Threat of Invasion - what to do??

Cazzah

Cazzah

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 November 2008
Messages
1,224
Location
Doncaster-ish
Visit site
I have a dilemna. I'll fill you in a little on the situation and would then welcome opinions/input.

I keep my horse and pony at home. We rent 4 acres straight out the back of the house. I have fenced half of this and this is used for grazing and I cut the top two acres for hay.

This morning I was clipping my horse and he suddenly grew about a foot and the pony was charging aroung the field. I turned round to see a pick up circling around slowly in my top field. I thought it may be someone shooting (and although highly unlikely thought that they may have permission from the landowner). They saw me looking and carried on. I then walked to the end of my fenceline and asked politely what they were doing. A conversation resulted with the two (pretty hard looking) blokes in the pick up and they told me that they were going to put twenty coloured horses on the field from an area about two miles away and were just dropping the hay off?!

I replied that the land was mine and that they were not to do so. They then started asking if we owned it, where we lived etc. I reiterated that the land was ours, our house backed onti it (though about 30 houses also do so wasn't that specific!), I cut it for hay and no way did I want anything grazing on it. They said they would use the field next door instead (not sure who this belongs to but not convinced that they'd be happy with 20 horses on two acres either?!). He then asked me again 'if was a 'no' to using our field', and I replied most definitely. I then walked back down the field and they left.

I then went to see the lady who we rent from and talked to her about it. It transpires that the man in question has a pretty bad reputation (including death threats, arson etc) and has invaded other land previously. I have called the police and registered the incident. We have also called the person who has been maintained the adjoining field and I believe that they were also calling the police. We now have a couple of options and I would welcome your opinions on them:

1. Fence the field and use it for grazing my own horses. I personally feel it unlikely that they will move their horses into an occupied field but????

2. Plough the top field. This would screw me up for hay and i also school my horse on there.

Landowner has offered to pay for either so cost not a problem - just don't really fancy 20 new horsey neighbours trashing my field - or indeed any reprisals. I was polite but firm throughout so don't think I've antagonised anyone so far.

The whole incident has left me feeling a bit shaken and I am now worried about potential consequences. Aaaargh!!!
 
Nightmare!

Can you get the field secure for now so that they can't get onto it? Block the access?

I would arrange for ti to be fenced asap and then maybe borrow a couple of ponies to put on there for a few weeks which will hopefully put them off, then you can get the ponies off in time to still grow it on for hay.
 
Can you put something across the gateway to limit access?

I wouldn't go as far as to plough the field on the off chance they may put some horses in there.
 
if you ploughed all the way round the edge of the field up to your own fence line would you still have access to it?

if you can fence it and gate it great but dont forget to lock it. IME the horses are usually on the ground the same or the next day, but they might not bother as you have spoken to them, did they leave any hay? once the horses are on they are really tricky to get moved and they become the responsibility of the land owner its no fun.

the farmers round here resorted to untethering and tying the horses in the hedges on the roadside as the horse rescues would not take them if they were safe, its crazy. the farmers went to such extremes as the rspca threatened to prosecute one for neglect and suffering even though the horses were not his and they had no right to be there
 
Cheapest way is to dump silage in the entrance. We have to do this in sheep field or they just open the gates and let everything loose before moving in.
Last time we had them on our land we got diggers out and started digging entrance out so they'd be shut in, moved very fast then.

I'd also be inclined to get something to puncture tyres down in entrance, but then you'd probably have some angry men on your doorstep!
Advise police too... They often use stolen vehicles our way.
 
Boxers said:
Nightmare!

Can you get the field secure for now so that they can't get onto it? Block the access?
Click to expand...

I have been and measured and if this is the option we go with then we will be down to the local farmstore for posts and tape tomorrow at 8am! The issue is that there is almost 200m with no natural boundary so it needs a full fence. I have already got a single strand of electrice tape (with no power on) across this and have taped off the gateway. No way I can do anymore at this stage as nothing open round us today?!
 
I wouldnt personally fence (they've got a better field) and not sure I'd put yours out there after having sheep let out to put their horses in.

I like JJs idea of ploughing the outside.
 
If the field is not fenced how will they keep 20 horses on it? Could you tether that many? permenant fencing will not be a quick solution - I'd imagine it'd take at least a couple of weeks to find someone and get them in to put it up.
And what if they did put them in with yours!?!!? I'd be concerned about cross infection of lots of nasty things.
Perhaps put a note up clearly stating that the field is private property and the police will be called for any unauthorised access.
Ploughing seems very drastic and such a shame for you/ your horses - could this be a last resort if they actually arrive?
Hopefully your polite but clam NO will make them look elsewhere
 
I would allow your horses full access to your land and put something large and heavy across the entrance.....good luck, sounds an absolute nightmare...
 
If your going to fence with plastic posts and electric tape - surely they'll just take this down to get their ponies in - in fact energisers and the like are very popular theft targets here in south Lincs.

