Do It Yourself - Horse Property Management Plan

What is a property management plan?

Council requirements - horsekeeping

Consider the natural resources

Start with a vision

Map to land class

Draw new plan

Develop an action plan

Examples

CONTENTS

WHAT IS A PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PLAN?

It’s an ongoing process NOT a blue print!

It has THREE parts:

A. Your Vision

B. Overlay plans using aerial photograph to:

- Identify land classes

- Record existing infrastructure

- Draw a new plan based on managing distinct land classes

C. Action Plan (priorities, timeline and costs)

WHAT IS A PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PLAN?

WHAT IS A PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PLAN?

Under the Development Act 1993, horsekeeping means:

‘The keeping or husbandry of horses where more than one horse is kept per three hectares [7.4 acres] of land used for such purposes or where hand feeding of a horse is involved.’

Development approval from your local council is required in these circumstances or when associated structures (including stables and holding yards) for horsekeeping are required.

COUNCIL REQUIREMENTS – HORSEKEEPING

Requirements may vary from council to council. It is important to contact your local council so you know what specific issues need to be addressed in your application.

Most councils will require you to address the following:

Site plan – land must be < 12% slope (varies with councils).

Description of proposal – details of stables, yards, paddocks. E.g. stables and yards must be at least 30m from any dwelling or boundary, Stables must be a minimum of 3.7m x 3.7m, have a wooden kick board to 1.3m, roof height of 2.75m. Yards need to be 50 to 100sq metres. Roof must have gutters to collect water. Note: some councils require a screen of native vegetation planted around intense horse keeping areas.

COUNCIL REQUIREMENTS – HORSEKEEPING

Pollution prevention – avoid polluting surface or underground water. Buildings may have to be 25 to 50m from the nearest watercourse. Manure heaps should be covered and be at least 50m from any watercourse.

Water demand and use – include washdown areas

Waste water disposal and water quality – avoid draining into watercourses and keep separate from septic tanks.

Soil management - avoid erosion and keep a minimum 70% ground cover at all times

Vegetation – do not damage native vegetation

Air quality – dust and smell must be addressed

Note; The above are only examples , you must check with your local council before applying for horsekeeping.

COUNCIL REQUIREMENTS – HORSEKEEPING

When developing a property management plan you should always consider the natural resources and ensure there are no negative impacts on the environment.

The following are some of these to consider:

Protect all native vegetation (including grasses) and maintain biodiversity.

Avoid soil erosion and don’t overgraze,

Grazing horses on sandy soils risks wind erosion,

Avoid pugging soils, so do not graze waterlogged soils,

Surface water quality should be maintained so don’t graze animals in watercourses,

Control weeds (especially declared weeds),

Lime acid soils,

Reduce the risk of fire.

CONSIDER THE NATURAL RESOURCES

Goals

Years 3 Yrs 5 Yrs 10 Yrs 20 Yrs

Personal

Farm

START WITH A VISION

MAP TO LAND CLASS USING AN

AERIALPHOTOGRAPH

Sources including:

The internet:

• Google Earth http://maps.google.com.au/

• Nearmap https://www.nearmap.com/welcome-

new#welcome

• Private businesses e.g Aerometrix Pty Ltd. 413 Magill Rd, St

Morris, SA

• Department for Environment, Water and Natural Resources,

Mapland. Level 1, 100 Pirie Street, Adelaide SA Phone 8463

3999

OBTAINING AN AERIALPHOTOGRAPH

Walk around your property & identify obvious physical features (land classes).

Include on an overlay: Natural features (ridgelines, slopes, flats, gullies, watercourses, drainage lines etc).

Native vegetation (include different qualities) Degraded areas (saline sites, acidity, erosion sites). Rocky outcrops Soil types Waterlogged areas (and seasonally restricted areas - due to waterlogging etc).

These features are then grouped together into similar areas/classes on the map, so areas of the same land class can be identified and managed appropriately.

MAP TO LAND CLASS - THE FIRST STEP

Walk around your property & record on a second clear overlay sheet all the permanent features which currently exist:

Include on the overlay:

• fences,• gates,• yards,• sheds,• tanks and water troughs• raceways,• irrigation systems• others

Note: you could add these to your first overlay (use different colour pen)

DRAW THE EXISTING LAYOUT AND

INFRASTRUCTURE – SECOND STEP

Draw on a third overlay a new plan based upon land capability. This need you to identify the land classes from overlay one and re-fence to land classes.

For example, watercourse and dams should be earmarked to be fenced off. Determine location and number of water troughs.

Wet boggy areas should be fenced to control stock access. Steep and rocky areas should be isolated from other paddocks

Native vegetation should be fenced off from stock. If no stock - identify the quality and record key actions, for example weed control or replanting.

Saline areas should be fenced out.

Consider all other land classes.

DRAW A NEW PLAN BASED ON LAND

CLASSES – THIRD STEP

CONSIDER THE BENEFITS OF AN

EQUICENTRAL SYSTEM

All of the paddocks lead back to the surfaced holding yard. There is shade/shelter and water in this central area. Hay can also be fed here. http://www.equiculture.com.au/equicentral-system.html

CONSIDER THE BENEFITS OF AN

EQUICENTRAL SYSTEM

This Equicentral system caters for horses and cattle. http://www.equiculture.com.au/equicentral-system.html

Draw up a yearly work program which you know is

achievable both financially & physically. Break down

large/difficult tasks such as:

• Pasture renovation

• Broad-scale revegetation

• Weed control programs

• Fencing to land-class

• Establishing shelterbelts

Keep the work plan in a highly visible location.

DRAW UP AN ACTION PLAN

Area Description Issues Action Timeline Costs

Main

Pdk

2ha

Weed control and

pasture

improvement.

Better grazing

management.

Main grazing

paddock, gently

sloping, some

water logged areas

in lower parts.

Equipment

friendly.

Slash or graze.

Soil Test

Fertilise /Lime

Oversow clover

Divide into 2

Oct 2016

Nov 2016

Apr 2017

May 2017

Aug 2019

$120

$200

$900

$500

$800

Good Ryegrass,

patchy Capeweed,

Annual Grasses,

poor clover,

Catsear, ungrazed

Water

course

and

dam

Water course is

badly degraded.

Dam wall is

damaged.

Woody weeds

and willows Dam

wall has damage

through livestock

movement.

Establish

reticulated water

system for stock.

Fence off dam

and watercourse.

August 2020

August 2021

$3,500

$3,000

ACTION PLAN

THANK YOU

Andy Cole

Land Management Advisory Service

M: 0437 299 268

1 December 2016