This is part 2 of my conversation with Marla Foreman. Marla Foreman is a veterinarian, a horse trainer and a riding instructor. She’s also a good friend so it was fun for us to get together for a Horses for Future podcast. I particularly wanted to interview Marla because she grew up on a ranch in New Mexico. From there she moved to Washington state, but not to the temperate coastal area. She lived on the other side of the state where rain was scarce and the amount of land she had was a mere postage stamp compared to the acreage she grew up on in New Mexico. And now she’s living on the east coast near Boston.

So she’s learned how to manage horses in very different climates, and very different acreage. What she has learned is smart design. The goal is healthy horses and healthy pastures. Growing up in New Mexico she saw how well horses maintained themselves when they could move. How to you encourage movement on smaller acreage? And how do you design your farm so you are spending your time enjoying your horses and not just doing chores? The answer is smart design. Hopefully, you’ll get some ideas for your own farm so you can meet everyone’s needs well - yours, the horses, and the land you care for.

Horse people can make a difference in the climate change crisis. Together we’re learning how.