Horses kept next to motorways..?

violethillx

violethillx

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What's everyone's opinion on this? On a 15 minute journey down the motorway that I make most days I pass about 4 lots of horses kept in fields literally right next to the motorway...as in the fence is right next to the metal bumper barrier thing. Some of them are unrugged and near motorway services with no stables in sight while others are nicely rugged up and obviously are stabled on a nearby farm. The latter doesn't seem too bad but I do feel really sorry for the unrugged horses with no shelter or anything :( although they do have fresh hay in the field.
Do people think this is ok as it's just a matter of the horses getting used to it? I just feel sorry for the ones that live out next to that 24 hours :( x
 
If they have access to hay and water they are fine I imagine. Horse are designed to live outside. If they are not clipped they won't freeze to death. The hay will be putting fuel into the hind gut which keeps the central heating working. As for being next to a motor way, that won't hurt either, I imagine the fence is pretty secure.
 
They are probably happier than most horses that are stabled for 14 hours at a time with 3 rugs piled on... I wish mine could live out 24/7 year round... At Uni my mare was turned out 24/7 next to a high speed train line. At first she was a little spooky then she wouldn't even react when one approached... They get used to anything and if they have hay and water.. That's better than some...
 
inever really thought about it until my own big mare was at a yard where her field was next to a large & busy dual carriageway - i thought she was fine there UNTIL I moved her to a more rural yard & all her stressy behaviour vanished overnight - the only difference was the lack of constant traffic noise which had clearly stressed her - so i now sometimes wonder how those horses cope with the constant noise & fumes
 
Quite a while ago a woman who had several mares found that they were throwing abnormal foals, I don't think any survived, she couldn't find anything wrong nor could the vet so in desperation she had her soil analysed in her fields that were near the motorway.It was contaminated with heavy metals and pollutants and they think this was what affecting her mares.
She lived near the M23/25 interchange, I know that vehicles in general are getting cleaner all the time but personally I wouldn't like to live next to one or subject any animal I might own to it either but that's my opinion so others will probably disagree.
When Al Fayed lived at Oxted right opposite a stables I used to do the saddlery repairs at, he successfully sued the council that was responsible for the motorway as contaminants had run off the motorway and contaminated his land.
There's a vineyard right next to Junction 6 on the M25, wonder how much contaminant is in the wine they make?
 
I used to keep my pony on a yard that was situated on a hill above the M23, it was a sheer drop down to the M23 the ground also used to rumble when a train passed underneath it my pony seemed fine when she was there, and is now 27 in fact it was one of our better yards. My friend used to give her horse on a yard just by the M25 J6 turnoff never had any problems in fact, I would say that both horses are completely bomb proof as far as traffic is concerned
 
Quite a few years ago I used to ride my friends thoroughbred (dear Freddie RIP) who before she bought him lived at the end of the runway at Gatwick Airport. As you may know the M23 rattles past there too. Cracking horse and totally bombproof with anything in the sky or traffic!
 
Although it wouldn't be my first choice, if it was nice grazing and there was enough fencing then really there is no issue.
The noise would gotten used to.

As for unrugged horses living out, its how they cope and if they are well fed and cared for etc.
Makes no difference if they are next to a motorway or in an isolated field.
 
Mine is beside a motorway, the field is higher than the motorway, so unlikely to be affected by run off. I have more issues with the footpath that runs beside the field to be honest. I also have a completely traffic proof horse!
 
Mine live right up against the A14 which is fairly busy as I'm sure anyone who has to drive on it will attest to. They're fine. Why wouldn't they be?
 
In this day and age of horse attacks and thefts theyre probably safer with a stream of endless traffic and eyes on them than tucked away on a wee quiet country lane. As long as theyve got hay, water and look in good nick
 
Given the nature of squeezed grazing land there will be very few fields in the home counties certainly that aren't near something someone else would call a nuisance / hazzard whether that be motorways, trains or flightpaths, wind turbines, electric pylons etc etc.

