Killing Weeds on Horseback

New Experiment:  Killing Weeds with Horses          

At Hamilton Native Outpost, we are beginning a new experiment.  We have saddled up the horses that have spent the winter standing in the pasture and are putting them to use killing weeds.  This creative idea came from our Rogueing Crew Leader, Reid Long, who spent many hot summer days on foot carrying a heavy pack to kill weeds ranging from fescue to sericea lespedeza.  We have always thought that we do a better job of rogueing while walking on the ground rather than from a 4-wheeler because the machine is so unmaneuverable and fast paced compared to walking, which results in more missed weeds.  However, an advantage of the 4-wheeler is that it carries the heavy load.  We are hoping that the horses give us a good combination of maneuverability and a higher vantage point while carrying the load for us.  It is also, for folks who like to ride horses, an enjoyable way to do a job that can be somewhat tedious.  Stay tuned for more details as the growing season progresses and we book more hours on the horses. 

Oh, and if you are wondering what we are rogueing this early in the year, it is an ideal time to pick out fescue plants and kill them before many other plants break from their winter slumber and become green.