Walkers on my field - advice please

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horseriderdeb

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Any advice would be welcomed. I have a footpath that runs along one edge of my field. It has those kissing gates at one end and in the middle and a stile at the other end over the railway. The council have put little yellow sign up saying stick to the footpath and keep dogs on the lead. The problem is people don't stick to the path and are wandering all over the field, letting their dogs off to run riot and they are climbing over the 5 bar gate that splits the field in two and have broken it off its hinges. They also climb over my fencing onto the road. Is there anything else I can do. Have spoken to the local council and they agree these people don't have the right to roam. Hubby is that mad he is threatening to padlock the gates so they can't get down the path.
 
Padlocks are a good idea. Is it possible to fence off the footpath? It will cost a bit but it will be the end to your troubles (you can electric fence it off, as long as you don't affect the footpath and put signs up warning people of the electric).
 
Have you put notices on the gates directing them to the stile, kissing gate.

A notice saying that loose dogs may be shot.

And a note telling people to stick to the path??

I have to say that the fields surrounding where I live are used regularly by walkers with and without dogs - and the farmer has no problem at all, as long as dogs are kept on the lead where there is livestock, and people are respectful generally of the land.
 
How about putting up some nice strong electric fencing along the side of the field so they stick to the path? And perhaps a polite note saying something along the lines that the horses can be aggressive towards dogs, so please keep on a lead?
 
You can't padlock the gate much as I can see why you would want to!. Maybe someone can advise here but do farmers have the right to shoot dogs worrying livestock? or is this an urban myth I can pushing forward? anyway if that is the case, I would take advice to see if you can put up a notice that states that loose dogs that are seen to be worrying livestock run the risk of being shot. And as for climbing and ruining 5 bar gate - I would put electric fencing on it (with the warning sign.) Or if you can't do the shooting bit, borrow a kindly bull! (again put notices on). One of our footpaths go through a field and there is bull in there from time to time. I have to admit to having a bit of a shock as hadn't read the signs - but both my dogs were on leads anyway because there were cattle in the fields.
 
i would go down the electric fence route and also run it on top of your post and rail people wont climb over it then !!!!!!! you must put up the electric fence signs and keep it charged.
good luck
 
Luci07 said:
You can't padlock the gate much as I can see why you would want to!. Maybe someone can advise here but do farmers have the right to shoot dogs worrying livestock? or is this an urban myth I can pushing forward? anyway if that is the case, I would take advice to see if you can put up a notice that states that loose dogs that are seen to be worrying livestock run the risk of being shot. And as for climbing and ruining 5 bar gate - I would put electric fencing on it (with the warning sign.) Or if you can't do the shooting bit, borrow a kindly bull! (again put notices on). One of our footpaths go through a field and there is bull in there from time to time. I have to admit to having a bit of a shock as hadn't read the signs - but both my dogs were on leads anyway because there were cattle in the fields.
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Yes, you have the right to shoot a dog that is worrying your livestock, unfortunately horses are not livestock.
As to the bull, you would have to borrow 7(I think, or maybe 6) cows to go with him as it is illegal to keep a bull in a field with right of way without his girls:D
 
We have public footpaths running through our fields too so I feel your pain :(

Most of the time people stick to the paths but rarely are the dogs on leads though but even more rarely do any of the dogs go near the horses. Our problem comes from kids riding their bikes through the fields and chasing the occasional pony on them :mad:

I would try electric fencing of the footpath in your case and put signs up saying 'keep to the footpath' and 'electrified fence, beware'
 
we have a footpath going through our yard, most annoying!! you have no reason to have to put up electric fencing, you have everything in place as is needed. i would suggest signs saying to keep to the path and dogs to be kept on leads,if folk have no common sense to follow that then hubby will have to raise the tone, if he has stock in the fields he is well within his rights to shoot any dogs misbehaving!!
 
I can confirm that under the Dangerous Dogs Act horses are classed as livestock. I was told specifically this by the dog warden when I had trouble with a local idiot allowing his dogs into my field and causing one of my ponies to colic.

