Horse in house - law/ rules?

[alainax]

Are there any rules which state that you cannot keep horses in your home?

I haven't went mad ( I hope!), I'll try to describe the situation.

Very old property which includes original and very beautiful stables. Property is mostly now converted to a house. If stables were to be kept, and living space created above and next door to them, is this ok?

I was wondering about fire hazards and building control, even smells! I guess people have bedrooms above garages and that's ok!

Thanks for any info to might know.

 

[GoldenHours]

I once knew a stud vet who had rooms situated above the stables of the horses he was looking after and I'm sure that must happen a lot on yards. No doubt there'll be someone on here with knowledge of building control to advise but yes, plenty of flats/houses above garages as well as traders living 'above the shop' so I reckon you'll be ok. Sounds fab!

 

[FfionWinnie]

The main rule is we require lots of photos at your earliest convenience.

 

[alainax]

Thank you both we haven't bought it yet, but if we do I promise lots of pics!

I have fallen in love with the place, and it takes keeping your horse at home to a whole new level!

The stables are simply gorgeous, original feature of the place. In fact, I'll post a pic anyway, as I can't even begin to describe them!

 

[3Beasties]

My concern would be the smells and vermin that will no doubt accompany the horses!

 

[alainax]

My concern would be the smells and vermin that will no doubt accompany the horses!

Yes I had thought about that too, I have 2 cats but thier mousing skills haven't been put to the test yet! Might have to get some proper mousers. The access from the living areas to the stables would be via a covered court yard. The walls are massive thick stone between the areas. So access to the house from the stables wouldn't be straight through, even for a mouse! The ceiling is presume is not though, so smells could travel that way. I guess I would have to work out which is the least smelly bedding, and keep the boxes clean.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I highly doubt it would be any worse for vermin than any other old house in the country.

My daughter's bedroom used to be the pig house (ha ha). There is now a door through into the main cottage but the walls between it and the cottage are 3ft stone so no issues about smell or sounds. I imagine stables would be similar. Drainage would be my main concern. If that's ok I expect it'll be grand.

 

[alainax]

I highly doubt it would be any worse for vermin than any other old house in the country.

My daughter's bedroom used to be the pig house (ha ha). There is now a door through into the main cottage but the walls between it and the cottage are 3ft stone so no issues about smell or sounds. I imagine stables would be similar. Drainage would be my main concern. If that's ok I expect it'll be grand.

That's a very good point thank you. The floor seems to be scored with the water supposed to run to a drain, however I guess that will need checked to see if it works

There are also large glass windows in one of the loose boxes, they also look very old glass, so must have been OK for the horses back then, but nowadays I am guessing it's safer to put bars up?

 

[wench]

I think most estate/old style stables had the grooms accommodation above the stables, or at least in the vicinity of the horses

 

[Nicnac]

My office is in converted stables - downstairs is the area where the carriages were parked and the horses kept whilst upstairs used to be groom's accommodation and hay store. It was residential before we got B1 use so definitely 'allowable' and I love it (the only issue is the upstairs floor - chairs and cabinets on wheels tend to move themselves!)

 

[Evie91]

I live in an old coachmans cottage. Think of a square, cottage at the back side, stables attached to other side and coach house the opposite, leaving the side in front of the house clear (about as clear as mud I guess!!).
Have two cats which are brilliant mousers but have never seen a mouse or rat in the stables and no evidence either.
No smell from stables either but I was ocd about keeping them clean, thick beds, skipped out and full muck out every day and muck heap was a bit of a trek - as didn't want it near the house!
My husband was worried there were more flies about - hung strips in the stables to catch them. I didn't think so.
Also remember it's not for everyone, so may affect resale. Apparently not many people want stables connected to house. The only thing with mine is that although connected to the house I couldn't actually see the horse from any of the Windows -unless I hung my head and body out and looked round!! I'd have loved a window from house into stables!

 

[Caol Ila]

If you're in commuting distance of Glasgow, can my pony move in?

 

[oldie48]

We live in a converted Victorian property which was originally stables on either side of a courtyard joined by fairly basic staff accommodation. It also had storage for a coach and an archway through which the coach could drive up to the big house. Since the 50's it has undergone a variety of renovations etc but one of the wings is still a stable block for three horses, which I use. I'm adding pics to give you some idea of the layout. We don't have problems with rats or flies, although we do get the occasional rat about the stables. The biggest issue has been mice in the roof space eating the electrical wiring, which we seem to have stopped now and people using the bedroom adjacent to the stables hearing the horses in the night, we have had no problems whatsoever. My OH gets cross if I don't pick out feet because it messes up the place up and I do try to do this. I can cross the courtyard in my pjs to check the horses and I love them being so close. I can't think of any other issues.

