Eco-Horsekeeping

Over 100 Budget-Friendly Ways
You and Your Horse Can Save the Planet

Eco-Horsekeeping Over 100 Budget-Friendly Ways
You and Your Horse Can Save the Planet

by Lucinda Dyer

Trafalgar Square Books 

Soft cover, 2009, $18.95

ISBN: 978-1-57076-416-5

Available at Amazon or most tack shops. 

Reviewed by Carol M. Upton

I tossed hundreds of water bottles in the barn trash, didn’t care where manure ended up as long as it wasn’t in my horse’s stall, and wasted untold gallons of water in a losing battle to keep a gray horse squeaky clean.” ~ Lucinda Dyer

Green is the watchword of the day and most of us are committed to making our living environments safe and sustainable in whatever ways we can do it. Now, Lucinda Dyer has written Eco-Horsekeeping - the first book on eco-friendly horse care, making it easier than ever for us to apply similar green standards to our barns and stables. This book is a collection of the very best information on green initiatives for barn, horse, rider and farm.

Do you know what’s really in your horse’s fly spray, hoof polish, and coat conditioner? No one wants to be inhaling formaldehyde or other toxic chemicals every time we tidy up our horse. Dyer offers simple recipes for homemade non-toxic fly sprays and plenty of tips for choosing other products that are kinder to the environment and the horse.

We are all keen on economic help and Dyer’s suggestions will definitely save money. Her timing could not be better. The chapter on Tips for a Greener Rider include such affordable ideas as buying gently-used clothing and tack, organizing a swap meet at your barn, shining boots with a few drops of olive oil instead of expensive toxic polish, and re-soling those same boots rather than buying brand-new ones.

Included in other chapters are dozens of ways to reduce our carbon footprint on the road at shows, tips for a greener farm and a special section for barn dogs and cats. Dyer considers her book to be a mere starting point. She suggests other means of increasing our knowledge and learning to make a real difference.

Assist your pocketbook as well as your planet by taking a look at this handy little book.

Lucinda Dyer is now as passionate about the environment as she is about horses. She lives outside Nashville, Tennessee, and works as a literary publicist and freelance writer. She is also the author of Back to Work: How to Rehabilitate or Recondition Your Horse.

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