New neighbors horses pooping everywhere

[Benny1981]

This is a busy US horse forum, so you should get some helpfull replies here.

https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/

Thanks I'll get on this forum and see what the Americans have to say about this! It should be an interesting discussion......

 

[Winters100]

Thanks I'll get on this forum and see what the Americans have to say about this! It should be an interesting discussion......

Do send us the link - I am very interested to see if the views are the same in the US

 

[Nasicus]

So, they're riding across your property, on your lawn (presumably when there's a perfectly appropriate road available), tearing up your lawn and then leaving piles of horse poo on your lawn and giving you lip when you ask them to clean it up, all so they can get to YOUR privately owned trail you allow them to ride on!?
Holy hell, the sheer entitlement of those riders is astonishing!
OP, you have been MORE than accommodating, and to see it being thrown back in your face makes me mad! I'm pleased to hear you're shutting off the trail for now, and I would suggest erecting a fence to keep them off your lawn, not just for the poo but also to stop them ripping the ground up! I would never dream of riding across someones lawn without express permission, and even then I wouldn't be riding across it if there was a risk of damaging the turf!

 

[Benny1981]

Do send us the link - I am very interested to see if the views are the same in the US

I'm having a hard time getting an account set up there I'll try again later

 

[Muddywellies]

Yes I've been trying to tell her but it's like in one ear out the other, I just hate closing trails. It's happening alot around here

If she's not listening, put it in writing. Give a date, maybe a fortnight (or if that's too long, a week) to show that they can abide by your request. If no improvement, I would block their access.

 

[Benny1981]

So, they're riding across your property, on your lawn (presumably when there's a perfectly appropriate road available), tearing up your lawn and then leaving piles of horse poo on your lawn and giving you lip when you ask them to clean it up, all so they can get to YOUR privately owned trail you allow them to ride on!?
Holy hell, the sheer entitlement of those riders is astonishing!
OP, you have been MORE than accommodating, and to see it being thrown back in your face makes me mad! I'm pleased to hear you're shutting off the trail for now, and I would suggest erecting a fence to keep them off your lawn, not just for the poo but also to stop them ripping the ground up! I would never dream of riding across someones lawn without express permission, and even then I wouldn't be riding across it if there was a risk of damaging the turf!

. The worst part is I don't really mind them using the lawn by the road so no one gets hurt trying to get to the trail. I mean they do rip it some but my mower can go over the tracks. àll I want is for them to shovel the poop into the woods every few days. I don't know how horses are measured but these guys are big so when one stands in one spot and poops it's a big pile! I'm sure you know, they always seem to stop to poop too. Occasionally they will keep walking and poo but it's still pretty big

 

[atropa]

You sound like an incredibly reasonable and accommodating neighbour, it's so kind of you to allow them to ride over your lawn and churn it up so that they don't have to be on the road.
I'd agree with others, fence it all off for a couple of days and see if they come to you and ask why. It's not really a big ask for someone to come along and make the effort every couple of days!

 

[Benny1981]

You sound like an incredibly reasonable and accommodating neighbour, it's so kind of you to allow them to ride over your lawn and churn it up so that they don't have to be on the road.
I'd agree with others, fence it all off for a couple of days and see if they come to you and ask why. It's not really a big ask for someone to come along and make the effort every couple of days!

I agree! It doesn't seem like alot to ask, the first 4-5 feet off the road has pretty much become a horse trail Sometimes a bigger group will go thru and will fan out a little more onto my lawn. And I don't really care just clean up the poops!

 

[Caol Ila]

I imagine that the response on the Chronicle forums will be more or less the same as here, if not more emphatic, since Americans aren't accustomed to having public rights of way on their land or 'the right to roam.'

 

[Benny1981]

Well I'm working on writing a letter of demands and what the repercussions will be if not met by Friday. I'm gonna explain that the trail is mine and the lawn they pass over is also mine. And I'm perfectly happy with them passing over it because I don't want anyone to get hurt on the busy road. Like I said before I do like having the horses around. I'll explain that I'm ok with the horse pooping on the lawn as long as it gets taken care of every few days and if one poops on my driveway or the wood chips id like it cleaned up after the ride is thru! I'll also tell them I will leave a wheel barrow and a shovel buy the wood line so one of them can easily clean it up on the way home from the barn. Ill explain how I think I've been more than fair and I'm bending over backwards for these guys to have a trail to ride on! I'm gonna make a bunch of copies and when the riders come thru on the Monday evening ride I'm gonna go out and give them each one and try and talk with them. Also going to bring some down an hand them out to the owner and who ever else is at the barn. This sux! I hate doing stuff like this. Wish me luck guys! I am really trying to make this work for everyone the barn owner the horses and riders and myself

 

[Baywonder]

This sounds like a good plan, and no-one can say they didn't know anything about it. You sound like a lovely, accommodating and very easy going neighbour - it is such a shame you are being ignored and disrespected by these ignorant, rude people.

