Horse & Livestock Services

It's no small task to care for horses and livestock. Whether they're your passion or your business, you no doubt want to keep them happy and healthy, while optimizing the amount of work and time you spend on their care.

WICD is available to help you manage your land and the animals on it. Our natural resource planners can work with you on:

• Improved chore efficiency
• Mud management
• Manure management
• Pasture management

Depending on your need, we can provide you with resources, free site visits, and, in some instances, farm plans. Questions about the farm plan process? Check out this publication here.

In some cases, farm plans can qualify landowners for our cost-share program. WICD provides cost-share for projects such as:

• Manure compost facilities
• Heavy Use Protection areas
• Pasture maintenance
• Fencing
• Water management such as gutters or underground outlets​ ​

Learn more about our services for horse and livestock owners by Natural Resource Planner Kelsi Mottet and landowner Jessica Aws.

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Ready to get started?

WICD's Natural Resource Planners provide no-cost technical assistance for all Whidbey Island residents and landowners.
Do you need assistance on your property with a natural resource challenge or goal?

Please note that we are currently undergoing some staff transitions, so may have a few weeks delay in responding to your request. We appreciate your understanding and patience in this matter, and encourage you to explore the resources on our website in the interim

Request Assistance

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Winter & Spring Tips for Horses

Click image for some quick winter tips

Click image for some quick spring tips

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“No hour of life is lost that is spent in the saddle.” — Winston Churchill

Horse & Livestock Resources

Click a Tab Below for More Resources:

All livestock resources

Working with the Conservation District

• ​Six Ways Your District Can Help
• ​​10 Ways Conservation Districts Can Help You
• Farm Planning Overview
• Becoming a Conservation Partner
• ​​Puget Sound Conservation Districts Small Acreage Farm Services

Getting Started on Your Property

• Tips Guide to Puget Sound Rural Living
• Tips for a Successful Horse Farm​
• USDA's NRCS Five Steps to Assistance
• ​​Livestock Management & Water Quality​
• Open Space Taxation Act - Tax Incentives for Ag Land
• Planning the Future of Your Farm
• ​Small Scale Solutions for Your Farm - NRCS

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Pasture Management​​

• ​​Managing Healthy Pastures Guide from Clallam CD
• Pasture & Hayland Renovation
• Haymaking on the Westside
• Common Grasses, Legumes & Forbs of Western WA & OR
• Pasture Calendar for Oregon & Washington
• ​​Pasture for Profit - A Guide to Rotational Grazing
• Common Forage Grass ID (for the NE US, but also applicable here)
• Determining the Grazing Capacity of Your Pasture
• ​Weights & Measures of Common Feed
• Fall Pasture Management
• Late Summer - Fall Pasture Tips
• Designing a Grazing System
• Pasture Fertilizer Guide
• ​Pasture Weed Control
• ​​Liming for Pastures
• The Low-Down on Lime

Soil Testing & Soil Building

• Soil Sampling Basics One-Pager
• The How-To of Soil Sampling - WSU Extension Puyallup​
• Building Soils for Better Crops
• Soil Sample Collection Guide
• Soil Test Interpretation Guide
• Introduction to Web Soil Survey Resources
• Soil Fertility in Organic Systems 
• ​Home Gardener's Guide to Soils & Fertilizers
• ​​Soil Testing & Soil Improvement Resource List

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Mud & Manure Management

• Mud & Manure Management Resources for Small Farms
• Sacrifice Areas
• ​​Constructing a Heavy Use Area Guide
• ​​​Example Heavy Use Area Design
• Livestock Yards & Manure Storage Areas on Small Acreage
• ​Small Farm Composting Guide

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  Livestock Health & Wellness

• Protect Your Horses & Livestock from Toxic Plants
• ​​Livestock Resources for Small Farms - OSU
• ​Matching Hay Quality with Animal Nutrient Requirements
• Integrated Parasite Management for Livestock

