven into the pen. As their herder quietly opens the gate, they file right in. Then he quietly closes the gate behind them and they all begin bedding down for the night.

What have we learned? Fourteen hundred sheep isn’t too many, in fact it isn’t enough. The plan for next year is to expand their numbers and to be able to circle around and graze everything in several passes instead of barely keeping up with the growth.

The biggest lesson we’ve learned is that we might be able to save one spray job. Since the sheep have been grazing the stubble, the unwanted vegetation has not been able to run rampant. Most of our neighbors already sprayed their stubble a few weeks ago to preserve precious moisture, and we’re just now getting ready for our first spray of the season. Think of the potential ripple effect through the rest of the season: less spray, less money spent, less fossil fuel burnt, better soils, better crop, less impact on the entire system!

We’re very happy with the results of our low impact experiment so far. The sheep have changed our perspective and we’re thinking of a bigger picture now. There are many lessons left to be discovered, many of which only time will tell. It could take years to understand the benefits and quantify them. We’re willing to wait.

Dreams of Horse Manure “My wife and I really enjoyed and appreciated the classes that you and Rosie put on in Jefferson County, WA. Thanks very much. We are in the process of utilizing the information that you put out in the classes. I want you to know that it’s your fault that I now dream about picking up horse poop. At least I’ve finally stopped dreaming about the airport that I worked at for thirty years before I retired, so I’m thinking horse poop is a step up. Anyway, thanks again for the good work that you do.” —Ken, HCW class participant

Grasses, Pasture and Horse Health: Tips for Safer Grazing

Over the years, pasture grasses and related grazing principles have been developed for horses through the cattle and sheep industries. This means we have grass species with extremely high levels of sugars and carbohydrates. This might be good for fattening up animals bound for milk or meat production and early age slaughter, but it’s NOT GOOD for horses, athletic animals intended to live 25 or more years.

This means that the way we’ve been grazing horses and the types of pastures we’ve developed may be contributing to very serious horse health issues. In horses, “fat” is not healthy. The high sugar and non-structural carbohydrate levels in hay and grass may explain why we are now seeing so many overweight horses with metabolic disorders and insulin resistance problems.

If your horse is overweight or already has suffered a metabolic disorder (such as Cushings, laminitis, Equine Metabolic Syndrome, insulin resistance, Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy, etc.) you need to research options for reducing sugars and carbohydrates in the diet. And if your horse is in good health, you need to do your best to keep him that way. Here are some simple Do’s and Don’ts that can help to reduce the sugar and carb load in your horse’s diet.

Remember: Seek help from a veterinarian and/or and other professionals experienced in this area, especially if you have an at-risk horse. Also, keep in mind that for any changes you institute you need to give the situation time in order to evaluate its effectiveness. And, any changes in diet need to be done gradually, over a period of time, in order to give the horse’s gut time to adjust.

Do’s:

• Learn what a healthy weight is for your horse. Talk with your vet or consult a weight chart such as this one: Body Condition Score Chart. Determine where you horse’s weight is and should be, as well as how to manage the diet.
• Night grazing can be very useful. The best time to graze—gaining maximum benefit of forage without adding extra fat on your horse—is between 3:00am and 10:00am. At this time pasture plants have used up most of the accumulated sugar that built up during the day. Since there are not many of us who want to set our alarm clocks for 2:45am, what works for some people is to turn horses out as late as possible in the evening (say, 10:00pm), and bring them in the next morning before heading off to work.
• A useful alternative to night grazing is turning horses out on pasture in the early morning (say, 6:00am) and bringing them in by about 10:00am when plant production of sugar becomes high once again.
• Don’t be fooled by the late summer brown grass. Brown grasses can be very high in sugars! Pastures are healthiest for horses (lowest in sugars) during the active growing season when plants are green and not stressed (brown). Therefore, graze horses during the active growing seasons (spring and early summer) and limit grazing of dried out and brown pastures.
• Implement a rotational grazing program to help avoid overgrazing. The greatest amount of sugar in a grass plant is in the bottom 3 inches. For more help designing a rotational grazing system for your property contact your local conservation district, extension office or Horses for Clean Water.
• Shady pastures and cloudy days will cause lower carb and sugar levels in grasses. Rotating horses to shady pastures may be an option for high-risk individuals.
• Easy-keepers on pasture may need a grazing muzzle, a device that fastens on a horse’s head and only allows the horse to eat through a small hole in the muzzle. An internet Google search will give you several muzzle options, instructions on how to use them, plus tips on safety.
• When feeding hay, always weigh it. And don’t cheat! A 1 pound difference in a feeding is a big difference.
• Horses (like their humans!) need regular exercise as part of their standard care regime. Exercising a horse as little as 30 minutes per day, 3 times per week can make a big health change by improving the metabolism. Most horses with metabolic issues are not getting enough exercise.
• Treat each horse as an individual. Just like with people, the dietary needs for one horse may not be the same for another.