Ultimately, if you are left no choice and end up closing the trail etc, at least you did everything in your power to avoid coming to that decision.

Some people just don't know how lucky they are do they!

Good luck.

 

[Nevin's Run]

Well I'm working on writing a letter of demands and what the repercussions will be if not met by Friday. I'm gonna explain that the trail is mine and the lawn they pass over is also mine. And I'm perfectly happy with them passing over it because I don't want anyone to get hurt on the busy road. Like I said before I do like having the horses around. I'll explain that I'm ok with the horse pooping on the lawn as long as it gets taken care of every few days and if one poops on my driveway or the wood chips id like it cleaned up after the ride is thru! I'll also tell them I will leave a wheel barrow and a shovel buy the wood line so one of them can easily clean it up on the way home from the barn. Ill explain how I think I've been more than fair and I'm bending over backwards for these guys to have a trail to ride on! I'm gonna make a bunch of copies and when the riders come thru on the Monday evening ride I'm gonna go out and give them each one and try and talk with them. Also going to bring some down an hand them out to the owner and who ever else is at the barn. This sux! I hate doing stuff like this. Wish me luck guys! I am really trying to make this work for everyone the barn owner the horses and riders and myself

You sound so completely reasonable and understanding - they ought to realise how blessed they are that that's your attitude. Few other land owners would be so patient and nice about it - and they'd also be well within their rights. Your riders should realise that they've lucked out with you as a land owner and not somebody less understanding - and they should buck up their ideas and stop taking advantage! Damn kids haha

 

[HazuraJane]

Put up some of those rainbow spinning garden decorations at the trailhead, enough of them to act as a fence.

 

[HeyMich]

Just thinking.... do you have a local FaceBook or Whatsapp group for your village/town? If so, please pop up a copy of the letter on there, just in case the angry horsey people start spouting off about how mean and unreasonable you are! If folk within the wider community know that you are trying your best to be reasonable, it may encourage them to all tow the line. Good luck, and let us know how it all pans out...

 

[Fred66]

Not sure on the law in the US but the general impression we are given is that they can get quite litigious. Might be wise not to state that you are ok with them being on your land to stay safe, as if you end up banning them and one of them then has an accident on the road then they might possibly be able to claim against you.
Keep it simple, just state that if they walk across your lawn then they must clear up after themselves otherwise you will have to stop them from using not only your lawn but also the trail.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Put up some of those rainbow spinning garden decorations at the trailhead, enough of them to act as a fence.

This is actually quite brilliant ?

Get the brightest, most reflective, shiniest, garden decorations. Bonus points of they move!

Of course some horses don't care about any of this and are more offended by a stray leaf on the ground ?

 

[Keith_Beef]

Yes its just gotta happen I guess. It's just like come on work with me. I know it's the woman's lively hood too. I'm right between a rock and a hard place with this one.

I don't see how you're between a rock and a hard place at all... If you allow it to continue, you'll be seen as a pushover and you'll have more manure that you need for 10 acres of rhubarb.

In the same situation, I'd find it very simple to tell the yard owner that she has no right of way or easement, that you allow riders from her yard out of the goodness of your heart and that any muck left by horses from her yard must be cleared from your lawn or drive within 6 hours of it being deposited, and if this rule is broken more than twice in the next month you'll fence off the lawn and access to the trail.

If it got to the point that I fenced off the lawn and access to the trail, I'd give 24 hours notice and use inexpensive electric fencing and yellow and black hazard tape to make sure nobody reasonable could come to harm, and then allow the yard owner to come begging for access to be allowed again.

I'd make access subject to a written agreement for only named individuals jointly and severally with the yard owner, with an up-front payment of $1000 from the yard owner (up to her to choose whether to pass on this charge immediately to her riders) to cover removal of any muck at a rate of $100 per occurrence. Once the $1000 was depleted, forbid access once more.

Let her come back and beg for access again, but this time double it to a $2000 up-front payment with removal charged at $200 per occurrence.

I think that you need to make her understand that if she's using your lawn and your trail as a selling point to get people to stable horses in her yard, then she must either keeps her riders under control and stay on good terms with you, or else she pays for the use of your land.

 

[Arzada]

I'll explain that I'm ok with the horse pooping on the lawn as long as it gets taken care of every few days and if one poops on my driveway or the wood chips id like it cleaned up after the ride is thru!