ETA: You do have my sympathies. It's very rare I actually see a dog on a lead in my field. ONe local resident had the cheek to complain that a pony was 'chasing her' across my field. In fact, the lady was cutting across the field to the gate that *I* have access from (there are stiles for public access along the opposite edge, which is where the footpath lies) and was thus cutting across Chloe's path as she had a run around. Had the lady stuck to the path, there would have been no problem (and having two yapping loose dogs are probably a factor, too, but my field is a public dog toilet, you know...).
 
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I'd go the electric fencing route (and make sure it is on NICE AND STRONG!) but make sure you have warning signs at the start and end and at regular intervals along the fenceline that is the footpath - this is a legality... it's unfortunate that you are having to go to this sort of expense but this should put a stop to it...
 
I would suggest that you put up large bright weather proof signs at each access point of the Public Footpath asking people to stay to the route of the Public Footpath and keep their dogs on a short lead.
If this fails to resolve the issue then make a record each time someone does not comply keeping records of the dates, time and nature of the incident and then when you have recorded about 30 incidents have a word with the Access Department of the local County Council to see what other alternatives are available.
 
"proper" hikers generally know to stick to paths and use gates and stiles provided so if the path is clear and unblocked and the gates/stiles easy to use then they probably aren't your problem. They love the country, know the country code and feel very much the same about footpaths as riders do about bridleways.

I'm a keen walker and would only ever climb a gate/fence/wall if it was absolutely the only option (when the landowner has padlocked a gate on a legal footpath was one occasion, and another was when cornered by a herd of very inquisitive bullocks). I also stick to paths, although occasionally they are difficult to see or differentiate and you can end up wandering away from them accidentally.

I suspect that your problem is more likely to be dog walkers than hikers (thinking about roughly where you are based too). They are a totally different breed!

I'd suggest making everything as clear as humanly possible, fence off the path, put notices up, electric tape etc.

If you have a major problem consider talking to the council about re-routing the footpath.

Do not block access to it though as this is illegal.
 
If I owned land with a footpath through it and had the trouble that you are having, I would fence it off permenantly and use sheep wire or similar to stop dogs slipping through. You would have to write off some ground, but it would save you a lot of trouble in the long run.

I used to keep my horse on a farm where there was a footpath through the field we used. Most people did not keep to the path, dogs were never on leads and walkers would use the gates instead of the stiles, sometimes leaving them open, so we had to padlock them.
 
Feel your pain, we have 6km of public footpaths running through our farm at home, my OH has 9km running through his.
You have to be firm, padlock gates, put up signs and electric fencing. I wouldn't go down the route of putting livestock on there to be honest, it is much more hassle than it is worth. That way, on top of you being liable for ANY injury your horses cause walkers (on the footpath or wandering without permission) you will be liable for any damages the cows do, and as a dairy farmer's daughter, I can confirm that cows LOVE to chase dogs and I'm sure you will have read in the papers how many people end up trampled because of this!
It is a pain in the bottom, but signs and padlocks work quite well we have found. I would also suggest that if this does continue put pressure on your council, they have the power to shut footpaths (and the do) if they prove to cause conflicts of interest.
 
Spudlet said:
Thanks. No sweeping generalisations there at all then:mad:
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No there weren't any sweeping generalisations. I simply said that Dog Walkers are not the same as hikers/ramblers.

They are by definition different, hikers/ramblers walk for the pleasure of walking and the countryside with no specific purpose other than pleasure. Some may have dogs with them, many don't. Dog walkers are walking with the predominant aim of exercising their dog, often in sub-urban or commuter belt type locations they have little interest in the countryside, little knowledge of the countrycode and are simply finding some open space for their dog to run which is within a reasonable distance of their home, as opposed to a hiker who is trying to follow a set route on designated footpaths and access land.

I'm certainly not saying all dog owners are the same, you took what I said a little out of context there. I know a lot of responsible dog owners, but I also know that a lot think any field is fair game.

Ramblers are generally working from a map or a guide book and will be attempting to follow a marked footpath so if they wander off it then normally it is unintentional and will be a source of frustration to them. Contrary to the beliefs of some on here ramblers/hikers are not just randomly ambling about but they have a planned route.

Sorry if my previous post sounded a bit off but ramblers/hikers often get a bad press on here, and as someone who hikes about as much as I ride I find it a bit irritating. Most hikers would be horrified to be spoken to a landowner about straying off the path as it would be seen as a failure of their navigational skills, they wouldn't simply trek off across a field and climb a gate for a jolly! Although I have to say some footpaths are appallingly unclear and poorly marked.
 
