Horse Manure questions?

[Cue the Toms]

Hi... I have been offered some free well rotted manure (as many bags as I want) to collect next Saturday.

Should I:
1) Just start composting it until I can dig it in ready for next year?
2) Use a small amount for mulching, or does that just encourage roots to stay near the surface?
3) use a little and often approach after every quick harvesting salad crops?
4) Leave it bagged for now?
5) Net some up and make liquid feed?

Sorry for soooo many questions

Advice welcomed

Ps If anyone lives near me (Lewes) there's plenty to go round if anyone wants some.
Chris

[zazen999]

Before you do any of that - do the bean test to check that it's fine to use. This means growing a bean in that manure mixed with compost; plus one in compost on it's own and observe the bean is growing well before using it.

[Kaiya]

The test Zazen mentioned is for aminopyralid contamination - there are a few topics on it if you search for it.

I use horse bedding as a winter mulch, after letting it compost (separate to the rest of my compost in case it is contaminated) and testing it with beans.

[Cue the Toms]

Thanks for the heads up.. I had no idea!

Even if I were to ask my source I doubt I'd get a straight forward answer, so I will do the test with the beans as suggested and take it from there.

Chris