The pictures show the layout which is round an enclosed courtyard, the right hand sde which is still stables and one of the end stables. I hope this is helpful

 

[Dry Rot]

Wimp! You really ought to go the whole hog and do one this woman did!

A woman on Lewis is keeping a pony in her house because she says there is nowhere suitable on the island where it can be stabled over the winter.

Stephanie Noble, 65, moved Grey Lady Too into the lounge of her semi-detached home in Back on Christmas Eve.

The pony's bed of straw has been laid over a covering of 60 litres of cat litter and four heavy duty blankets.

The local council said she could do what she wished at her home, but would not encourage taking in a pony.

The Scottish SPCA said it had offered to take care of her pony.

Ms Noble said: "This is my own property - if I want to even keep an elephant in the house I can. I have had nothing but stick from people because it is unconventional.

"It is not normal to keep birds in a cage - because they should be flying about - but people don't complain about that.

"Grey Lady Too is very happy.

"She goes out to the lawn - though she has eaten a couple of the neighbour's plants - and comes back in the house herself."

Ms Noble added: "The pony is very happy in the lounge and the Scottish SPCA have checked her and say she is good health."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-16505629

 

[Goldenstar]

As a child my best friend lived in a house with her grandparents .
It would have been built around 1900 .
The stables where attached to the house there where two loose boxes for hunters / riding horses and two stalls for carriage horses there was a coach house and the most fabulous tack room with a fire .
Under the windows in the stable corridor ( they where internal ) there where built in boxes that you filled with straw and used to keep the mashes or gruel warm .
I remember it with such affection we both had Shetlands and they lived in the stalls with chains across the back .
It was like Flambards it's a house now .

 

[RunToEarth]

I think most estate/old style stables had the grooms accommodation above the stables, or at least in the vicinity of the horses

Well yes, that is true. However, certain new works require you to adhere to current building regs, which have certain requirements that historically we didn't need.

OP - I think I would get hold at a building surveyor who specialises in agricultural/equestrian works, have him out to site and give you an opinion on what you may be required to do.

It may be as simple as building a double skin or fire proofing the stables from the main house. Our stables are probably 100yards from the house and the mouse problem will be a problem regardless, but easily controlled.

 

[LibbyL]

Where I go for lessons has an arch as part of the building you walk under into a courtyard and it just looks like a normal manor house. Then you have to walk through a normal sized door, bit of a squeeze for some horses! and then you are in the stables, with bedrooms up above them! Really pretty. They were worried about escaping in a fire so build another door on the opposite end but otherwise it is fine, looks incredibly impressive!I almost went through the wrong door the first time I went there...would have ended up in the kitchen!!

 

[gothdolly]

I went to see a house for sale in Lincolnshire once where the rather eccentric house owner was keeping a small grey pony in the sitting room.

 

[Dry Rot]

As a farm student I worked on a farm that used to be the Whitley's stud farm. The stables were beautifully built in red brick but the stallion yards had eight foot walls so the horses could not look out. All partialu derelict and being used as a piggery. The hay loft was above with trap doors to drop hay direct into hay racks. The groom's accommodation was at the end of this loft, but not part of the main house.

OP, that is a beautiful house!

 

[planete]

Be careful the horses cannot see through your windows into your house. I remember going past the living-room window on all fours so my horse would not catch sight of me from his stable to avoid him demanding his breakfast there and then! Apart from this minor inconvenience I really enjoyed having the horses next door, I hope you can do the same.

 

[Auslander]

Be careful the horses cannot see through your windows into your house. I remember going past the living-room window on all fours so my horse would not catch sight of me from his stable to avoid him demanding his breakfast there and then! Apart from this minor inconvenience I really enjoyed having the horses next door, I hope you can do the same.

I am laughing hollowly at this. My lot all live out, and my stables are at the other end of my land, but the fields all come up to the garden fence - I have to creep about like a mouse if I want to have a coffee before I go out to feed in the morning! I get eyeballed through the sitting room window all summer too!

Groom accomodation was above the stables at the Fox Pitts - lovely old Edwardian stables and a tack room - then a door out the back which led to the stairs up to the grooms flat. I don't remember smells or flies or vermin. You could occasionally hear horses moving around below, but it was a lovely comforting noise