Virginia horse person of the day: Dr. Edith Kennedy

Dr. Kennedy was recently asked: What are three conservation practices that were recently put into place on your farm (Oakwood Farm in Gainesville) and how have they improved the farm?

Before answering this question, let me clarify that I am not an environmentalist. While I do believe in taking care of the world around us, I did not set out to make my farm “green.” My goal was to improve the facility for the benefit of my horses and me. Each change that Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District proposed was evaluated by me in light of how it would affect the horses and me, not necessarily how it would affect the environment.

Now to answer your question.

One of the first conservation practices that was put in place was the installation of a buffer fence to keep my horses from grazing and dropping feces near the wet weather creek that crosses the back pasture. This has certainly kept the horses away from the stream bed, and there is now a healthy stand of vegetation there. This has affected my farm in that the horses can no longer cross the creek and come back covered in weed seeds and cockle burrs. Before the fencing was erected, this was one of their favorite areas to while away the hot afternoons. However, because of the creek, I could not get the tractor and mower across to mow there, so it was overgrown and made grooming the horses difficult. The drawback to this fence is that I cannot mow the buffer area, which adjoins the pasture. The weeds that grow there are invasive and do not respect the fence, often creeping into the pasture. This is the realistic portion of environmentalism.

A second conservation practice was the creation of bluestone paddocks that are used to prevent over-grazing of pastures and to help eliminate mud and runoff from around the barn. These paddocks have eased my work. My barn has run-ins that allow the horses to seek shelter from the heat and flies. They often stand outside the barn in the shade that it creates. The addition of the bluestone paddocks makes it easier to clean the manure from these areas. This is a chore that I did even when these areas were dirt and grass. The bluestone makes it much easier and quicker to clean these areas than it was previously.

A third conservation practice that has impacted Oakwood farm is the renovation of the pastures. Before these changes, my horses were allowed to graze 24/7. This meant that the pastures became overgrazed. This didn’t particularly bother me as it kept the horses happy and there was enough grass to keep them fat. To maintain the health of the creek and the pastures, I no longer allow the grass to be eaten below about 4 inches in height. This means that my horse spend much of their time in the bluestone paddocks. The pastures are certainly lush and green. The horses spend several days a week grazing. However, when the grass reaches the cutoff point, the horses are pulled into the paddocks and fed hay. This is also a double-edged practice. The pastures are better for the horses than they were before, but this practice increases my use of hay.

I do not object to any of the conservation practices that have been implemented on my farm. In their own way, they each contribute to the well-being of my horses. However, they do not come without a sacrifice on other ways.

Editor’s note: Tours of the private farm can be arranged by calling Kate Norris at (703) 594-3621.

For more on Dr. Kennedy, click on our "More on Dr. Kennedy" page in the index.