If your garden backed onto grazing land...

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LizScott

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Would you expect the owners of the land to ensure horses couldn't eat anything in your garden - ie back fence it so horses can't get near?

Just curious really as had a bit of a run in with the people whose garden backs onto our field this morning as my horses have eaten their precious tree and a couple of plant (oops) overnight! When we moved them there, they had trellis on top of the fence so the horses couldn't get anything - they told me they were taking it down and would the horses eat anything - I said "yes they probably will" but they took it down anyway and have now had massive go at me because their plants have been eaten and I now have to spend my food shopping money on electric fence posts!!
 
Given that most garden plants are poisonous to horses, and the problems lots of people have of people feeding over the fences, grass clippings or other rubbish being chucked over, yes I would as the field owner fence the horses off well away from the gardens. Plus I'd rather keep the neighbours on side in case of the horses being ill or messed with or other issues that could come up with the field that I'd like the neighbours to keep an eye out for and tell me about. Sorry if that doesn't help you :)
 
I agree with Bethie for the same longterm reasons. From a legal point of view, I think it is up to them to fence stock out of their garden, meaning they can't complain if your horses destroy their plants if their fencing is inadequate.
 
elderlycoupleindevon said:
I agree with Bethie for the same longterm reasons. From a legal point of view, I think it is up to them to fence stock out of their garden, meaning they can't complain if your horses destroy their plants if their fencing is inadequate.
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Nope, strict liability attaches to horses, you are technically responsible for any damage they cause no matter how it happens - up to you to keep them contained not others to keep them out!
 
Im afraid its up to you to stop your horses eating their plants, I had a simalar problem and had to electric fence along side gardens to stop it. Also as said lotsof garden plants are posion to horses so its best you do it any way. Watch out for grass clippings as well I lost a horse to colic through someone throwing their grass clippings over the fence.
 
my parents garden backs onto a field usually full of sheep or daffodils, the farmer double fenced (about a metre gap) the whole stretch of garden to stop the sheep eating the plants.It is his responsibility as the field owner to take precautions against damage to other property.
 
I wouldn't have my horses within eating reach of a garden anyway, forget damaging their plants, I'd be worried about MY horses welfare personally.
 
I had some people who complained my horse was eating their plants. Then my horse one day was leaning over like giraffe neck munching away on their runner beans which were shaking like mad! All the canes etc. He was always gravitating to this corner of a huge field.
The we saw them throwing their grass cuttings/weeds etc over the fence into the horses field. I saw them doing it!

Very interesting, as previously another horse got colic in the field.and we were sure they had been eating cuttings but couldnt prove it(the horse was in a serious way at the time..vet called etc)!We thought the horse was a gonner!

Of course I know this was a bit different but I went round and put a notice through all of the row of houses telling them to stop dumping their grass cuttings in the field as a vet had been called previously and they would be liable. As to the horse eating their plants in this case they had as far as I was concerned been feeding him and of course he was going to keep going to them. (The guy was a retired farmer too so should know better). But I did electric fence that bit of the field to stop the horse! Sorry electric fence it..just make sure they never feed the horse too.
 
Bethie said:
Nope, strict liability attaches to horses, you are technically responsible for any damage they cause no matter how it happens - up to you to keep them contained not others to keep them out!
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Are you sure? I got annoyed last year with our local farmer whose shoddy fencing (we have out own electric wire to keep our horses away from his rusty barbed wire) allowed lots of lambs and young sheep to keep hopping into my horse field and eating our grass and spooking the horses. I remember being told by a friend at the time that it was up to US to keep other animals out! Is that not correct??

I think out of niceness, its best to try and keep your animals from eating their garden plants though. For example, we have a huge garden which is bordered by 2 farmers fields - his cows are forever eating our trees and leaning so far over they're breaking the fence. It would cost us a fortune to put up huge high fencing (our garden really is that big), surely that would be up to the farmer to contain his animals?
 
Cows can digest anything so the farmer probably could not careless.

But horses, chemicals on the plants, and not knowing what plants they are eating then its up to you to make sure they dont eat them. Our old fields backed onto gardens and we had to make sure they could not get to eat the plants for the horses sake really. Also if they think they can get to the plants they push against the fences so you might want to put electric fencing around before the actual fence.
 
Its a legal responsibility to fence your stock IN, not for others to fence them out. That said,its a matter of curtersy to stop horses or other long necked [ as opposed to sheep] animals from reaching over a fence/hedge/wall but not a legal obligation as far as I know. That said I would be concerened about my stock eating anythig poisonous so its probably a good idea to run an electric tape a few feet away from the garden boundry.
BTW, as far as I am aware tipping grass cuttings and other grden waste is fly tipping. Maybe a letter to all residents saying you will prosecute is a good idea.
 
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definately double fence to keep horses away - really a matter of courtesy.

My Clyde eats anything and is good at pruning hedges/young trees. I have added electric fencing wider than streetched neck length away from anything she can steal over the fence.

Makes for better relationships with the neighboours.
 
My sympathy, I know the problem.

We have a section of fencing around 2 sides of a 2 acre lot, the house owners are gits! As for courtesy, if my neighbours want courtesy then they can try showing us some.

Our fencing is professionally installed 9 gauge stock wire - cost a bomb, but is goat, sheep and cow proof but, apparently, not child proof - their little buggers have climbed on it, bent it, CUT it, thrown trash and logs over into our grazing there. I am sick to death of having to chase the little toe rags out, we have ponds, a lot of big horses, goats, cattle, three guard dogs and god only knows what other 'hazards' that trespassers could get damaged by, why the hell should I be responsible for other people being iresponsible/damaging my property? It hacks me off big style.

I am going to have to double fence it too, mains powered:D

I have attached signs, on my side of the wire, (well, it's all my wire really:confused:) stating in large letters "DO NOT FEED ANIMALS" "DO NOT CLIMB ON FENCE" "DO NOT LITTER" "NO TRESPASSING" I hope it is an eyesore!
 
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Part of my pasture backs onto two sides of a (very nice) neighbour's garden. Unfortunately, ever since we have owned the field (over 20 years) there has been a privet hedge, so I've always had fencing up to make sure the horses can't eat it. There are two problems: 1. a rather nasty no-man's-land has developed between my fencing and his hedge, with massive nettles etc; 2. His rubbish part-time gardener clips the hedge and has been known to just chuck the trimmings onto our field if he thinks the owner isn't about. I did offer, when the current neighbour came, to put extra fencing along the "flowery" side of his garden to protect his plants, but he said he loves the horses and would make sure there was nothing poisonous within neck-length for them to eat - how nice is that. The thing that really worries is that the previous neighbour had put in a hot-tub, and my cob is always eyeing it up. I know one day I'll go out and she'll be sitting in it drinking a pina colada!
 
Some of my neighbours think they can remove their grotty garden fence & 'extend' their garden to my stock proof fence & nail their own bits of tatty chicken wire to my fence posts! I let nettles grow alongside the gardens, my contribution to local wildlife, as butterflies love these (&horses don't). I have also had the problem of the children / dogs roaming in my field & damaging the fencing. I caught some at it & made their parents pay for the repair & then painted the rails with chew (vandal) proof paint. problem solved (touch wood!) The dog problem was solved by a visit from the local bobby.
 
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