Paddock advice please - need help

Pfhalo

Pfhalo

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I have a 6yr old, healthy Arab mare that lives in a smallish
Paddock next to our house at night time
And gets turned out during the day.
I feed her carrots, a token of calm and condition in the morning
And when she comes in for the night she gets
A hay net to keep her busy.
My sister and brother in law live - behind a hedge, on the other side
Of her paddock. And I am getting almost daily
Emails about the "horse smell". It's driving me crazy.
I pooh pick as soon as she drops anything & at 6am every morning.
She wees in only one spot so I spray with vinegar and sprinkle
Baking soda. All my droppings get bagged and
Sealed and taken away (to a local nursery).
My horse doesn't smell!!!
At least I can't smell it - am I too used to it?
Is there anything else I can do?
We are erecting a shelter in front of the hedge soon
Which I hope will be even more of a wind breaker.
But I spend my days worrying now and I thought
I'd check if anyone can find a hole in my routine.
The field she goes out in belongs to the farm - ie my father
And brother in law. (Eldest son and all that) so
I don't want to risk bring told I can't keep her here any more,
But I am also starting to get annoyed with the woman!
She had horses for most of her life and now keeps a pony for her
Daughter at her mothers - how can she not like natural horse smell???
Any suggestions??
 
I would ask them what they expect you to do or if you don't want the confrontation, I would have your mare living out in her field full time if you can. I can't see how you can do any more than you are doing tbh although it sounds to me as though they are being difficult ....possibly jealousy?..as I can't see how she could create so much of a smell either
 
Can you not chat to them in a civil way about moving the horse a bit further away, since it's a farm, so I expect there is more land available?
 
With the best will in the world - it is your land. If you want to keep livestock there then that is your business as long as there is no planning constraint etc. I'm sure you would not put up with this from a neighbour not related to you - and probably they would not complain if not related to you. Understandably you don't want to sour family relations but the bottom line is that it is your property and your right to do as you please within reason.
 
Thanks guys. I think I will continue campaigning to move her to the other side of our house (so that only WE can smell her) - but I a meeting resistance there as well as it's a precious sheep field.
I can't get it right in their eyes - and I think they are trying to pressure me into putting her into livery. We do live on a 600 acre farm and I am not going to give up! My husband owns the paddock where she is currently in but they own the turn out field. So I don't want to sour relations completely but something needs to give. I have just "washed" (flooded) the paddock, raked it and sprayed vinegar. I can't do any more...
Thank you for all your replies, I am glad to hear there isn't anything obvious that I am being dim about! X
 
Well, no-ones going to poo pick the sheep that could be in there! There's a lot worse animals that could be living on a stock farm as far as smells go. And good luck to them with farming as a life if they're adverse to the smell of a bit of manure.
Could your mare go in with the sheep in the other field; she might like the company too.
 
LoL :-)
The family has farmed here for 5 generations, so you'd think they would be used to a bit if whiff.
They keep pigs, cows, a lama and sheep on the farm. "But not next to their house".
I'd love for her to go in with the sheep - but I am not allowed....
 
Buy some pigs and put them in the field instead! .... or a billy goat......
I would (and do) smile sweetly at your sister (my sister always comments that our horses smell too-but fortunately she lives a good distance away) and say nothing, and as for washing the paddock- no way....you will wreck the grass growth with vinegar-poo picking is more than sufficient surely!
All animals and humans have their unique smell, most are not too unpleasant.
They probably just have their eye on your field by the sound of it!
 
Bit weird that farmers can't stand the smell of horses! I would say there is more to this.
Maybe they don't want the horse there.
Some farmers don't like horses on there land due to them being poor grazers and that they churn up the ground Tec.
 
I would suggest to SIL that she brings the pony to share the grazing with your horse, that would provide your horse with an equine companion and probably stop all the jealousy or whatever that is behind the nonsense.
 
Horses do have an odour, that we stop smelling when we spend tim with them, but is should not be strong or offensive. They live by the field, they must expect countryside smells. tell them to get a life! You are doing all you can, which is plenty
 
thank you happy clappy ! that makes me feel better .. the air freshener is a bit of a joke .. but who knows .. it might work ;o)
 
Tell them to get over it? Surely they knew you had horses when they moved there. Its your land, you can do what you like with it. Besides, the pony was there first!!

Or you could offer them some manure for their garden :P

Ax
 
Pfhalo said:
. I have just "washed" (flooded) the paddock, raked it and sprayed vinegar. I can't do any more...
Click to expand...