My horses are by a motorway and are fine, if anything it has really helped the youngsters as they are not fazed by movement or noise when they go anywhere.
 
marydoll said:
In this day and age of horse attacks and thefts theyre probably safer with a stream of endless traffic and eyes on them than tucked away on a wee quiet country lane. As long as theyve got hay, water and look in good nick
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Thats another good point. I have never once been burgled but the locals down remote tracks and farmyards have.
 
Just to clarify I don't think there's anything wrong with them living out if that's what they're used to - they are naturally wild animals after all! It's more the pollution and noise that I don't find ideal.
I drove past the various groups of horses again today and there was traffic so had a proper look - one lot of them are in a field with rubbish literally all over it - for example, today I saw traffic cones and that plastic wrapping thats often on the side of motorways lying in the field, as well as a partially fallen down fence with pieces of wood sticking up everywhere, in the middle of their field. They did however have water buckets so that's something..but it was -5 where I live this morning and my own pony's water bucket was frozen over so I assume there's was too, and doubt anyone had cleared it. Don't find this acceptable at all, but I think for the horses who clearly belong to caring owners at a proper yard it's fine, though it wouldn't be my first choice. x
 
I would be scared to death of what what happen if they ever got out !!

Having said that many years ago my old boy got out on a busy Saturday and tool himself for a trot into town :o

I suppose you get used to it :)
 
I've been on two separate yards that have had fields directly borderering the M3, no problems on either and as others have said it does wonders for traffic proofing your horse.

One of the yards was totally obscured from the motorway i.e the grazing could be seen but not the stables, arena or farm house so what you see from the motorway may not be all that is there it could be on the top of a hill or in a dip.

We're currently under the Heathrow flight path a few miles from the airport - the boy is just fine with it!
 
Our winter field backs on to the M25. It has very secure fencing (high electric stuff!) and has a tree line all aong, but you can see the motorway through the trees.

I think it does make my two a bit more spooky. They have pulled a few shoes off this winter - so think they have been charging around. (Didn't have that problem in their summer field) They are out on their own in a 10 acre field so lots of space - and I have never seen them grazing too close to the fence at the back. Obviously M25 is a very busy motorway - often with accidents and massive jams. We often also police and air ambulances hovering near the field - although have never needed to land there yet!
 
mulledwhine said:
I would be scared to death of what what happen if they ever got out !!
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The good thing about being next to a motorway is that the bit of fencing that borders the motorway isn't your responsibility. So you get a darned good strong bit of safe fencing for nowt, and if there's ever anything up with it they come straight out and fix it.
 
violethillx said:
Just to clarify I don't think there's anything wrong with them living out if that's what they're used to - they are naturally wild animals after all! It's more the pollution and noise that I don't find ideal.
I drove past the various groups of horses again today and there was traffic so had a proper look - one lot of them are in a field with rubbish literally all over it - for example, today I saw traffic cones and that plastic wrapping thats often on the side of motorways lying in the field, as well as a partially fallen down fence with pieces of wood sticking up everywhere, in the middle of their field. They did however have water buckets so that's something..but it was -5 where I live this morning and my own pony's water bucket was frozen over so I assume there's was too, and doubt anyone had cleared it. Don't find this acceptable at all, but I think for the horses who clearly belong to caring owners at a proper yard it's fine, though it wouldn't be my first choice. x
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But those sort of conditions could occur regardless of whether they were beside a motorway or not. As for the noise and pollution aspects, then the noise I find makes mine bombproof and there are also humans that live closer to motorways than many horses do. It might not be ideal, but in an increasingly populated country not everyone can find rolling acres of peaceful tranquiliity for their horses, and many working horses years ago were kept in towns and cities without seeing a blade of grass.
 
I keep mine next to the M5. Granted their field is on an embankment but the track I have to ride along to get to/from the field is no more than 20 feet from the carriageway. They were a bit "looky" to start with but they don't bat an eye lid at lorries hurtling towards them at 60 mph or cars at 80 mph now.

They are also all rugged (two with neck covers) and have plenty of haylage. They come in at night to avoid the worst of the cold.

I'd say they don't care whether they're kept next to the M5 or a national park!!!
 
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