Advice please - horse eating neighbours plants

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andlaw

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Hi

Just wondered if anyone could offer any advice please. Our neighbours garden runs alongside my paddocks and they have recently planted a row of bushes right next to my fence. They have not moved here that long ago and when they purchased their property they were aware that the horses would be in the fields next to the garden. Just wanted to know whether I'm responsible for double fencing my paddock now to stop my horse eating their plants. My mare has already done some pruning for them so I'm sure she'll do it again.

My argument is that they planted the roses knowing full well the horses could reach them but I'm kind of guessing that legally I'm in the wrong as the plants are in their garden!

They have also erected a 6 ft fence to block out the view of my stables - non-horsey neighbours are a nightmare :-)

Any advice very welcome please.

Thanks
Andie
 
My pony is also doing some pruning for my neighbours occassionally and in doing so has leant on the fence and broken one of the rails. I have replaced the rail and if he continues to try and eat their plants I will put some tape up a few feet away. Not sure what plants they have which could potentially be poisonous so I would rather stop him from doing it.

One the spring grass comes through he will stop doing it and I don't have to worry til next winter.

I think the emphasis is on you to stop your horse from reaching into your neighbours property and creating damage. Basically it is their property and they can't plant what they like where they want to.

Ask them if they would like some horse manure for their roses!
 
I think if he is damaging what is legally on their property then you need to do something about it. Can you just run a length of elec tape a couple of feet inside your boundry to keep him off it? I would just worry there might be something poisenous (sp!) planted there too!
 
They have a right to plant whatever they want in their garden - and expect them not to suffer from nibbling from their neighbours animals.

why not just electric fence the aread a meter or two away from the fence so that your horses don't eat the roses?? You could potentially have a very expensive year comming up otherwise......
 
I think that if the plants are leaning over the boundary into your property you have the right to prune them, so presumably you can allow your horse to do this for you. However, if your horse is leaning over the fence to eat plants clearly on their property then your horse is causing damage to their plants.

A bit of electric tape should sort out your problem for you and keep relations amicable with your neighbours.
 
Remnded me of the time my old connie was turned out in the paddock next to our village churchyard!! I was stopped in the village by a gentleman who told me that he had seen Oliver eating the flowers from his wifes grave :( I was so embarrassed, fortunately the chap concerned was a friend of my dads and was very good about it, I replaced the flowers with a 'sorry' note form Oli and quickly erected an electric fence along that part of the church wall. Sorry, not sure about who's responsible in your situation though so no help to you.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies. I think I kind of knew that this would be the case. I'll put up a strip of electric fencing and see if this keeps her away from them.

Cheers
Andie
 
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