Help, How to keep kids out of my field?

C

classybutwild

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 August 2010
Messages
113
Location
Knee Deep in Mud!
Visit site
Hi i have a 4 acre field i rent to put my 2 boys in, they have only been in there about a month, and im now getting reports of people that there has been kids in the field and touching my horses. At the minute my cob is very fat so is on restricted grazing, im worried they are feeding him. The problem i have is it has a public footpath right the way through the field, so can't put signs up about going in the field. Any ideas how i can stop them going near MY ponys. thanks
 
geese? preferably attack geese?

My friend has a shetty that hates everyone and will charge at people, its rotated between fields with footpaths to deter people, apparently that works.

Or you could put up a sign to try and educate the kids, explaining that the horse could get ill if its fed. no doubt they are probably just going in for a pat and a cuddle.
 
Can you fence the path off at all, with electric fencing, it'll be a pain I know, but as long as you have signs up every so many feet (can't remember exactly how many feet apart....) then this at least will serve some as some sort of barrier, then if they get zapped, it's their own fault! Also signs on gates and things saying 'HORSES KICK AND BITE'...you are at least covering yourself there just in case that DOES happen, but it might deter them.

I'd have to say, I would be fencing the path off, whether it runs through the middle....or at the side.....
 
ThePinkPony said:
geese? preferably attack geese?

My friend has a shetty that hates everyone and will charge at people, its rotated between fields with footpaths to deter people, apparently that works.

Or you could put up a sign to try and educate the kids, explaining that the horse could get ill if its fed. no doubt they are probably just going in for a pat and a cuddle.
Click to expand...

i'd love to see the shetty charging, and the people screaming....running for their lives!

:D
 
How nice, an attack shetty, god forbid the plebs should set foot on their land eh, footpaths or not:mad:
 
I walk along public footpaths all the time. I don't drop litter, I don't leave gates open, I don't let my dog poop all over the place, I don't let him chase stock, and I am just about sick to death of whining landowners going on and on about paths and deliberately making them hard to walk over. It stinks, frankly:mad: How dare people put all walkers into the same stereotype? When non-horsey people say all horsey people are rich snobs with fat backsides that hold up traffic and never say thank you there's uproar, how is it ok for horsey people to do the same?:mad:

**Breathes**

Anyway OP, that wasn't aimed at you. Try fencing the route of the path off with electric tape, and running a double line along so greedy coblet can't go over and beg for food. Yes, it will cost money, but it's a hell of a lot cheaper than a vets bill from a big lammi attack, and will save a lot of heartache too.
 
OP you have my total sympathy. We have a public footpath running across our 12 acre field and get dog walkers who don't pick up after their dog :mad: We get kids on those annoying little motorbike things. We get the local kids wanting to stroke the horses. We even get folks wanting to practice their golfing skills :eek:

Luckily our horses are pretty laid back and don't bother much with what goes on in the field. We treat is as desensitizing for them. Our fatty paddocks are at the opposite end of the field to the path so the kids tend to stay away from those

As long as they don't actually do anything to scare or injure the horses we tend to leave them be but we do keep an eye on them
 
Spudlet said:
I walk along public footpaths all the time. I don't drop litter, I don't leave gates open, I don't let my dog poop all over the place, I don't let him chase stock, and I am just about sick to death of whining landowners going on and on about paths and deliberately making them hard to walk over. It stinks, frankly:mad: How dare people put all walkers into the same stereotype? When non-horsey people say all horsey people are rich snobs with fat backsides that hold up traffic and never say thank you there's uproar, how is it ok for horsey people to do the same?:mad:

**Breathes**

Anyway OP, that wasn't aimed at you. Try fencing the route of the path off with electric tape, and running a double line along so greedy coblet can't go over and beg for food. Yes, it will cost money, but it's a hell of a lot cheaper than a vets bill from a big lammi attack, and will save a lot of heartache too.
Click to expand...

Erm, awkward. noone has said any of those things on this thread. But woo for you. unfortunately at least half of walkers are not at all like you. having lived on country estates for most of my life, you get to see alot of ignorance. Weve had fires started and left, motorbikes in crops, doggers, people cutting down stock fencing so they can get through, ''right to roam'' ers who havent a clue, drug takers leaving hypoderms in hedges ect ect... YOU are probably the minority Spudlet, and landowners do have a right to moan when inconsiderate idiots cannot even manage walking in a straight line without doing damage to their fences or animals.

