Been reported to Redwings by trespassers!

Sanolly

Sanolly

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We currently have 3 ponies and a horse on our yard living out. As we only have 3 acres we have a designated trash paddock which has been hard-cored by the gate and top fence line. We also have chalky soil so there wasn't much mud in there even though it is a small paddock. Bearing in mind that there is no grass in there now as they have been on it since Christmas we are down twice a day putting hay out and also feeding hard feed in the field (before anyone says anything they are all used to this and there are no fights etc.). Some well meaning walkers have now reported us according to our neighbours whom they spoke to.

Now this I don't have a problem with as we know, and can explain, that they are being fed etc, what I DO have a problem with is that, due to the lay of the land and my trailer being in the way, the paddock is not visible from the bridleway so how have they seen the state of the paddock without climbing the gate and walking into the yard?! :mad:

We have no electricity so can't put up CCTV or electrify the gate so are there any other ways we can make the yard more secure?
 
you could maybe try "beware of the guard dog" signs? people might be a bit more wary of trespassing if they think there's a big dog wandering about.
 
We use these:
http://www.moultriefeeders.com/productdetail.aspx?id=mfh-dgs-i40xt
Imported from USA(watch the customs, ask the vendor to declare them as gifts with low value)
We have also brought "bear boxes" to encase the cameras in, which make them virtually indestructible, although someone could smash the lens- but the evidence would be safe inside!
Cameras dotted about the property and unless anyone is going to case the whole joint, they'd be caught on at least one that we have up.
 
Achinghips said:
reported you for what, the field or the horses?
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Both I think, basically they must have gone up after they had finished their morning hay. We can't leave a bale out as the three littlies are on a diet to get them a bit slim before they go out on our spring grazing as the grass up where we are is very lush.

Will have a look at the dummy CCTV camera's - can't leave a battery out as we are on a bridleway with a few lightfingered people about!
 
Sanolly,

you've been reported to WHO? Redwings are an equine charity, and not much of one, at that. Neither they, nor the RSPCA have any right of access over your land.

If you are certain of your welfare standards, and if they turn up, then tell them to sod off. :)

Alec.
 
People will wonder everywhere now thinking they have the right to roam so putting up Private No Public Right of Way signs would be a good idea.
 
Best sign I saw was a pic of a rotti with 'I can reach the gate in 3 seconds, can you?' printed under it!!! Also cameras, fake or real are good!
 
what is the legal position on this though? in terms of trespass. There is what we would all like to do but what ARE the rights? I do know that if someone hurts themselve on your property you are liable, even if they are trespassing - unless you have a sign warning them - ie if you had put electric up, you would need to put a sign up warning people. I know this is correct after we had an attempted break in at the yard - the prats tried to get in via the stable of possibly the nastiest horse on the yard - but when the police found out, they told the YO she would have been liable if horse had injured the would be thieves as there was no sign giving a warning!
 
And remember that the RSPCA are a charity and not a law enforcement agency. They cannot come on your property and tell you what to do without your consent or without a warrant/police asking to see if an offence is taking place
 
Tell them to sod off, private property. I have a footpath going through my 3 acres and the 3 paddocks my horses are in for the winter out during day stabled at night, the one where my young mare is she has trashed, no grass and it's sandy soil, but she and the rest get hay put out during the day and they all look tiptop.
 
Luci07 said:
what is the legal position on this though? in terms of trespass. There is what we would all like to do but what ARE the rights? I do know that if someone hurts themselve on your property you are liable, even if they are trespassing - unless you have a sign warning them - ie if you had put electric up, you would need to put a sign up warning people. I know this is correct after we had an attempted break in at the yard - the prats tried to get in via the stable of possibly the nastiest horse on the yard - but when the police found out, they told the YO she would have been liable if horse had injured the would be thieves as there was no sign giving a warning!
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yeah, we had razor wire around the top of our garage (sorrynon-horsey ;) ) but if someone had have hirt themselves on it, we were liable! despite the fact anyone hurting themselves would have been climbing OVER our roof!! its ridiculous!! :mad:
 
Sanolly- if you get a card from RSPCA,Redwings or any other Animal rescue group just do the following...

Call the number, speak to the person whos name is on the card. Explain they are welcome to look at your horses anytime.Chances are when offered a look-they dont take it? go figure!:confused:
Ask if they knew it was private property and should have got the owners permission.
Tell them about the hay/littlies feeding regime. Redwings and RSPCA do have many shetlands and smallies that require careful feeding so isnt a huge leap for them to understand.
Also find out from the neighbors who may have reported you. Go and chat to them and explain the situation.

TOO MANY horsey people get on the defensive and start calling the odds with these charities yet they arent the ones having to pick through the hundreds of calls from the general public on a daily basis.
Having done this -frankly crappy job and had all kinds of people to deal with from morons with shotguns to well....people like you ;) It doesnt hurt to have these organisations on your side. Get friendly with an animal inspector and they can help you by fending off the nutters who call them about your paddocks etc.