Don’ts:

Cut out grain and carbs in your horse’s diet and review your feeding program with your vet. Except for specifically developed low-carbohydrate products, all grain, complete feeds and concentrates add huge amounts of sugars and non-structural carbohydrates to a horse’s diet. Horses only require these in their diets when lacking in energy or weight.
• Don’t overgraze pastures. The greatest amount of sugar in a grass plant is concentrated in the bottom 3 inches. Allowing horses to overgraze pastures adds high amounts of sugars to their diets.
• Don’t graze during cool weather (under 40 degrees) and especially if it has frosted. Pasture plants store sugars and carbohydrates at very high levels during these times, making it a particularly dangerous time to graze. This is a key issue and will play the most havoc with an at-risk horse’s metabolic condition.
• Don’t graze pastures that are under stress or drought conditions (yellow, brown and dried out grass) since these are likely to be high in sugars.
• During long periods of sunny weather, eliminate or substantially reduce grazing time for at-risk individuals. Consider grazing late at night instead (see above).
• Confining horses in a stall along with reducing physical demands sets the stage for serious metabolic problems.

In summary, you may need to research this area further and seek professional help, especially if you have an at-risk individual. Talk with your veterinarian about specific feeding and grazing recommendations for your horse. This is a complex and evolving area; each horse is an individual and each situation may require a slightly different way of handling things.

Resources

Katy Watts of Rocky Mountain Research and Consulting, Inc. is one of the best resources on this topic. Katy has DVDs and other educational materials available for a reasonable price.

Northwest feed companies that have low NSC (non-structural carbohydrates) feeds and list the NSC content so you know exactly what your horse is getting in grain or pelleted rations:
LMF Feeds
Mid Valley Milling (formerly Sterett Brothers Hay)
Nutrena SafeChoice™

International Veterinary Information Service

Equi-analytical Laboratories for testing forage

Grazing muzzle information:
Bc Equine Grazing Muzzle for Horses and Ponies Muzzle for Horses
Horse won't eat when wearing grazing muzzle

Bat Houses

Where to hang them and how to attract a renter

Reprinted by permission from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s newsletter, Crossing Paths, and featuring advice from Russell Link, WDFW’s Urban Biologist.

Bats provide excellent insect control—particularly for those pesky, nocturnal flying bugs—and spring is a good time to be thinking about putting up a bat box!

A well-designed, well-constructed and properly located bat house can attract bats if they live in or pass through your Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary. I have four bat houses located on my Whidbey Island property and all have been occupied. I’ve used the recommendations provided by Bat Conservation International, which has been researching bat house designs for more than 12 years. The following will provide information about bat house location, and answers to some commonly asked questions about bat houses.

Too little sun exposure is the most important known cause of bat house failure, even in hot eastern Washington. Female bats with “pups” need a warm, draft-free house, between 80 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The idea is to create a tight microclimate inside the house, capable of trapping both the heat captured during the day and the warmth generated by the bats. To achieve this I have had to recaulk my bat houses after they’ve been outside for a few years.

To increase the temperature inside the bat house, paint the outside with multiple coats of dark exterior paint. Use black paint west of the Cascade Mountains. Use a dark or medium dark color east of the mountains in areas where the average high temperature in July is 85 to 95 degrees.

