Questions about clearing land -- for charity!

[bl73]

 
  The comment about rescues not having a good rep out west is true, but the need for someone to look after unwanted or neglected horses is real. I am probably not going to make friends when I say this, but if the laws about selling for slaughter were different we would have a lot less problem, at least here in CA. But that is the fact. I hope you can find a way to make it work, and if you do I hope you can help a few nice horses to a better life.

I agree with this completely

[SwampDonkey]

One other thing going on I see is someone buys a horse and someone else looks after it, off site somewhere. Why own a horse? "Because mommy said I could have one".  And soon the novelty wears off and the horse is forgotten as long as some one is paid to look after the horse. Then some day the payments stop for upkeep and then who pays the bills?

[KarateGirl258]

My my, you guys have provided fantastic insight and information. So first of all, thank you to all who have taken the time to reply. Much appreciated.

I also understand the concern about the land size. I need about 1 1/3 acres cleared to make about 2 acres of pasture. This will be for one horse. The plan is to rescue him/her from the kill pen, rehab it, and hopefully place it in a "forever home". Then on to the next one. If no forever home can be found, then we will keep raising the funds to support it and other horse rescues in our area. I know it's not much, but it's the best I can do with what I have.

It's true what you guys are saying about the flood of horses in the market. However, the vast (and I mean vast) majority of them are sound, healthy (or could be under proper care) and young. Have you guys heard of the PMU horse market? THAT is what's causing a lot of the problem. If you know of anyone on Premarin or Prempro or some such, please tell them to look into it and what has to happen in order for this drug to be created. I doubt they know it's made with the urine of pregnant mares kept in concentration-camp conditions (literally). The urine is collected to make the drugs, and the babies are sent to feed lots when they're way too young to be away from their moms, fattened up and sent to slaughter. And then when the mares can no longer reproduce, they're sent to slaughter too. It's creating a flood of thousands of horses every year that rescues can't keep up with.

Anyway, that's why I'm doing what I'm doing. I'm horrified, disgusted, and determined to do whatever I can before I die so I can go to my grave knowing I tried to make a difference.   

So back to the trees. It seems like most of us agree on the following:

a) the roots have to come out because they will pose a hazard to the health of my adoptees,
b) I need to look into contacting my local conservation commission to declassify my land as 'wetland' (seriously, we're talking a couple of puddles after a rain that dry up within a few hours in the summer... it's ridiculous), or as jimc suggested, the UNH coop (thank you for that advice since yes, I am in NH) 
c) hopefully there's someone in my area like captain_crunch who will help out because I'm saving horses       although I need to look into the tax-deductibility of donated time
d) If I'm even able to get this going, I should expect refrigerator sized rocks and other obstacles which might kill us in the water anyway (thank you, thecfarm, for the welcome and the head's up).

I certainly have my work cut out for me. The pig rescue is starting to sound appealing.       It is sad about cutting the trees, as one poster said, and I and my family do love them. But like I said to my husband, I'm sure our would-have-been rescue horse would be thrilled we're happy with our trees as he's being led to the kill box. Anyway, thanks again to all for your advice and support. It really does help as I try to get this project underway and am often feeling overwhelmed and hopeless.

-KarateGirl

[JimTwoSticks]

Seems like your initial assessment was just remove the trees and you'll be good. Have you ever plowed a field full of roots and rocks?
Having never seen the small would-be pasture I don't know what plants are there but I'll bet it doesn't have the requisite plants necessary for proper horse nutrition. Get ready to supplement his/her diet.
Keep in mind the plants that will be fine for cattle are not the same as for horses. Many common plants are poisonous to horses (including red maple....).
With regard to your "wetland" -
You stated "Once land is cleared, do people even use clean fill to get rid of the "wetlands" aspect? I assume it was designated as such because in the springtime we have a few puddles that take a week or so to dry up. It's not underwater or anything like that. There are some deep grooves that hold a bit of water."
A two acre (total) pasture will be a mudhole in the spring even with one horse if it holds water...any water. Unless it's a small pond with a defined bank that you keep the animals away from.

Good luck getting it cleared.

[stonebroke]

Farmers can do pretty much any thing to agricultural wetland except fill it. You can clear it ,plow it, seed it, pick rock ,clean the ditches(if any) but you cannot haul in anything. What agency made the determination? Was it  Your Town ,your state, the NRCS or the FSA.They all have different indicators of what a wetland is.

Stonebroke

[Banjo picker]

This will be for one horse. The plan is to rescue him/her from the kill pen, rehab it, and hopefully place it in a "forever home".

I don't know where you are located but the horse will have to leave the country to be killed....Try taking one into Canada an see what it will cost you .....They will charge you such a tarrif to get across the border that it will be cost prevenative. to take there to kill....Tim

[bl73]

I also understand the concern about the land size. I need about 1 1/3 acres cleared to make about 2 acres of pasture. This will be for one horse. The plan is to rescue him/her from the kill pen, rehab it, and hopefully place it in a "forever home". Then on to the next one. If no forever home can be found, then we will keep raising the funds to support it and other horse rescues in our area. I know it's not much, but it's the best I can do with what I have.


-KarateGirl

are you clearing the total area the horse will be in? I always keep at least on horse at the house, I have my pasture and an acre of pines, the horse rather stay in the pines most times rather than the shelter. One option to look at for clearing the land is to look into some of your excavation companies and pitch them your rescue operation, I know alot companies out this way would help. Good luck to you hope everything works out for the best.

[ErikC]

 I am somewhat familiar with the PMU situation. I shoe a handful that came from that situation as foals, and some retired mares.  All black and white paints for some reason. The foals turned out nice, the mares I dealt with were outlaws. Anyway, just because a horse is sound and healthy doesn't make him a good horse to keep around 20-30 years, in my opinion. He has to do something worthwhile, even if it's to be a pet for someone. This is my standard response to the " they all deserve to live" attitude. Why not kill a useless horse to feed some good dogs? Or endangered carnivores at a zoo? Or people who want to eat horse meat? Are any of these lives not worthwhile as well? I can tell you for a fact many of these horses are dangerous to be around, and money could be better spent elsewhere. If you want to rescue a horse, pick one that has earned it some way, that's all. 

[captain_crunch]

People who have NO bussiness owning a horse or any animal are the problem saveing a starving animal is just normal thing to do. But as far as saveing one from Slaughter (which is illeagle in US) is like climbing up a tree to stop logging

[timberfaller390]

I know several draft horse breeders that sell preg. mare urine for that purpose but thier horses are niehter outlaws nor mis treated. They are all working horses and live at some VERY nice farms. They mostly pull vis-a-vis at weddings when they are not in foal or raising a colt.

[bl73]

I've come across only a couple rescue horses that were safe, most of those horses slated for the ride to Canada were meant to be there because they were unsafe to be around. We use to have boarder horses and it got to the point where one family sent money but they had not been to the barn in about 5 years, those were our rescues. Taking on a horse is huge, the cost of food, grain, vet bills, farrier fees, stall upkeep, pasture upkeep, the added homeowners insurance cost, truck and trailer upkeep, all of the tack you'll need, not to mention the fencing upkeep, and these are just the basics.

[flibob]

You might try a local soil consultant before you get the government involved.  They can advise on how to legally Not get the government involved. I think the cost would be minimal or nothing for a cause like yours.