Advice about horse manure

[Cinzano]

Hello I am a newbie and I am about to fill my 19" deep raised beds, they are 7ft x 4ft. I have lined the bottom with card board taking off all the plastic then added lots of dried wood probably up to about 8". I have access to fresh horse manure. Question can I add this fresh manure to the base only then add my top soil on top. finally covering with mulch and plastic and leave till spring?
Or is it best to just make a compost pit for the manure and use in 3-4 months?
Thank you

[Plot70]

I would put the manure on right away followed by the top soil.
It will give the wood time to start rotting.
I have done the same with clay block built beds. They take several years for the clay blocks to erode away.
It worked with live couch grass roots with the potting shed latrine tipped through a small hole in the top soil in order to pickle the live weed roots.
It works well.

[Mr Bones]

Hi Cinzano and welcome to the Vine. When you say covering with mulch, what are you using. If it's compost mulch (or similar) your beds might be better off without covering with plastic. Plastic tends to interrupt airflow, seals in decomposition gasses that need to escape and encourages anaerobic soil bacteria instead of the more desirable aerobic types. It also makes a lovely place for slugs to live.
It sounds an interesting project, good luck with it and keep us posted how you get on