I'd keep this really simple without these 2 scenarios ie wherever it is deposited then it is cleared within the time frame you specify. Avoids any 'misunderstanding'

 

[Benny1981]

I confronted the riders yesterday evening and told them I was tired of all the poop and if they want to continue to use the trail I own there's gonna be some changes or it's getting blocked on Friday afternoon. They were a little snotty at first but I think it was the first time that they realize the trail was mine and not just some guy upset about horse poop on his lawn. They didn't say much, it was soaking in I could tell but the look on their faces. I gave them each a copy of my stipulations and told them to please comply to my simple request or no more trail! I know why they stay off the road I said, and it's fine to hug my lawn but please try and keep the damage to a minimum and please just pick up the poop! I pointed to the wheel barrow and shovel in the corner of my yard and sayd feel free to use it and dump the poop in the woods. I also mentioned that I went online and talked with many riders in a few forums to see how I should handle this without just saying no more riding. I said every rider I talked to was appalled by what you ladies were doing to my yard and they also agreed that riders like you young ladies make all horse riders look bad! My final comment was I do enjoy seeing the horses pass by and enjoying the woods so please don't ruin this for all of us. Please give a copy of the letter to the barn owner and hang it in the barn! Have a wonderful ride ladies I hope I'll continue to see you around. I think I got thru.....they sayd ok and rode off. I'll find out if the did any cleaning when I get outta work in a bit. Thanks for all your suggestions and helpfull advise!!

 

[Arzada]

Well done and fingers crossed that they will respect you and clear up

 

[Benny1981]

I confronted the riders yesterday evening and told them I was tired of all the poop and if they want to continue to use the trail I own there's gonna be some changes or it's getting blocked on Friday afternoon. They were a little snotty at first but I think it was the first time that they realize the trail was mine and not just some guy upset about horse poop on his lawn. They didn't say much, it was soaking in I could tell but the look on their faces. I gave them each a copy of my stipulations and told them to please comply to my simple request or no more trail! I know why they stay off the road I said, and it's fine to hug my lawn but please try and keep the damage to a minimum and please just pick up the poop! I pointed to the wheel barrow and shovel in the corner of my yard and sayd feel free to use it and dump the poop in the woods. I also mentioned that I went online and talked with many riders in a few forums to see how I should handle this without just saying no more riding. I said every rider I talked to was appalled by what you ladies were doing to my yard and they also agreed that riders like you young ladies make all horse riders look bad! My final comment was I do enjoy seeing the horses pass by and enjoying the woods so please don't ruin this for all of us. Please give a copy of the letter to the barn owner and hang it in the barn! Have a wonderful ride ladies I hope I'll continue to see you around. I think I got thru.....they sayd ok and rode off. I'll find out if the did any cleaning when I get outta work in a bit. Thanks for all your suggestions and helpfull advise!!

I'd like to add it was a pleasure chatting with you all and I enjoyed the discussion very much! It was nice to see that not all horse people are so rude and disrespectful! Thanks for letting a non horse person join your forum!

 

[Winters100]

I'd like to add it was a pleasure chatting with you all and I enjoyed the discussion very much! It was nice to see that not all horse people are so rude and disrespectful! Thanks for letting a non horse person join your forum!

It was a pleasure chatting to you Benny, and I think that everyone reading this wishes that you were their neighbour. Let us know if it has done the trick, and thank you for being such a kind person.

 

[atropa]

I did wonder if maybe they didn't realise that you owned the trail...although it's no excuse really, at least they now know they should be trying to keep on your good side!
Fingers crossed your letter does the trick! Please keep us updated if it works out if you have the time!

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Id love to see pictures. Our holiday to Maine was cancelled recently, I’m really disappointed. I wanted to see the late summer colours.

 

[MrsMozartleto]

I'm late to this, but having read the thread I really hope the riders have the common decency to follow the rules and to apologise.

You sound like a lovely person. One the world could probably do with more of.

 

[Lois Lame]

I'm so glad that they didn't realise you owned the trail Benny until your most recent chat with them, because now I reckon they'll mind their manners in future, having learned something.

I reckon we've all enjoyed your thread very much.

 

[yhanni]

Benny, please come back and tell us if it worked!!

 

[Reacher]

Well done Benny! I certainly wish you were my neighbour (please can I move in next door?!) Hope things improve from now on - I think they will

 

[Benny1981]

Holy cow!! I seem to have gotten thru....I just went out this morning to find all the previous piles are cleaned up!!! Not bad!! They must of done it yesterday evening,I went in and passed out early after work cause it's been very very hot this week. There was only one big poop there and it looked fresh I think someone went for an early morning ride to avoid the heat of the day......I hope that they stick too it and keep cleaning every couple days, sence my yard had become the prime pooping place for all horses passing thru....I would have sworn they saved it all for my lawn in the beginning when I noticed the poop started to pile up.? But you guys helped me realize that that horses develop poop habbits.....and I think it's always gonna be the designated pooping spot especially with so many riders passing thru but I hope they keep it picked up we will all get along just fine!!

 

[Orangehorse]

So pleased to hear this! I think you handled this very well, and I hope it really does have a happy ending for everyone. For you and your clean lawn and for the riders able to get to the ride.