fuming!! Neighbours and lack of rights *long rant sorry*

S

sassybebe

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 September 2009
Messages
309
Visit site
i really am fuming. I've just tried to take my 4 year old for his first hack and he was being angelic, i was walking past the farm down the lane when i heard an agressive sounding "oi!" so i turned back to where the farmers where working and one said "would you mind walking your horse up the lane" to which i replied "i did" (i had ridden my other horse about an hour earlier) then farmer said "walk as in get off and lead it! It's churning up the road!" so i said oh sorry and turned around and went back. The lane is just a lane, it's a footpath that nobody uses and i've been allowed to ride on it for over 15 years and now the farmers sons are taking over they're trying to stop me but aren't brave enough to come out and say it. I mean how is it going to make a difference whether i lead the horse or ride it apart from making it very difficult for me? I would challenge the prat but we rent our field from the family so i really can't afford to fall out with them however on the other hand when we have to come off the field in november and i have to hack more i now only have the option of riding on a b road that has become increasingly busy and dangerous. I have literally used the lane maybe 3 or 4 times since april, it's only ever me as i ride alone and i always walk. It's not even a proper farm, they rent out the land, they have no crops or anything all the sons seem to do is completely pointless things like putting gates up to stop cars going down?!? There are no cars using it! I was feeling so happy to be out on my baby and it's been completely and utterly ruined, now his first proper hack will have to feature speeding lorries and god knows what else. Sorry for the pointless rant i'm just really upset by it. Also i apologise for the lack of paragraphs, i'm on my phone and can't work it out
 
You need to approach them to ask them if they will continue to let you use the lane. If they say yes but you must lead, then so be it. Just explain about the busy roads and hopefully they will relent. If they say no and it's not a public right of way, then there is not much you can do about it!

You CAN go down the route of trying to prove it's been used by public for x amount of years etc....but it's long and costly, and if it's only you using it.....it might not be proved to be worthy etc. etc.
 
might be silly question but when you started renting was an agreement written does it cover if you can ride on the lane. if you see the dad could you not have a little chat along the lines of oh sorry thought i could ride down the lane!! and see what he says maybe he hasnt told sons you have permission!!could you afford to offer some payment for use of hacking. sadly if its a private lane you cant do much if they wont let you ride on it. we own our house and land half way down a lane and one end is private the other end joins an A road and the farmer decided he didnt wont us riding down the lane anymore.(only me and oh) nothing we can do.
good luck
 
Well I would go careful if I were you or you might end up not having any use of it at all! If it is a public footpath you should not have a horse on it full stop! If it were me I would be approaching these people nicely and seeing if you can get some sort of arrangement made for you to use it.
Regardless of how they want you to take/ride/lead your horse down it, if your horse is churning the path up then it is not fair on the poor walkers that have to use it after you...why should they have to walk over a messed up track that has had horses on it when horses should not even be there. If it is private land that the track runs on then you should nto be on it and if it is a council owned footpath then you are heading for them to put a style at either end if they catch horse riders on it or somone complains.
Probably not what you wanted to hear but you are in the wrong using a footpath for riding on.
 
thanks everyone i'll try and get a bit of bravery and have a polite chat about it. I should have said the lane is a stone track so wide enough for tractors, lorries, cars etc and literally nobody walks on it because it doesn't go anywhere just past my house and out onto the busy road. We've asked before if it's ok to ride on it and they said yes but as you've said there is nothing we can do if they decide i can't anymore
 
Just go and have a nice quiet chat with them. I wanted to ride in the neighbours field and he said YES (known me for years and years) as my horse doesnt like quad bikes,big things.

Im sure if you explain to them,they will let you!!!
 
Galisgirl, where abouts in the country are you?

Ref riders using footpaths:"They have no right to use footpaths, and if they do they are committing a trespass against the owner of the land, unless the use is by permission"

So if you have persmission, you CAN use it, regardless of it being a footpath.

Also:

" Horse riders have a right to use bridleways, restricted byways and byways open to all traffic"

Find out exactly what the lane is defined as.
 
thanks for all the advice, my mum phoned the head of the family (the normally anti horse mother) who was very apologetic and said there was no reason why i couldn't ride on the lane and the son shouldn't have said anything. I will still have a look into things though for the next time as i'm sure there will be one. Thanks again everyone
 
I'm glad you seem to have it sorted but just playing devils advocate here - why should the landowner allow you to hack across his land.

It is their private property and if they don't particularly like horses then I can see why they wouldn't want you and your horses hacking over their land. They are totally justified and you have no right to expect them to continue to allow you access - it is not them being awkward just their preferences of what happens to their private property. The fact that it removes your preferred hacking route is unfortuate but not their responsibility.

Remember they have a liability issue with your riding on private property - you may not intend to sue them if you or your horse sustains an injury whilst on their property but they don't know that. This may also explain the introduction of the gates you mentioned.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top