Our last place had a bridleway running through it and it was a nightmare:( The riders were fine, but the walkers caused endless problems.

The worst offender was the wife of a well-known TV gardener and her two golden retrievers. She would park her large Volvo in our driveway, take her dogs for a muddy walk, then go into one of our fields and put the dogs into our water trough and wash them off:mad::mad:

She even had the nerve one day to ask me if I had permission to ride in MY field:rolleyes:

Another person was caught chopping a load of blossom off one of our trees, and her response was "It's for the church!" Oh that's okay then :rolleyes:

Somebody else decided to take my labrador puppy for a walk, having coaxed him out of the yard to do so. You can imagine how frantic I was by the time they brought him back, oblivious to what they had done:mad: People like this made the labrador extremely nosey, and he would often go out onto the bridleway to say hallo to people, resulting in me getting a visit from the Dog Warden because a walker said the lab had attacked him as he walked past:confused: Colleen will confirm that this particular lab is of the non-attack dog variety:o

So OP I know what you are going through, and I am so glad there are no rights of way at our current place.
 
Katt said:
No there weren't any sweeping generalisations. I simply said that Dog Walkers are not the same as hikers/ramblers.

They are by definition different, hikers/ramblers walk for the pleasure of walking and the countryside with no specific purpose other than pleasure. Some may have dogs with them, many don't. Dog walkers are walking with the predominant aim of exercising their dog, often in sub-urban or commuter belt type locations they have little interest in the countryside, little knowledge of the countrycode and are simply finding some open space for their dog to run which is within a reasonable distance of their home, as opposed to a hiker who is trying to follow a set route on designated footpaths and access land.

I'm certainly not saying all dog owners are the same, you took what I said a little out of context there. I know a lot of responsible dog owners, but I also know that a lot think any field is fair game.

Ramblers are generally working from a map or a guide book and will be attempting to follow a marked footpath so if they wander off it then normally it is unintentional and will be a source of frustration to them. Contrary to the beliefs of some on here ramblers/hikers are not just randomly ambling about but they have a planned route.

Sorry if my previous post sounded a bit off but ramblers/hikers often get a bad press on here, and as someone who hikes about as much as I ride I find it a bit irritating. Most hikers would be horrified to be spoken to a landowner about straying off the path as it would be seen as a failure of their navigational skills, they wouldn't simply trek off across a field and climb a gate for a jolly! Although I have to say some footpaths are appallingly unclear and poorly marked.
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I do have to completely agree there. My OH is often grumbling about "ramblers" and I often have to remind him that we have not once had to redirect a "rambler" from shoot covers, reseeding or paddocks, and the same applies at home.
Ramblers, much like equine competitors, are at ease with the job in hand - like us learning a dressage test for an outing, ramblers are explicitly aware that dogs & cows do not and will not mix well, whereas many dog walkers neglect to realise this.
The majority of people who have been in trouble with us for wandering from the paths, upsetting game covers with young pheasants/ cows with calves at foot and most recently my horses are either holiday cottage people who believe that any field is fair game, lost DofE students and a large amount of dog walkers, which is why we find signs most effective. "Keep to path" "No right of way" "Dogs found to be found worrying livestock shot" and "PRIVATE LAND" are very effective.
 
Fransurrey said:
I can confirm that under the Dangerous Dogs Act horses are classed as livestock. I was told specifically this by the dog warden when I had trouble with a local idiot allowing his dogs into my field and causing one of my ponies to colic.
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I'm actually not sure you are correct. Under agricultural exemptions horses are only classified as livestock in limiting circumstances -if they are used only as agricultural animals, or used purely to aid agricultural processes, such as grazing pasture, but horses owned for leisure and not in conjunction with agricultural processes they are a domestic animal and cannot be classed as livestock.
 
Katt said:
No there weren't any sweeping generalisations. I simply said that Dog Walkers are not the same as hikers/ramblers.

They are by definition different, hikers/ramblers walk for the pleasure of walking and the countryside with no specific purpose other than pleasure. Some may have dogs with them, many don't. Dog walkers are walking with the predominant aim of exercising their dog, often in sub-urban or commuter belt type locations they have little interest in the countryside, little knowledge of the countrycode and are simply finding some open space for their dog to run which is within a reasonable distance of their home, as opposed to a hiker who is trying to follow a set route on designated footpaths and access land.