Anyway...if I were you Id be more worried that the RSPCA and COBLINE find out youve fallen off that poor cob 5 times -----thats just cruel and evil!!!:eek::rolleyes::)
 
Laminate some signs with a pic of CCTV and put something like "Private Property - Tresspassers Will Be Featured On Youtube" or use your imagination
 
We have the trespassers sign already, I am wondering if we can rig up a locked box an electrify the gate! Dummy CCTV is a good idea as well. Why can't people just accept that they can't go wherever they like? If I ever find out who it was I'm going to walk into their back garden and start feeding their dog! ;)

MR I did NOT fall of the cob 5 times it was once! The baby racehorses and Sandy are responsible for the rest of my flying lessons :rolleyes: :p
 
Millyard Rejects said:
TOO MANY horsey people get on the defensive and start calling the odds with these charities yet they arent the ones having to pick through the hundreds of calls from the general public on a daily basis.
Having done this -frankly crappy job and had all kinds of people to deal with from morons with shotguns to well....people like you ;) It doesnt hurt to have these organisations on your side. Get friendly with an animal inspector and they can help you by fending off the nutters who call them about your paddocks etc.
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Also, I don't have a problem with the fact that we have been reported, none at all. What I DO have a problem with is that they HAD to be on our property to actually see the paddock as A) it is downhill from the bridleway so not very visible and B) my trailer is obscuring the rest of the view so you cannot see that paddock from the public bridleway, only from on our land.
 
1) electric fencing (ok nr footpaths, just set it in a little from the boundary and put signs along it)
2) Barbed wire on the top of your gate - our farmer does this and it works quite well. Have to say though, that those who climb this usually stop at the leccy fencing though!
 
Where I have just moved from barbed wire had no effect on trespassers whatsoever. Even had them cutting it to get their motorbikes in to ride round the field. Luckily horses were stabled at night and someone noticed before they were turned out in the morning.
Leccy fencing was more likely to deter them. As for the battery.....my OH made me a security box. It is made of metal. Lockable and chainable to the fence. Inside the bottom are holes for the earth spike and one of those things to tie dogs too when camping. Looks like a giant corkscrew. The battery and energiser fit inside the locked box. There are holes to get the wires that go to the fence out. Downside (or maybe a plus) is it can't be turned off without unlocking the box. Of course nothing will stop a really determined person but this would stop all but the most determined. We too were right next to a bridleway and very close to a "problem" estate. You can pick up lockable metal boxes from army surplus ex ammuntion boxes and the like.

Have now moved to the middle of nowhere......no passers by, no families having picnics in the field. No mushroom hunters. No barbed wire. No one feeding inapporpriate stuff to my already overweight mare. No grazing muzzles or fly masks being stolen by we assumed well meaning ill informed idiots. Heaven.
 
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poppymoo said:
Stick some of these up....
http://www.wickes.co.uk/warning-these-premises-aresign/invt/191139/I like that the wording says 'concealed'.....people have to them decide whether to take the chance that you don't actually have them;)
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Thanks for sharing that - I have just ordered one, it's just what I needed to put on my gate.

Our yard is directly opposite our house with a footpath running through it :rolleyes: this is fine except that some people think it is ok to open the gate and go in to see the horses - whats that all about :confused:
 
pardalis said:
And remember that the RSPCA are a charity and not a law enforcement agency. They cannot come on your property and tell you what to do without your consent or without a warrant/police asking to see if an offence is taking place
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a) why so defensive??

b) there's no mention of the rspca being called, a member of public who is believed to have tresspassed to see the ponies has allegedly said they were going to call redwings!

c) you are right about the right of entry only police and defra welfare officers can enter without a warrant, but also remember that trespass is not a criminal offense, you can take civil proceedings out against a trespasser but are unlikely to get any outcome unless you can prove damage was sustained by the trespasser.

OP, If a visit does ensue, as said above if you are confident in your welfare standards then invite them in and show the person attending that there's no issue, and the matter can be closed! Granted it's never nice to have ones standards questioned, and be reported especially when there's no issue! But I don't understand why people get so defensive and attack an officer/person attending, they don't know the situation until they attend, and if they didn't attend then how much actual cruelty would go un-checked!........
 
Lollii said:
Thanks for sharing that - I have just ordered one, it's just what I needed to put on my gate.

Our yard is directly opposite our house with a footpath running through it :rolleyes: this is fine except that some people think it is ok to open the gate and go in to see the horses - whats that all about :confused:
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I know.....makes you want to go have a picnic in their back garden....:confused:

I have a thick chain and padlock on my main yard gates and another one on the field.....I know it wont stop people climbing over but it stops people driving into the yard and loading up or leading the horses off etc.
 
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