Good grief, you have to "wash" and spray vinegar round your field?! Its already ridiculous! I think you need to tell her what efforts you're going to with trying to keep the smell at bay but really you cannot do anymore. She lives in the country, she has a pony of her own - what on earth is she on about?! I get strong smells of cow poo at mine because there's cows in the field next door, I can just imagine the farmers face if I complained about it! These are all nice normal country smells, maybe she needs to move into the centre of a town and see how she likes the "fresh" air there...

Ha ha, like the air freshener idea. "Magic Trees" hung up all along the fenceline beside hers would be very amusing.
 
I have been getting daily emails about the "smell"! so I thought I'd try everything I could think of - took pictures and emailed back the progress. To be fair - Tia had a bout of runny poohs last week - (coming on to hay in the paddock due to grass going) - but I even picked and hosed those away too.
One thing that has been on my mind is whether she is on too much protein bc of the hay ? I dont do hard feed yet really as she has grass during the day, carrots & token in the morning and just hay at night - but was wondering if it might affect her wee ? smelling stronger I mean ? I must be honest - I am so besotted with my horse I dont smell anything but utter lovelyness - but it did make me think today ...
 
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Has the sister in law another agenda? Sounds perverse to live on a farm and complain about animal smells. Horse smell is probably the least worst pong, too! I actually love it. Better than the tube on a hot day with sweaty humans.
 
hmmm I am sure she has some sort of agenda - she always does. We try to be friendly - but I can see how much she dislikes me through her gritted smile. Always has. Dunno - i think she feels threatened by my little sweet self ? i dont know - i have tried for years and years to make friends - but i always get rebuffed. I have 3 children - she has two - but they are never allowed play dates although they love each other. I am German, lived in the states for yonks - then the UK for now 12 years -I am a bit of a unknown quantity i guess ( not really - am a mum and have a horse and a catering business) - I really dont know. I always try to make peace as they literally live next door - but the tears I have cried over the lack in relationship are enough to fill a small pond!
She is/was an eventer - had horses all her life - I never expected my horsey to be a problem - least of all - a smelly problem.
 
hubby is away on business - but assures me that Tia doesnt smell! I think he doesnt quite get home much this is unnerving me.
He is not a horsey person - but has fallen in love with our mare. Cuddles and the lot - he is a bit of a quiet one- not up for confrontation. But I can feel his anger brewing as well - he is back tomorrow night - so we might have an eruption! he is quiet to a certain extend - but when he goes - he goes - and he loves our horse as much as me !
 
She sounds very strange. When she e-mails you next about the smell, I would just reply that it won't be a problem soon as you are going to find a nice livery yard for your horse as you're thinking of using the paddock to get some pigs in and does she have any idea which are the best breed to have......
 
Tell her enough is enough and that she's being pathetic. You poo pick the field, you're not allowed to move fields, that's all you can do..

OR... Move the horse for a few weeks, then cover the field with slurry and ask her if that's any better for her!
 
funny enough my hubby actually wants some pigs - he used to keep them when he was younger and is besotted with them.
i might just do that.
But I really dont want to move my horse- so i am worried this is all going to end badly.
I am a mum of 3 now - 2yr, 4yr and 6 year old - I can not possibly manage her through the winter if she is not next to the house. I get up at 6 am to pooh pick, feed and turn out and then get the kids ready for their day - and turn the horse out - if I dont have that right on the door step - I wouldnt be able to manage :(
 
Sounds like you're really on top of it, especially considering you have 3 young kids to look after too!!

Tbh you're already doing everything- she really does just sound like she has her head up her arse. Why don't you block her emails?

Clearly she has nothing else more pressing to worry about.

Ax
 
There is definitely something else going on with her. Is it definitely the horse and not the vinegar smell that shes objecting too? The smell of vinegar really knocks me sick! Lol

I really feel for you, must be awful. Could you maybe have chat with the farther in law and casually drop into conversation about your mare and ask his opinion and you only ask as your being harrased by the vile woman and your not sure what to do for the best.
 
i am going to sleep well tonight - THank you guys !!! I thought i was going mental - trespassing on someones nose territory -
i am doing what I can and she can just stuff herself (happy to lend her a bag of pristine bagged and sealed manure)

I am talking to my father in law tomorrow, as soon as they are back from hols!! he is grumpy too - but he loves horses!
 
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