Warning signs on fences

MrsElle

MrsElle

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One of my paddocks sides onto a road with a pavement between road and paddock.

I am concerned that people may feed and/or stroke the horses. Fat Lad really can't be fed anything extra, and also, if there are people around and he thinks they have food he will bite. Where would I stand if he bit a child?

I was hoping to put a run of electric fencing on the inside of the paddock to prevent the horses getting too close to the outside fence, but the land is very long and thin, tapering to a point at one end so doing that would mean the loss of quite a bit of grazing.

What would you do? Would signs cover me if he bit someone? Would I be better losing the grazing and putting up the electric fencing inside the main fence? Do I just leave them to it and if he does bite someone it is their own fault?
 
i have no idea how you would stand legally but i would myself pop a sign saying "keep back I bite" also add on the bottom of it something that would take the liability of you and onto the passers by :) i have a metre all round of inside fencing it does mean the loss of grazing but i dont want people patting my horses :) x
 
I would put up the electric and take the loss of grazing. If reachable from a public footpath tho its best to put up the little clip on warning signs every 100m stating that it is a live electric fence. (you can get them on eBay or the electric fence co's)
 
How about running electric tape on the top inside of the fence on the long screw in fence clips. They stick out about a foot. That would discourage horses from chesting the fence and leaning over to be fed or petted without losing grazing.
 
ribbons said:
How about running electric tape on the top inside of the fence on the long screw in fence clips. They stick out about a foot. That would discourage horses from chesting the fence and leaning over to be fed or petted without losing grazing.
Click to expand...

good idea - like these ones? (although it only takes it 5-6 inches in the electric shock would put most people off interfering with the horses)
http://www.rideaway.co.uk/extender-insulator-5
 
oooh - now they are good.

I have leccy fencing up inside the perimeter of the fence that runs along side a footpath, and signs warning not to feed cos of strict diet etc.

never thought about any signs for biting.....mine don't bite but I guess if they were being fed treats they could nip fingers....
 
I think a 'Horses bite' (even if they don't) sign is more of a deterrent than special diet.Also,as the wording is generic,might be harder to pin blame on you(tho I doubt anyone would). Elec would be foolproof tho(and so many of the general public need protecting from themselves these days...) ;)
 
I would be very careful putting up warning signs but if you do make sure that you say Horses MAY bite, as opposed to that they bite. I think part of a defence should anyone sue is the fact that the horse has never done 'something' before so it could not be expected behaviour, I am sure the legal bods will put me straight on this if I am wrong. Please be very careful that any sign does not admit any sort of liability.
 
if you put up a horses bite type sign you run the risk of admitting you know there is a problem if he does bite someone. better to put up the live electric fence signs.
 
I've had signs before now that said please don't feed, on special diet from vets. And for biting ' while these horses are friendly, all horses may bite so please don't handle them'
 
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