Locate your new bat house in full sun, preferably on its own post; the next-best location is on the southern side of a wood, brick or stone building and in full sun. Don’t mount the house on a tree, as it will be in too much afternoon shade. Branches and twigs also make entry difficult and tree-mounted houses are more vulnerable to predators, such as hawks and owls. Because bats tend to fly straight down when exiting a bat house, there must be a vertical clearance of at least a few feet under a bat house.

Even if you don’t have the ideal location available, it may be worth trying a house in a next-best site. I mounted a single-chamber house on the west side of my house under an eave, and there are a few “bachelor bats” in there all summer. Males don’t seem to mind the slightly less than ideal conditions I’ve provided.

To prevent a bat house from overheating in hot summer areas add a couple of vents. These should be approximately six inches tall by 1/2 inch wide and located about halfway up the bat house. Bat houses west of the mountains do not need vents. My rocket bat box (similar to the Post Bat House Plan) originally had vents, but I quickly covered them after observing wasps entering.

I want to warn you that the small, poorly made bat houses commonly sold in stores often fail to attract bats. This is mostly due to their small size. Small lightweight bat houses are great for shipping but not suitable for bats, which are used to roosting in large snags, attics and caves.

Based on years of experience with bat houses across the U.S. and Canada, Bat Conservation International recommends that bat houses be at least two feet tall and 16 or more inches wide. Taller and wider boxes are better. Rocket boxes should be at least three feet tall. A rough textured landing platform measuring three to six inches should extend below all bat houses.

One note on bat house location that I have found especially useful: One of my bat houses is located in view from our hot tub and I’ve done some of my best bat watching from there on July evenings!

Farm Focus: Cosgrove Farm

Lusitano Horses and Rescue Goats!

Enumclaw, WA
Thursday, June 18th, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
FREE!

Start out the summer with an educational farm tour on the beautiful, agricultural Enumclaw plateau. At this one-woman operation you will see a charming four-acre horse property with a beautiful Lusitano mare. The Lusitano is an older breed of horse bred by the Portuguese, descending from Iberian horses in Europe. They were originally bred for military work and bullfighting, and later for dressage. Early European explorers, including Chistopher Columbus, brought Lusitanos to the New World. Escapees from the explorers became the foundation for many of today’s American horses, including mustangs. You can learn more about Lusitanos at this tour.

You can also learn more about goats. Goats can be a low care, low cost alternative to having a second horse, which is precisely why this farm owner obtained the goats. In the process, she fell in love with their whimsical, charming ways. Meet a representative from Puget Sound Goat Rescue, an organization that adopts out tame goats and provides information on goat care.

And of course, Horses for Clean Water will be there too, along with King Conservation District. Learn about:

• Newly refurbished sand paddocks
• Compost bins located directly on paddocks for chore efficiency
• Goat manure management
• Pasture management for those with full time jobs and no tractor
• Wildlife enhancement and dealing with wet areas in pastures
• Small outdoor arena
• Goat management and care
• Lusitano horses and dressage riding

Registration and directions: 425-282-1949 or signup@kingcd.org.

Educational Events

Learn about GREEN horsekeeping techniques to make your farm life easier and more eco-friendly by coming to the following educational events. Check out the web site, www.HorsesforCleanWater.com, for new events added regularly.

Enumclaw, WA
Farm Tour: Lusitano Horses and Rescue Goats!
Thursday, June 18, 2009 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. FREE!	Meet a beautiful Lusitano mare (the foundation breed for many of today’s horses, and the original cow horse!) and her herd of goats. Goats can be a low-care, low cost alternative to having a second horse, which is exactly why this farm got the goats. In the process, the farm owner has fallen in love with their whimsical, charming ways. Join this tour to learn about goats as a companion for horses, as well as pasture management, wildlife enhancement, mud-free paddocks, an outdoor riding arena, and more! BONUS: Meet a representative from Puget Sound Goat Rescue, a goat rescue organization that adopts out tame goats and provides information on goat care. Register and receive directions from King Conservation District at 425-282-1949 or send e-mail.

