Getting the boot! anyone know where I stand????

Emma S

Emma S

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Hi folks, Sorry this is a bit of a moan as much as anything else!

I have been renting grazing for 4months from a guy I get on well with. When I first moved in the fencing was re-done with wooden posts and electric wire before the winter this also had thick hedges behind it.

I will be the first one to admitt that my pony is a horror and will escape as he sees fit. However when the fencing is good he stays put. My other 2 are fine and never a problem.
Due to the start of the winter and the leaves falling off the trees my pony decided that there appeared to be some nice gaps in the hedge and started escaping (this meant going through two strands of electrc wire) all fencing intact and a happy pony stood the wrong side!

After this happened a couple of times I moved him into the smaller paddock within the larg paddock and informed the landlord that the only way he will stay in is if the one side of the field he escapes through is fenced with sheep netting, I know not ideal fencing but it really is the only thing to keep him in! (this shouldnt have been a prob as the guy is a fencing contractor) this was over a month ago and nothing has been done.

My pony has now learnt how to escape from the smaller paddock and i keep being called out of work to go a get him as he has been getting in the road.

Happened yet again today and understandably im not able to go and sort him so the landlord told me he has caught him and left him tied up!!!
I'm not happy at all as he has now told me i need to move him today.
And quite frankly I've said no.
its not my responsiblity to sort the fencing...

sorry its a long one but opinions please??!?
 
Difficult one as the fencing you have is what I would consider 'suitable' for horses in general. If this was my pony who was escaping, I would do something about the fencing myself. I would be seriously worried about my pony getting on the road, injured (and my fault for not sorting the fencing - guilt) vets bills, causing damage, maybe an accident, injury, death, you would be liable. Sorry that doesn;t sound very positive.
 
Clearly electric fencing with 'gappy' hedging behind is not sufficient to keep livestock in - and personally not land that I would have put my horses on.

I guess all you can do is move - or cough up for proper fencing. And providing it's well erected and maintained, sheet fencing is just fine.

And it is your responsibility to ensure that the fencing is fit for purpose - which clearly it never was.
 
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Although you have tried to sort out the situation and have requested more fencing, tbh the original fencing sounds better than most have. Therefore if it's your pony thats managing to get out of it, I think it's down to you to sort out pony proofing it, not the field owner.
 
All I am able to do myself is put up further elec fencing as I just dont have the funds for my own 'proper' fencing.

The elec fencing thats there is more than suitable for 13hh plus but being 11.2hh he fits through some very small spaces.

And as the battery is trying to electrify fencing around 8acres and three small paddocks I'm not sure it can give enough of a shock, but I have no mains supply
 
In that case I would invest in some more elec fencing and my own battery etc, and put up as many strands as necessary, although you could get some elec sheep fencing. I know you said you have no funds but you may have to find some if you want the pony to stay put, and not to have to move.
 
Hmmm...just an idea and I know people are going to disagree with this (heck I disagree with this normally lol) but could you keep the smaller electric fence field you made within the big field and tether him within that? I know there's cons with tethering but supposedly it's safe done properly and could save you having to move until you can sort the fencing.
 
And as the battery is trying to electrify fencing around 8acres and three small paddocks I'm not sure it can give enough of a shock, but I have no mains supply
Click to expand...

So, you re-fence the electric fencing properly - splitting the field in to three (so three batteries) and ensuring at least two strands of tape - one at the higher level, and one at the medium level.

And electrify the paddocks separately. The system can't possibly work as it's currently set up. The battery simply won't be powerful enough.
 
One of the conditions we have in the agreement for renting our yard is that we have to satisfy ourselves that the fencing, ground conditions etc are suitable for turning the horses out on.

Could you buy some more electric tape or rope and make lots and lots of rows of it to keep the pony in?
 
Tethering is something I have actually thought about, because its got that bad! but you need licences ect to do it..

The main field only has two starnds of fencing and the paddocks have 3 strands.

He is never usually this bad unless there is a mare near by, but there is nothing.

Will have to look at the price of elec sheep netting but standard sheep netting might even be cheaper
 
I'm affraid I am with the others. I know how hard it is though I have a dartie that will take herself through electric if she sees fit (although I have found a way of sorting this for the mo) but will stay in sheep fencing. BUT I make sure the area's she is contained in are suitable for her, just because my others will stay in it doesn't mean she will. During the summer I had metal posts with two strands and zig zag another strand through the top then bottom and so on.

Its your responsibilty to sort out fencing suitable for your pony, and to have it correctly connected to a fencer - which obviously its not. I have 3 fencers just to make sure that the pony is alsways properly seccured.
 
I have 4 strands of electric tape for my miniature as 2 strands would not keep him in. Why not fence him his own small paddock with 4 strands and it's own independant energiser? My cobs are also escape artists and they have 5 strands with wooden posts - any less and they can squeeze themselves through without even breaking the tapes. I think it's your responsibility to sort out any additional fencing though.
 
Why don't you get some electric stock netting or as we have to put four strands of electric fence on 6ft posts as have two escape artists.

you wouldn't believe how well a 12hh can get under electric fence on her belly!!:rolleyes::eek:

We also separate the sections with a wooden post & put a battery on each section so it is not trying to electrify too much which yours certainly is.
 
Just another thought - mine gets out generally in the winter when there is little grazing so she takes her self off to find some, could he be doing this? Could you get a treat ball or give him some hay or something?
 
Do you mean electric sheep netting? that is expensive.
Would be better if you used stock fence and put up ( properly) in the places he gets through. May be buy the fence and ask the field owner to put up, therefor meeting him halfway.
Also agree about the electric fence unit, it wont be strong anough to elecrify all that tape.
Does your pony have a rug on? this will contribute to him not feeling any shock or pain when going through a fence as well.
I symathise with you, i also have a pony who likes to think the grass is greener on the other side . :(
 
First thing is to make sure that you have third party public liability insurance of at least £10,00,000 as you as the owner are responsible if your horses escape and cause an accident - even if it is not your fault.

If the field is being rented out for horses the owner needs to make sure that it is suitably fenced. I would suggest that the perimeter needs to be 3 post and rails with equi-fencing (a tight form of sheep fencing so that horses feet can not become trapped in it).
 
Hi Emma,

As others have said above, it's your responsibility to make sure that the fencing is suitable for your horse. You agreed to rent what you saw - fine. But it seems to me that you THEN expected the landowner to IMPROVE the field at his expense, on your behalf. Whether or not the landowner is a fencing contractor doesn't matter. He rented you the field as was. For somebody renting new land, it IS perfectly fair to ask the landowner to put right any existing repairs that needed doing before the new tenant moved in - fair enough - and I would expect as a new tenant to be asked to be responsible for ongoing repairs for the duration my horses were in that field - again, perfectly reasonable.

But I would NOT expect a landowner to be expected to change or improve the existing fencing just because it is unsuitable for your particular horse. That is something that should have either been a) done entirely at your own expense BUT with the landowners full consent or b) Done by the landowner, but added to the cost of your rent at an agreed price.

As the landowner is a fencing contractor, then for either option a) or b) then I am sure you could have negotiated a good price with him to have it done. But (and much as I hate to say this, as I'm not one to try and offend) I've got to admit that if I was your landlord I would be mighty pee'd off about being expected to put up stock fencing especially for you at no benefit to myself (whether or not I did fencing for a living).

Anyway, others have given you plenty of good advice above on ways which might work for your pony. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that you do find an option that works, because I'd hate for any harm to come to your pony.
 
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