Water Rights​

• Washington Water Rights Introduction
• Landowners Guide to Washington Water Rights
• Washington Water Rights Map
• Presentation on Island County Water Rights & Hydrogeology 2019
• New Water Right Application & Permits
• Request for Info on Existing Water Right

Livestock Disposal

• WSDA Livestock Disposal Manual

Livestock Resources by Animal

• WSU Extension Livestock Advisor Program

• Sheep & Goats Resources
• ​Poultry & Rabbits Resources
• Beef Cattle Resources
• ​Dairy Resources
• Pigs/​Swine Resources
• Commercial Fishing, Crabbing & Clamming Resources

For financial assistance resources, look on our Farm & Ag page.

horse specific resources

orking with the Conservation District

• Six Ways Your District Can Help
• ​​10 Ways Conservation Districts Can Help You
• Farm Planning Overview
• Becoming a Conservation Partner
• ​​Puget Sound Conservation Districts Small Acreage Farm Services

Getting Started​ on Your Property

• Tips Guide to Puget Sound Rural Living
• ​​USDA's NRCS Five Steps to Assistance
• Healthy Horses, Clean Water - A Comprehensive Guide
• Managing Small Acreage Horse Farms
• Tips for a Successful Horse Farm​
• Six Steps to Improve Your Farm
• ​​Livestock Management & Water Quality​​
• ​Horse Resources for Small Farms - OSU

Pasture Management

• Basic Pasture Management for the Equine Owner​
• Managing Healthy Pastures Guide from Clallam CD
• Pasture Management Guide for Horses
• ​​Pasture & Hayland Renovation
• ​Haymaking on the Westside
• ​​​​​Nutrient Management for Pastures - Western OR & WA
• Pasture & Livestock Essentials
• Pasture for Profit - A Guide to Rotational Grazing
• Common Forage Grass ID (for the NE US, but also applicable here)
• Determining the Grazing Capacity of Your Pasture
• ​Weights & Measures of Common Feed
• Five Tips for Spring Pastures
• Pasture Calendar for Oregon & Washington
• Fall Pasture Management
• Late Summer - Fall Pasture Tips
• Designing a Grazing System
• ​​Grazing Plan Workbook & Manual
• ​Fence Planning for Horses
• ​Fences for Horses
• ​​​​Liming for Pastures
• The Low-Down on Lime

Soil Testing & Soil Building

• Soil Sampling Basics One-Pager
• The How-To of Soil Sampling - WSU Extension Puyallup​
• Building Soils for Better Crops
• Soil Sample Collection Guide
• Soil Test Interpretation Guide
• Introduction to Web Soil Survey Resources
• Soil Fertility in Organic Systems 
• ​Home Gardener's Guide to Soils & Fertilizers
• ​​Soil Testing & Soil Improvement Resource List

Mud & Manure Management

• ​Small Farm Composting Guide
• Sacrifice Areas
• Track Paddocks
• ​Constructing a Heavy Use Area Guide
• ​Example Heavy Use Area Design
• Mud & Manure Management Resources for Small Farms

Livestock Health & Wellness

• Protect Your Horses & Livestock from Toxic Plants
• ​​Livestock Resources for Small Farms - OSU
• ​Matching Hay Quality with Animal Nutrient Requirements
• Integrated Parasite Management for Livestock

​Water Rights​

• Washington Water Rights Introduction
• Landowners Guide to Washington Water Rights
• Washington Water Rights Map
• Presentation on Island County Water Rights & Hydrogeology 2019
• New Water Right Application & Permits
• Request for Info on Existing Water Right

​Livestock Disposal

• WSDA Livestock Disposal Manual

A Slideshow About How the

​Conservation District Can

Help

Fall Pasture Management Tips

Our neighbors at Clallam Conservation District (in Port Angeles) provided a webinar worth watching anytime of year on fall pasture management tips. Check it out below!

Sound Horsekeeping Videos

Horse Health

Composting Manure Basics

Pasture Management

Winter Paddocks

Composting Manure

Soil Testing

Liming for Pastures Video