Flat near stables

[GeorgeE]

Hi all,

I am considering buying a flat which is fairly close to a horse racing club (no problems with noise personally). While I have already put on an offer, I then noticed that there are also horse stables inside the club area and I am wondering what that would mean in terms of smells, pollution etc. I live in Cyprus which is fairly hot in the summer, it can easily get above 104F (40C) in summer and it does hang around 80s (30C) year-round. The distance between the building and the main area of the stables is a comfortable 1800 feet (550m) but there are a couple of stables at 440 feet (140m) away. Ι have asked the racing club but they are yet to answer, unfortunately I am not very familiar with the area to have experience of my own. What do you guys think?

 

[Trouper]

I think you are on the wrong forum to ask about horse smell/pollution - for many of us it means our happy place!!!!! At those temperatures I would not worry about manure smells too much but if it is a racing yard then I might worry about the traffic fumes from vehicles going and coming at all hours.

 

[GeorgeE]

I mainly asked here because you are all so experienced and because I saw a similar question being asked (however for a much smaller distance) which got a lot of replies. How do you mean "those temperatures"? Ι was under the ımpressıon that odors tend to get worse at higher temperatures...

 

[Wishfilly]

I don't think you'd notice the smell that much. In general, horse waste tends to be relatively inoffensive smelling compared to some other kinds of animal waste. It may depend on the bedding used. I would want to know where their muck heap was!

I think the issues I would be more concerned with would be- noise (particularly in the early mornings), large vehicles requiring access, horse flies in the summer etc.

Are the stables in constant use?

 

[GeorgeE]

Yes, they should be in constant use as the horse racing club is in constant use...

 

[Muddywellies]

If you're non horsey, you might find smells a problem. It's amazing how many non horsey people get in my fairly clean and tidy car, and immediately say it smells of horse. I can't smell it whatsoever. Us horsey folk are immune, but I believe non horsey folk do smell horsey smells quite easily.

 

[ester]

What matters is the distance to the muckheap rather than the distance to the stables . However I've genuinely never noticed well kept stables to have any sort of odour even from much closer up, I might be immune of course having lived on a couple of yards but am generally fairly smell sensitive.

 

[GeorgeE]

OK so I have to be asking where is the muckheap then...

 

[ester]

I'd expect they have a trailer which is moved off site for emptying fairly regularly, which will also negate the issue then

 

[Tiddlypom]

As it’s so hot in the daytime, the horses may be exercised very early or late to avoid overheating them. This could generate a lot of noise and clatter at times that you are resting/still asleep.

 

[GeorgeE]

I don't think I would mind the noise. I am worrying about strong odors mostly. Horse flies is something I did not consider, however I was in the area 3 times until now and I didn't notice anything so I don't know. It's still around 27-33C so they should still be around, right? I mean mosquitos and normal flies are

 

[Wishfilly]

I genuinely don't know if horse flies are an issue in Cyprus. In the UK, they definitely have a season over the summer, but I don't know if that's down to temperature or day length or something else. Their bites are nasty, though.

 

[Ownedby4horses]

If the flies are the same as the UK for example, if the muck heap/muck trailer is near you, you will be plagued by tiny black flies, so you wouldnt want to be opening your windows. Horses tend to attract flies, so you likely will also get flies that bite.

Check where the muck heap/trailer is and find out which way the prevailing wind usually is, if it is generally in the direction of your flat then obviously you'll get the smells and the flies.

 

[GeorgeE]

What would be a safe distance from the muckheap and/or the stables in terms of horse flies and manure odors then?