How to Clean Up at the Races (1)
NATHAN C BURBANK, JR., Professor
School of Public Health
University of Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii 96822
INTRODUCTION
The earliest recorded evidence of this particular problem, the disposal of the solid
waste of animals, occurs in Greek mythology. It was the story of the labors of Hercules, the
cleaning of the Augean Stables, the stables of Augeus, King of Elis whose stables contained
an enormous number of animals and were uncleaned for many years (2). The manner in
which he did it? He as a Sanitary Engineer, diverted the flow of the rivers Alpheus and
Peneus to flow through the stables and washed the waste away. There was the problem
solved. Today we see much the same solution applied mostly to the wastes of other animals
notably pigs and cattle (3, 4). The problem still remains with the fecal waste of horses.
As early as 1878 the solid waste of horses in New York City was duly noted and the
quality carefully noted, one cubic foot per horse per day, varying from 48 to 52 pounds in
weight (5, 6). The waste is a solid, it amounts to one cubic foot per day per horse and it runs
approximately 51 percent moisture. Horses apparently have a metabolic cycle that is
remarkably regular and with minimum disturbance, a rather astounding regularity and
internal physiological quality control. The solid fecal waste from horses is remarkably
uniform, it consists of from 15 to 20 balls of manure, you've seen them in the country; they
are called "Road Apples" and they do resemble small applies; round, uniform, relatively
dry, readily handled with a shovel. This is in contrast to cow manure which is moist, runny,
anything but manageable and also in contrast to pig manure which, though dry when
deposited, rapidly picks up moisture from the air to become a runny mess within 20
minutes.
In 1878 there was concern that if the horse population in New York City increased as it
was then, at a logarithmic rate, that the quantity of horse manure produced yearly would, if
not removed regularly, build up to an astounding height. Unfortunately the writer, an
agronomist, was not aware that the invention of the diesel engine by Rudolf Diesel in 1895
and the gasoline engine by Daimler in 1886 plus the development of the truck and the auto
would eliminate the need for carriage and drayage horses.
Surely, the horse has survived, not as a beast of burden, but rather as a show animal, a
racing thoroughbred, or as a pet. Zoning requirements in cities have exiled the horse to rural
areas and there stables cater to the pet owner and develop the show animal to its peak.
Racing horses (whatever they be) quarter horses, running horses, (galloping), or gaited
race horses (trotters, pacers) are often bred at selected locations such as Kentucky,
Tennessee, Illinois, Arizona, or in the maritime provinces of Canada and Australia.
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