by the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s HORSE OUTREACH WORKGROUP

— first published in the January 2026 issue of The Equiery

The Horse Outreach Workgroup (HOW) is a collaboration among equine professionals from the Maryland Horse Council, Maryland Department of Agriculture, University of Maryland Extension, State Soil Conservation Committee, and the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service. Their goals include creating and promoting technical and financial resources available to horse farms for conserving the natural resources on their properties, including reducing soil erosion and improving water quality. The HOW organizes and participates in outreach events across the State such as pasture walks, equine seminars, and a booth at The Maryland Five Star.

The HOW also maintains a Facebook page and creates and revises the equine-focused fact-sheets listed below, available on the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s website:

Why Conservation?

●      A Horse Owner’s ​Guide to Best Management Practices

●      Big Dreams for Your Horse Farm​

●      BMP Benefits​

●      Conservation Partnership

●      Environmental Impact

Barnyard Management

●      Composting Horse Manure

●      Horse Manure Management​

●      Give Mud the Boot​ – A Guide to Heavy Use Areas

●      Sacrifice Lots

●      Water Harvesting

Pasture Management

●      Common Horse Pasture Grasses and Legumes

●      Management of Established Horse Pastures​

●      Managing Pastures for Ground Cover

●      Pasture Management for all Seasons

●      Rotational Grazing

●      Seeding New Pastures and Renovating Old Pastures I

●      Seeding New Pastures and Renovating Old Pastures II

●      Seeding New Pastures and Renovating Old Pastures III

●      Seeding Pasture Bare Patches

●      Seeding Small-Acreage Horse Pastures

●      Vegetative Cover

●      Vegetative Cover Problems and Solutions

Scan the QR code or visit mda.maryland.gov/HOW to access these fact sheets.