The main objectives of this paper have been to evaluate the use of horse manure and wood-shavings as a fuel for heat production and to provide sets of data on the chemical composition, ash characteristics and ash forming elements of the fuel. Another objective has been to investigate the possibility to use the ash as fertiliser by analysing the heavy metal and nutrient contents. The results showed that the fuel is well suited for combustion for heat production causing low emissions of products of incomplete combustion. The emissions of NOx were however high due to the high content of fuel bound nitrogen. Emissions of CO and NOx were typically in the range of 30-150 mg/Nm3 and 280-350 mg/Nm3 at 10 vol% O2, respectively. The analysis of the ash showed on sufficiently low concentration of heavy metals to allow recycling. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.