I'm certainly not saying all dog owners are the same, you took what I said a little out of context there. I know a lot of responsible dog owners, but I also know that a lot think any field is fair game.

Ramblers are generally working from a map or a guide book and will be attempting to follow a marked footpath so if they wander off it then normally it is unintentional and will be a source of frustration to them. Contrary to the beliefs of some on here ramblers/hikers are not just randomly ambling about but they have a planned route.

Sorry if my previous post sounded a bit off but ramblers/hikers often get a bad press on here, and as someone who hikes about as much as I ride I find it a bit irritating. Most hikers would be horrified to be spoken to a landowner about straying off the path as it would be seen as a failure of their navigational skills, they wouldn't simply trek off across a field and climb a gate for a jolly! Although I have to say some footpaths are appallingly unclear and poorly marked.
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It did sound a bit off, but I do see what you mean from your subsequent post. I am also premenstrual;) And since I have no choice but to use footpaths, I get a bit fed up with feeling like landowners are lumping me in with numpties that leave gates open, let their dogs run amok etc.

I walk in the country, predominantly to train / exercise my dog and I would never deliberately stray off a footpath or allow my dog to run freely on a field with any kind of livestock on it. I also live in the country, and work there too. I just don't have my own land to walk across and train on, I wish I did but there you go.

I did manage to walk a full seven miles on Sunday, across footpaths, with the dog, do several practice retrieves and cross a field of sheep with no blood or guts being spilt... although we did get lost once, but I wasn't mapreading at that point;)
 
From defra:-

Dogs worrying livestock
The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953

Under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 the owner and anyone else under whose control the dog is at the time will be guilty of an offence if it worries livestock on agricultural land. The dog must have been attacking or chasing livestock in such a way that it could reasonably be expected to cause injury or suffering or, in the case of females, abortion or the loss or diminution of their produce. An offence is not committed if at the time of the worrying the livestock were trespassing, the dog belonged to the owner of the land on which the trespassing livestock were and the person in charge of the dog did not cause the dog to attack the livestock. The definition of 'livestock' includes cattle, sheep, goats, swine, horses and poultry. Game birds are not included.


The Animals Act 1971

Civil liability arises from the Animals Act 1971. Anyone who is the keeper of a dog that causes damage by killing or injuring livestock is liable for the damage caused. For the purposes of the Act the keeper is the owner or the person in possession of the dog. The head of the household is liable where the owner is under the age of 16.

The keeper of the dog is not liable where the damage is due wholly to the fault of the person suffering it or if the livestock were killed or injured on land onto which they had strayed and either the dog belonged to the occupier or its presence was authorised by the occupier.

Under the Act there is a defence available to someone who is the subject of civil proceedings for killing or injuring a dog that was worrying or about to worry livestock. The defence can be used where there were no other means of ending or preventing the worrying or where the dog that had done the worrying was still in the vicinity and not under control and there were no practicable means of establishing ownership.

The definition of livestock in the 1971 Act is wider than in the 1953Act. Here it includes pheasants, partridges and grouse whilst in captivity.
 
;) no worries Spudlet, I certainly didn't mean your type of dog walker, more the drive to the nearest bit of countryside, park blocking a passing place as if that is a special dog walkers parking space, let dog off lead to run riot, tell people "aw he won't hurt you" when it jumps up and knocks them off their feet type.

You know the ones who stand their pristine hunter wellies in the porch to say "ooh look how country I am" ;)

I have nothing against dogs in general - I'd love to own one, but don't really have the space at the moment
 
Katt said:
;) no worries Spudlet, I certainly didn't mean your type of dog walker, more the drive to the nearest bit of countryside, park blocking a passing place as if that is a special dog walkers parking space, let dog off lead to run riot, tell people "aw he won't hurt you" when it jumps up and knocks them off their feet type.

You know the ones who stand their pristine hunter wellies in the porch to say "ooh look how country I am" ;)

I have nothing against dogs in general - I'd love to own one, but don't really have the space at the moment
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My dog is very well trained, he only knocks members of my family off their feet:D
 
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