Problems with local shoot. Help please!!

Little Squirrel

Little Squirrel

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Three years ago I moved into a property which for years before had been derelict. Without my knowledge one morning the local shoot arrived and started fireing rounds right behind my boundry hedge 20ft away from the stables. I was knocked over by a horse when trying to get them from the field all the time I was shouting at the shoot to hold on while I caught all the horses but they carried on regardless.
I went down and spoke to the shoot asking in future would they mind telling me that they would be coming. They have told me twice since this day and often arrive and start banging away behind my hedge AND also directly behind my back garden.
Today was the final straw, I could hear them coming down the field, quickly went and closed all the top doors of the stables and waited for them to start. True to form they beat along the hedge at the back of the stables and started firing, they were so close that the cartridges were hitting off the roof of the stables. The horses went mad, one went down which is what he does when he panicks. I went and spoke to the shoot again and all I got in reply was "I have horses as well and they don't mind". Well I'm sorry but mine are fit racehorses in full work and not some toys to plod about on.
They are valuable animals and my livelyhood why should I stand back and wait for one of my horses or me to get hurt before they'll take notice and shoot at a sensible distance away from my property?
I am so livid and really don't know where to go next. I don't mind them shooting at all, I just wish that they would have more common sense and shoot further away from me, my horses and my house.
Any ideas as to what to do?
 
Don't quote me on this, but my OH has a shoot, and has always told me that you have to shoot a certain distance from houses/residential areas/footpaths and livestock.
Technically horses are not livestock, but as yours are your livelihood and not your hobby exceptions should be made.
I would approach them once more, explain your thoughts and concerns with them, and mention that if they appear again without giving you a decent amount of warning you will contact the local police.
Most sporting guns are very careful of their shot gun licences, and police being involved with an incident such as yours should worry them into being more sensible with their shooting.
Again don't take this as gospel but when you apply for your shotgun certificate there are certain rules you must adhere to, one of which I am sure is not to shoot too close to any residential buildings.
R
 
I don't really know the law on shoots etc and do sympathise with you, but your horses maybe valuable expensive racehorses but all horses are valuable to there owners whatever they are used for.
 
They have to be 50 metres away from a public highway but I'm not sure if it applies to a private dwelling aswell

This is copied from the BASC website.

Horses and walkers
•All involved in shooting must have regard for others and their safety at all times.
•The frequency of shooting must not give rise to unreasonable nuisance (particularly noise) to neighbours.

•Avoid birds and spent shot falling on to public places, roads and neighbouring property.
•Shoot managers and Guns must have special regard to the safety of riders and their horses. Noise from gunfire, beaters working in cover adjacent to bridleways or falling shot can alarm horses and endanger riders.
•Where possible shoot organisers should liaise with local riders or yards, informing them when shoots are taking place.
•Shooting or beating should be paused to allow horses or other rights of way users to pass.
•All Guns should be made aware of bridleways and other rights of way as well as any fields in which horses are kept. Drives should be organised with this in mind.
 
RunToEarth said:
Don't quote me on this, but my OH has a shoot, and has always told me that you have to shoot a certain distance from houses/residential areas/footpaths and livestock.
Technically horses are not livestock, but as yours are your livelihood and not your hobby exceptions should be made.
I would approach them once more, explain your thoughts and concerns with them, and mention that if they appear again without giving you a decent amount of warning you will contact the local police.
Most sporting guns are very careful of their shot gun licences, and police being involved with an incident such as yours should worry them into being more sensible with their shooting.
Again don't take this as gospel but when you apply for your shotgun certificate there are certain rules you must adhere to, one of which I am sure is not to shoot too close to any residential buildings.
R
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That is very interesting to me. A couple of weeks ago all my sheep managed to escape, for the first time, from their pen, open a gate to get into another field and shut the gate behind them. The horses in a pen adjacent to the sheep managed to stay where they were. Coincidentally (or not?) there just happened to be a shoot going on in the next field, the boundary of which had guns and dogs on it and is 15 feet away from the edge of the sheep and horse pens with a ditch in between. The new field was several hundred yards away.

The sheep haven't got out since.
 
Maybe a warning from the police would have a better effect. We have shoots in the fields around our house. My ponies aren't bothered and my main gripe is that they keep hitting the telephone wires, putting our phones (and, woe of woes, the internet) out of action for days until BT come out to do the repairs. BT has complained but I guess all the warnings in the world will not deal with one poor shot!! When BT first told me 'the line is shot again' I thought it was some technical term. But no, it had been SHOT.
 