OHs old boss has had people storm onto the shoot, stand in front of the line of guns and demand they stop shooting as it is public access... erm, no its private land... no its not, ive lived here for so and so years... i dont givea feck, my family have OWNED this land since the 1800's... hurmp, well, i'll call the police, having guns.... you go do that, before i have you escorted off my land...

Hes another who got all undesignated footpaths taken off his land..can you blame him?

OP have a look on an ordinance survey map, unless the footpath has designated by it, it isnt a real footpath and you can remove it from your land. A family member had problems with walkers letting their dogs chase their sheep and horses and have removed all footpaths onto their land now.
 
To be honest all the above have their merits but the best thing you can do is to engage the kids with your horses.

Try talking to them and educating them as to how to approach, groom, etc a horse. If their parents allow you could maybe say they could sit on the horse, if they do some poo picking (that normally puts them off!!).

If you manage to enlist them, the advantage is you can make the kids your eyes and ears when you are not there looking out for your horses. Ask them to report immediately to you if anyone strange is feeding, touching, approaching your horses!!
 
I think canteron has the best idea, they will just be pony mad but ponyless kids desparate for equine contact. They would probably be mortified if they thought they were doing any harm and would love to help out. If offering a ride isn't possible I bet just grooming would satisfy them and they'd probably be great for poo picking, rag pulling etc as well as keeping an eye out for anyone feeding the horses.
 
Unfortunatley I think its a case of a few ruining it for the majority.
We wouldnt mind dog walkers on leads on our land even though there are no footpaths, however a few who have cut fences to acces and let their dogs chase the horses and sheep have ruined it for the other 90% of nice walkers who we wouldnt mind, unfortunalty we cant be there 24/7 watching out and permiting who is and isnt allowed.

OP I should think a sign warning there could be serious health consequences for your horse should he be fed outside of his retricted diet should do it.
And PS unless it is public right of way I unfortunatly would say try your best to keep them out, being children you are more likley to be at risk (legally speaking) if they sustain any injuries as it does happen sometimes.
xx
 
I love kids but I personally wouldn't encourage them. You may have 2 kids that you can vouch for but when their school friends start turning up as well you don't know what's going to go on. I'd be pleasant but firm in asking them not to touch or feed the horses and put signs up to this effect. If they know other residents are keeping an eye this will discourage them.
 
We dont have public footpaths/bridlepaths through the land in Ireland like you have in the UK. But you still get guys going through hunting foxes etc., last summer I came back late from a show and went down the fields to check on the mares and foals, it was just dusk and I could see a powerful torch shinning in the field where they were and three lads from the nearby town were there lamping rabbits with a couple of terriers. I told them that the mares and foals could be upset by the light but that the bigger danger was the big bull that was with the cows that shared their field. Any of them could make the Olympic team for the 100 mtrs and the high jump as they were in such a hurry they didnt even open the gate!!!! So put a bovine in there most people wouldnt know a bull from a cow, although ours was the real thing! On a serious note are you held responsible if your horse does anything to anyone on one of these public footpaths?
 
The answer is yes. In the UK, UNLESS you have a clear warning sign up, you will be liable if anything happens to someone on your land, invited or not. So while the shetland chasing people sounds fun (and it does to me!), legally, if its a public footpath you could be in trouble and if was private land and they were trespassing, you would STILL be liable unless you had warning signs up,
 
not sure that quite legally accurate...

If someone is on private land they are trespassing at their own risk.. if anything does happen they cant prosecute as they shouldnt have been there in the first place.
 
ThePinkPony said:
not sure that quite legally accurate...

If someone is on private land they are trespassing at their own risk.. if anything does happen they cant prosecute as they shouldnt have been there in the first place.
Click to expand...

No unfortunatly you have a duty of care to take reasonable measures to protect people on your land or property legally or not, ie. clear signage at least. Sounds a bit mad I know but if its kids extra care should be taken as they are higher risk and more likley not to realise where they should or shouldnt be, especially since it seems OP has a public right of way on their land. Best thing to do is fence the path off and put clear signs up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top