Healthy horse standing in pasture with environmental water conservation symbols, promoting sustainable horse keeping practices.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Barn Edition
Upcycled #10 cans used to hang horse bridles in a tack room. The interior of the can is used to store small items like bell boots.
  • #10 cans used for tack storage
  • • Photo by Jane Byam

There’s no question that owning a horse requires buying a lot of stuff. But in a world where the excessive manufacture and consumption of goods is contributing significantly to climate change, it’s important to look for ways to improve our habits. As we work on making our horse properties and horse keeping practices more friendly for the environment around us, we can also look for ways to reduce our dependence on manufactured goods by repurposing and recycling the products we use every day in the barn.

Feed Sacks

Thanks to their durability and water-resistant surfaces, feed sacks can be repurposed in a variety of creative ways. For example, they can be turned into gardening aprons, reusable shopping bags, or a tablecloth for your next picnic. You could even stitch several of them together to make a new tarp for your hay.

Horseshoes

Because horseshoes are made out of steel, you can recycle old shoes at the scrap yard—and possibly get some money back to help pad your horse fund. If your farrier has a forge, he or she may also be able to reuse your old horseshoes. Or, if you are creative, you can turn horseshoes into boot racks, bridle hooks, or attractive home décor.

Tack room doormat made out of crocheted baling twine, and an old credenza and refrigerator drawers used for storage in the tack room.
Left: A well-used door mat made out of repurposed baling twine. Right: Not only is the credenza in this tack room second-hand, but the dark drawers above it were repurposed from an old refrigerator that no longer worked. • Photos by Jane Byam

Twine

Hay strings or baling twine can be handy for a quick fix around the barn, but they can also be dangerous for wildlife. Ospreys are especially fond of using baling twine to line their nests, but they can become entangled. Carefully collecting your twine in a safe location can prevent the unnecessary injury or death of these birds—and even your horses!

Some community recycling programs will accept plastic baling twine, but if yours does not, you can use the twine to make hardy door mats that hold up very well against muddy boots.

Thrifty Tack Storage

It’s nice to dream of a beautiful, custom tack trunk or locker, but you might find everything you need in your attic. Clean out an old trunk or a shelving unit with doors, add a few castors to make it easy to move around, attach a lock for extra security, and you’ve got yourself a “new” place to store your tack and grooming supplies.

Old T-Shirts

Instead of throwing out that old t-shirt, consider cutting it up into smaller pieces that can be used as washable rags. These can be used to clean up messes, apply fly spray to horses that don’t like the spray bottle, or give your horse, tack, and boots a quick polish before heading into the show ring.

#10 Cans

Large tin cans, such as those used to store coffee or bulk food storage, can be repurposed as bridle hangers in your tack room. The width of the can keeps your bridle leather from creasing over narrower hooks, and the inside of the can makes an excellent storage space for bell boots and polo wraps. If your can comes with a plastic lid, you can use that to cover this space to prevent rodents or insects from making a home inside.

Recycled tractor tires and railroad ties used for horse enrichment and training on a sustainable farm.
Recycled trail obstacles at Sweet Pepper Ranch

Repurposed Enrichment Tools

Many things can be repurposed to make enrichment tools for your horses: railroad ties can be used to build terraces, boxes, and bridges in your trail course; tires can be filled with dirt to make small platforms; and old tarps and pool noodles can be tied to a frame to help with desensitization training.

Spray Bottles and Ointment Jars

Thankfully, most of the plastic bottles and jars that our fly spray, ointments, and other topical treatments come in are recyclable. Check for the recycle symbol on the bottom and make sure that your local recycling program takes that type of plastic. Many recycling programs require you to rinse out plastic containers, so be sure to get the bottle as empty as possible before hosing them out to help prevent groundwater contamination.

Picture of Jess Friedman
Jess Friedman
Jess Friedman is Horses for Clean Water’s digital editor. She has dabbled in many riding disciplines, but loves trail riding most of all. She has previously worked as a riding instructor, groom and stable hand, horse camp counselor, and as the director of an agriculture education program. Jess has a bachelor’s degree in Recreation Management and Youth Leadership (Brigham Young University) and a master’s in Organic Farming (Newcastle University). She is passionate about regenerative agriculture and responsible land stewardship.
Picture of Jess Friedman
Jess Friedman
Jess Friedman is Horses for Clean Water’s digital editor. She has dabbled in many riding disciplines, but loves trail riding most of all. She has previously worked as a riding instructor, groom and stable hand, horse camp counselor, and as the director of an agriculture education program. Jess has a bachelor’s degree in Recreation Management and Youth Leadership (Brigham Young University) and a master’s in Organic Farming (Newcastle University). She is passionate about regenerative agriculture and responsible land stewardship.

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