Could you buy and have delivered lots of large heston straw bales? They are too big for them to move but you might find a farmer that will come and build you a lego type wall this afternoon/ tomorrow. They must be 3/4 meters long so you'd need 50 or so and they are £20 ish each so not a cheap option but less than proper post and rail.
 
I would fence, gate and then deposit 2 big hestons in the gateway.
Also OH would probably have shot his tyres out :D

We had someone invade out land once, slightly different they came in caravans and refused to move. At 2am OH and his dad took tractors, chained them to the caravans and dragged them onto the road causing considerable damage to the caravans then put big bales over the field gateway.
Not what id recommend though unless you know you are tougher than they are!
But they never came back...

We have a zero tolerance trespassing policy. : D
 
Snowflakedale said:
I would fence, gate and then deposit 2 big hestons in the gateway.
Also OH would probably have shot his tyres out :D

We had someone invade out land once, slightly different they came in caravans and refused to move. At 2am OH and his dad took tractors, chained them to the caravans and dragged them onto the road causing considerable damage to the caravans then put big bales over the field gateway.
Not what id recommend though unless you know you are tougher than they are!
But they never came back...

We have a zero tolerance trespassing policy. : D
Click to expand...

Brilliant! Well done to your OH and Dad! :)
 
I can get a small army rounded up to assist with fencing tomorrow so in theory could have my horses out there by tomorrow evening. Like the idea of large bales in the gateway too.

It really shouldn't have to come to such measures - the attitude of entitlement really narks me off and the underlying intimidation is horrid. My OH has the tolerance level of a gnat so I really hope the situation resolves peacefully - really can't see the alternative ending well :/
 
Polos Mum said:
If your going to fence with plastic posts and electric tape - surely they'll just take this down to get their ponies in - in fact energisers and the like are very popular theft targets here in south Lincs.
Click to expand...

The electric fence is on mains - run from our utility room. I would be fencing with wooden posts. My current perimeter fence on our paddock is 4'6" with three strands of tape/thick rope and then a zig zag of the thinner twine. It is pretty robust. I do think that it really doesn't matter what type of fence is up - if they really want to get in then they will. For me it is more about marking out clearly our boundary.
 
I had a similar instance a few years ago where six gypsy cobs appeared in an unused field. I knew who they belonged to and told them the move them. I was told that they had escaped from two miles away and wandered there. Odd as there were a lot of other fields they could have gone into on the way here.
I gave them a day to get them out, they didn't believe me but were obviously keeping an eye out because when I caught them all and started to load them in the lorry they quickly came to retrieve them.

I would chain and padlock the gate with locks and chain they cannot cut through. Either reverse one of the gate hinges so that they cannot lift the gate off or, weld something over one hinge that the gate cannot be lifted.

If by any chance they do put the horses in there, drive them out onto the road and call the police that there are a herd of horses loose.
 
Cazzah said:
The electric fence is on mains - run from our utility room. I would be fencing with wooden posts. My current perimeter fence on our paddock is 4'6" with three strands of tape/thick rope and then a zig zag of the thinner twine. It is pretty robust. I do think that it really doesn't matter what type of fence is up - if they really want to get in then they will. For me it is more about marking out clearly our boundary.
Click to expand...

Ahh that does sound more hassle than it would be worth for them to take down - fingers crossed they'll wander off and find an easier target
 
I would be in there with the plough, despite the hay aspect.

I just would! Having seen what a nightmare it can all turn into.

No grass, no dumped horses.

sad but at least you could sleep at night.
 
Fh agree with reversing gate hinge.

I would not be driving the horses onto the road though. If there is an accident the police will go after you not the owners. I like the idea of chucking them onto a lorry though, would make them move fast.
 
Polos Mum said:
Ahh that does sound more hassle than it would be worth for them to take down - fingers crossed they'll wander off and find an easier target
Click to expand...

post and rail fence is noisy to take down which attracts attention, electric just needs to be cut, then they put theirs in on tethers and yes they will tether 20, an old hospital near me had 47 tethered down here in the snow 13yrs ago. lovely ponies in great condition. the electric if it feeds back will show them what house you are in so if you are out they will know.

if they want in the field they will get in there you just need to make it as difficult as poss, they may not bother now they know the field is used by someone who overlooks it.
 
With 20 horses their ideal would be a fenced field surely?

Therefore I would leave it unfenced and hope they go elsewhere
 
Wouldn't consider putting my own horses out in it, far too grate a risk of disease spreading and them being let loose onto the road. Definitely sounds like you need to block the entrance, not with fencing as that's easily moved but with big round bales, or such like. If you've got some contact a nice farmer might lend them to you just to block it off for time being.
 
Genuine stupid question, if they tether 20+ horses do they each have individual water buckets? Isn't that a huge amount of work for them? Or do they just offer water now and again?

In normal circumstances some plastic posts and electric would be a lot less hassle than keeping 20+ water buckets full and upright!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top