I came across this infographic from Thoroughbredstallionbestminister.com on Pinterest recently and I thought it was really cool. I’m not a huge horse expert, but my ideal homestead would most definitely include horses. There’s a reason they were such a huge part of Western Civilization for centuries, and why, despite much faster modes of travel we have today, many people still choose to keep them around.
First of all, they’re always reliable for work and transport. Sure, tractors and cars are much more efficient…or are they? When the grid goes down, how reliable will your fossil-fuel reliant vehicles be? Or maybe you’re going for a greener model on your homestead, and can sacrifice speed for something much more sustainable?
In the West, we don’t eat horses, the way we do other farm animals, but they still are a great addition to any farm or homestead. Their manure is excellent for the soil, they can be pastured and help you keep grass and weeds down, and of course, you can ride them! They don’t need anything but food and water to be “fueled”.
Now, I definitely wouldn’t recommend relying on this infographic alone to train a horse, but I found it really interesting and motivating to learn more about horses and what it takes to raise them from birth. Because, naturally, if you want a really sustainable farm animal, you’ve got to breed it right?
Check it out, and let me know if you’d like to read more about homesteading and horses or other pack animals.
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