Renton, WA
Farm Tour: Five Acre Sustainable Urban Farm
Wednesday, July 8, 2009 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. FREE!	In a rapidly developing area of Renton sits 5 acres of well-utilized farmland. Join the KCD to meet a family who is working to produce their own organic food in a sustainable fashion by utilizing their yard, garden, lawn and woods. Learn about sustainability and what that can mean to each of us in terms of reducing our impact on the land while saving money AND producing healthy food! This family raises goats for milk and cheese, chickens, ducks and geese for eggs and meat, vegetable gardens and fruit trees for produce, trees for firewood, bees for pollination and honey, and grass for livestock hay. Learn about ways to reduce chemical use, cost-savings on food production, low-tech gardening techniques such as chicken tractors, and how children can be an important part of the chore and animal-care routine. We promise you will be surprised at the volume and value of healthy food produced on this amazing family farm! Register and receive directions from King Conservation District at 425-282-1949 or send e-mail.

Covington, WA
New Partner!
Workshop: Build Your Own Compost Bin!
Thursday, July 23, 2009 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The Home Depot, Covington, WA FREE!	Summer is the time to get busy on building plans. And at the top of your “to do” list is manure management, right? Join HCW and the KCD, along with building experts from The Home Depot, for a tour and discussion of the materials and tools necessary for building a chore efficient compost binto suit both your needs and your horse’s. Learn about treated wood, untreated options, and power tools. Register and receive directions from King Conservation District at 425-282-1949 or send e-mail.

Maple Valley, WA
Farm Tour: The Kid-Friendly Horse Farm!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. FREE!	Often times we teach kids about riding without teaching them about what comes along with that responsibility. Other times it’s a struggle on how to scale things down to a kid’s level or what horse-safe chores to include kids on. Join the KCD and HCW on this unique tour to explore how you can incorporate children into green horsekeeping on your farm. This 1.25 acre horse property has 2 horses, a pony and 3 young children who have been taught the joys of composting, manure management, horse safety, feeding and other aspects of the horse care routine. Kids with parents are encouraged to join this tour! Register and receive directions from King Conservation District at 425-282-1949 or send e-mail.

Grandview/Arlington, WA
Farm Tour and BBQ Lunch: Shop for Horse Property or Improve an Existing Property
Saturday, September 26, 2009 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon or 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. FREE!	The historical old barn on this former dairy hosted cows, sheep and chickens. Now it’s home to beef cattle, two horses and a donkey. HCW will highlight what to look for if you’re buying a new farm, especially if you want to bring home horses. The Bryant family has put a lot of time, money and thought into revamping this farm so that it will be chore-efficient and clean for their animals. It always pays to do your homework first, saving time and money down the road! Join us for an informal barbeque lunch ($5 payable at the door, includes non-meat options) and a presentation by Alayne on Tips for Preparing Your Farm for Fall/Winter. To register and receive directions e-mail or call Pam at 425-335-5634x123.

Maple Valley, WA
New Event!
NEW!!! Horses for Clean Water Presents Horse Camp!
June to September 2009 Please contact for specifics!	Coming this summer! Join our award-winning, environmentally sensitive horsekeeping program for some good, clean horsing around. Beginning in 2009, Horses for Clean Water will offer 3 great horse camp programs. Cowgirl Horse Camp for Women These 4-day sessions offer you a chance to work cows, trail ride and relax. Bring your horse or ride one of ours. This camp offers women a chance to try new experiences with their horses in a fun, safe, and positive environment. We provide 3 meals a day, with nighttime HCW lectures or other speakers. At night, soak in a hot tub under the stars, while your horse grazes peacefully nearby. Kids’ Horsemanship Day Camp Give your children an opportunity to learn about horses, horse care, and the environment in this safe, fun program. Alayne, an environmental educator, will direct this structured, closely supervised program that gives kids a half day with horses to learn about horse care and ends with pony rides. Includes snack time and an environmental lesson. Horse Camp for Adults Come enjoy an extended stay as a working guest. Ride one of our well-trained horses and enjoy trails, camping, cows and an assortment of activities in a fun, safe and positive atmosphere. Learn about horses, horse care and horsemanship, as well as about HCW and green horsekeeping. At night, relax in a hot tub under the stars, and listen to the serenade of nearby coyotes. Room and board provided. For details on all 3 camps, e-mail Alayne or call 425-432-6116.