Do Horses Have a Place in Permaculture?

There are permaculture practitioners out there who speak out against the use of horses in permaculture. I disagree. Horses, when well managed like any other livestock, offer:

SOIL CONTRIBUTIONS
- Manure is composted and nutrients are returned along with organic matter to soil
- Hoof prints make indentations on top of soil creating pockets for improved seed germination
- Trampled cover crops during browsing return nutrients and organic matter to soil
​
ECOSYSTEM ROLE
- Horses ingest parasites of sheep and other species while grazing, reducing parasitic larvae counts in sheep, goats, etc.
- Pasture and forage maintenance is achieved through grazing. Well maintained pastures absorb tons of carbon from the atmosphere through regrowth and regeneration.
- Horses love to graze autumn olive, both full grown or young shoots, removing invasive species

FUNCTIONS
​- One horse can pull 2k-8k pounds depending on breed and health reducing need for tractors and fuel
- Horses can provide transportation (leisure riding, sport or utility)
- Meat in applicable countries
- Income by way of breeding, teaching lessons, or selling composted manure
- Shed winter coat hair can be collected and used to make paintbrushes


You can learn more about horse breed options perfect for homesteaders (and other animal species and breeds that offer so much function) in my book The Sustainable Homestead, available wherever books are sold.