We have a shoot next to our land and i must say it all seems pretty well organized and they do take our horses into account like the time when they started shooting and two horses were trapped in the bottom field and went mad ( this was when i first moved here and they didn't realize that the horses were there ,) the shoot got cancelled there and then and the head guy came over to our place to profusely apologize and they even cancelled the next weeks shoot just to make sure the horses had plenty of time to get over the experience. We always get a list of dates of when the shoot will take place , how long it'll go on and at what time it'll end and i think this is all because as residents we have got good rights where shooting is involved , so my advice would be to you to find out exactly what your rights are and then go back to them armed with the facts..If they don't at least make some attempt to shoot further away from your property , i think i would go to the police first and see what they suggest. A visit from the cops maybe just the kick up the backside this lot needs.
 
All our horses are "valuable" to all of us, whether we "plod" around on them or whatever, thanks.

Sounds like you have a nest of CWG nearby, it would do my head in having to put up with that sort of crap, maybe a word to the Police about shooting so close to private property would be the place to start.
 
Years ago when I lived in Hampshire we had problems with shooters, we contacted the local firearms office via the local police station. They can advise you on the law and will be interested to confirm that those who are shooting are doing so within the law and not to harras those that don't. They are usually very helpful and aren't actually police but can give you the support you need.

I know that when my husband or myself shoot we are very aware of horses and probably make the others go over the top to ensure that the horse/rider aren't put at risk - most of it is education, but it is not acceptable to have shot land on your property.

Hope you get it resolved!
 
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Pedantic said:
All our horses are "valuable" to all of us, whether we "plod" around on them or whatever, thanks.
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Whilst I agree with this, I do sympathise after an experience on a hack, meeting a local shoot shooting across a PROW - a road, very quiet road, but a road none the less. I got "stuck" at the bottom of the road on my 4 year old with my gun shy dog (I admit this was a BIG mistake to bring them out together but the rest of the hack was on private property and the shoot was meant to be over by this point, 20/20 hindsight and all that), couldn't turn back as it looped back up the other side of the road (i.e. right next to them anyway) and couldn't go on or they'd be shooting over our heads. In hindsight I should have turned down the bridleway the other way, but at the time I was concerned he would bolt down it when they started shooting and end up on the big A road a few hundred metres down the track.

They started shooting, the dog flipped and bolted, the horse stood it for a few minutes then tried to join the dog. The only time I've ever felt compelled to dismount on a hack and just hang on to the pony. Fortunately he didn't bugger off and the dog re-appeared after, but I didn't hack him out alone again there, that's for sure. The worst thing is that I KNEW the guy who was organising it and he knew it was me, and he NEVER bothered to apologise or come and talk to me about it, even though what they were doing was illegal :(

So yes, I'd contact the police and get them involved. Tossers.
 
JFTD said:
They started shooting, the dog flipped and bolted, the horse stood it for a few minutes then tried to join the dog. The only time I've ever felt compelled to dismount on a hack and just hang on to the pony. Fortunately he didn't bugger off and the dog re-appeared after, but I didn't hack him out alone again there, that's for sure. The worst thing is that I KNEW the guy who was organising it and he knew it was me, and he NEVER bothered to apologise or come and talk to me about it, even though what they were doing was illegal :(

So yes, I'd contact the police and get them involved. Tossers.
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We have similar problems here - turning up unannounced, turning up hours after they have said, swearing at people on PUBLIC bridleways and footpaths telling them to get off, threatening to shoot people and their dogs.......the list goes on:o The gamekeeper did have his guns taken off him last year after threatening to shoot someone and then punching them - so far this season he has been better only two transgressions so far - which resukted in 4 LAME horses:rolleyes: - but I doubt he can manage a whole season without it kicking off again:o

As you say there is never any apology or effort to compromise:o
 
Disgracefull and unthoughtful behaviour.

I would suggest that you provide them with a copy of 'The code of Good Shooting Practice' You can get copies from The Secretary, The Code of Good Shooting Practice Marford Mill Rossett Wrexham LL12 0HL Tel: 01244 573019 or fax 01244 573013

If that does not work then pay a visit to your local Police Firearms Oficer who will be pleased to assist you and visit the organiser of the shoot.
 
We have many shoots around us which are active at least twice a week, but I have their calendar of events so know when not to hack in certain directions. However, because there are so many shoots even my ex-racer hardly glances up at the noise.
 
I can't quote the law, but we have 2 shoots on the land and woods around us. We have the dates when, although that can change and we have to keep the horses in for them at the request of our livery owner, which seems unfair on the horses to me.

Last winter my friend was in the barn with the horses when pellets hit the roof and the horses were panicing in their stalls. Words were exchanged.;)

I ride my mare out of the area on shoot days as I'm lucky enough to work PT, either a long hack or 2 short trundles. I to try time it as best I can, but even so, I've have had to shout hold on more than one occation.

I really do sympathise with anyone with a shoot close by.
 
I have called the police before-shoot was shooting way too close to yard which was run by one of the estate's tenant farmers. they were much better after that and the police were great.

current local shoot are good-we get a list of where they'll be at approx times. have to say, none of mine bother but they are just worthless nags after all..
 
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