Do people jog or ride bikes across your field footpaths?

As an ex-dairy farmer, I agree with you on this one Patches. Footpaths are ok for walkers but common sense would tell you not to jog through a field of animals that could be spooked. After all alot of rights of way came into existence as a short cut for the postman and I've yet to see a postman run!
I loved the clip of Dinker galloping!
 
From your initial post, I'd thought the jogger was running on a path adjacent to your field, not in it? That is slightly different, in practical terms, to running through the middle of the herd.

A sensible jogger crossing a field that actually has animals in it, rather than on the other side of the fence, will hopefully walk and thus avoid being trampled. Otherwise. I suppose legally the situation would be the same as if a herd of cows chased a dog owner, which I can remember happening - cases in the past where dog owners have been killed by cattle who were after the dog. I'd guess you were legallly liable for injury caused by any of your animals.

Cows I've met are more likely to give chase than run away. And personally, I never jog anywhere!
 
I think a sign that says " If you can cross this field in 10 seonds, please do so, but....the bull, cows, ponies can do it in 9!!!!"
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I think a sign that says " If you can cross this field in 10 seonds, please do so, but....the bull, cows, ponies can do it in 9!!!!"
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ROFLMAO
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We have a public footpath, sectioned off from the field, hedged and fenced but, I have had to tell quite a few that if they let their dogs roam in the paddock my mare (hairy large coblet) WILL charge them down, stamp on the dog and probably kill it! Not strictly true but boy does it make them think twice!!!
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As far as I understand it, and I cannot remember the source - it may actually have been my OH who is a conveyancing partner
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- if there is a public footpath going through a field where livestock is kept, you as the land owner, would have to ensure that members of the public are kept safe.

In the example you have given, i.e. that the cows would stampede in certain circumstances, should they kill/injure someone I think it means you would be liable. I think you will find that you would have to fence off the path so that livestock and people do not come into contact with one another - particularly knowing how stupid some people can be. Using what _Charlie_ found, is it possible for you to mark the route with yellow arrows so people know where to go?

I would also have warning notices on the fences or on any posts stating that there is livestock in the field, and like any animal they can be unpredictable. You could also put on the sign some of the info that _Charlie_ found i.e. that as a public footpath it is for walkers ONLY, and therefore jogging/cycling etc is not allowed.

Also make the point that all dogs, no matter how sensible are to be kept on a lead; should a dog wander into the field with the livestock, you cannot be responsible for an injury to the dog if they do not comply with the regulations that are supposed to help prevent this. Also use this for the dog mess and inform them action will be taken against them if people persist in allowing their dogs to mess the path.

I don't know how far it goes, but I think you will find that under the Animals Act, unless it is a behaviour classed as "normal" for the breed/animal, you would find it pretty hard to limit or remove liability from yourself.

I really do sympathise with you, some people are so bloody ignorant of the countryside and all the rules etc which people who live there have to abide by in order to help the more ignorant. It doesn't take a lot for people to look up this kind of information to see what they should be doing when using footpaths and going over other people's land.

If you want anymore help let me know, I will see if OH can come up with anything which may assist
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Yes they are alowed to jog, not cycle though. i would put up a polite notice to ask them not run in the fileds if there is livestock out in case of risking stampeeding cows
 
I think its absolutely pathetic - even if its the law of the land - that if you are stupid enough to run through a working dairy farm and startle a field full of cows into stampeding you, that you have more rights than the legal owner of the land and who has done nothing wrong but make a living from having livestock in their own fields!

Brave woman jogging through a field of cow flops though, what if she slips in one? Sue the poor farmer again? Would love to see the claim form... " I was out running one morning and failed to notice my foot connect with a big runny cow flop and I slipped in it, I am suing for loss of dignity, a sprained ankle, and dry cleaning bills for a poo-stained tracksuit"

Funnily enough, if someone was jogging along a pavement and their speed made them trip and fall under a car, can't see them suing the car driver for an accident!

I hate that its always "blame and sue" these days.

We have to ride along bridleways through fields of cows, and I'd never do anything but walk, if I do it would be my own stupid fault if anything happened!

I'd maybe put up signs saying Fields monitored by camera - all dogs to be kept on leads/fouling to be cleaned up, no cycles, and if you run through a field full of cows, they will run faster... after you...
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So basically, the best thing to do would be to sell the cows and sit on our bums and claim benefits then.....as any legal action resulting from someone upsetting livestock by their own ridiculous behaviour would result in us losing a farm that has been in the family for generations.

I just don't understand how liability falls on one side only. It's so unfair. Anyone with half a brain knows that cows could potentially stampede if you run through their field. Why can that not be a mitigating circumstance?

There is no legislation that states we HAVE to fence off footpaths, and of course I'm not saying you implied that, so it clearly isn't expected that as livestock owners we have a duty to make sure the members of the public and the stock on our land don't mix. We're not talking about animals escaping onto byways etc, we're taking about footpaths that are purposely designed to run through open fields where stock are grazing.

This footpath runs pretty much the length of our farm, cutting across numerous fields through 80 or more acres. Some fields it runs down the hedgeline, others it cuts across the middle. There are yellow markers....we have to put them up by law. People don't always take note of them though.

We can't fence off footpaths by the hedgeline as we'd not be able to cut the hedges in winter. Also, there are gatways that run in the hedgelines which would effectively be cut off, denying us access.

It's just a no win situation now. We were threatened with legal action a while back because a walker said they received an electric shock from our fencing. It isn't mains, it's 12v. I touch it with my bare hand to check it works and I'm not distressed by it. The fencing didn't run anywhere near the footpath, indeed it was the opposite end to the field, and had signs on it warning it was electric. Even though they were trespassing, we were still liable for their distress and the fact they claimed to need medical attention afterwards.

We have never used an electric fence in the cow fields since. Must be 5 years since we strip grazed.

One of the fields now has a badger sett encrouching across it. The sett is across the footpath. Again, we're liable if someone puts their foot in it....but on the other hand, we can't legally do anything to stop the badgers? How on Earth can we win on that one then? Can't close the footpath, can't move it, can't fence the area off as that's obstructing it....

It's a minefield. It's the biggest bain of many farmers' lives having public footpaths. Never used to be a problem, but the rammifications are huge from having them. Years ago the council used to have responsibility for them.
 
I *think* if you put up warning signs (ie saying that cycling is NOT permitted and that jogging / running may cause animals do stampede) *may* free you from said legalities....
 
What a nightmare for you! I know that on average 8 people a year are injured/killed by cows. I haven't ever heard of the farmers being sued though? Would the NFU know? We have a bridlepath running between our house and yard and regularly have motorbikes going through. They make me incandescent with rage and if I had a gun I would definitely shoot them! I always stop them if I can get out of the house in time and, politely, tell them they are breaking the law, blah, blah, blah but they take little notice. I also photograph them and tell them I will send the photos into the police. Sooner or later, I will be leading one of the stallions in or out and then things will get interesting ........ Perhaps a notice of a more jokey nature would do the trick without leaving you liable? Good luck!
 
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