Would you buy/rent land and stables next to gypsy site?

[Delta99]

it's a relatively tidy site and not the typical gypsy family, if you get my meaning....

Land has good facilities, stables, menage, water, electricity...

Would you want to keep your horses there?

 

[alison247]

no way!
I rented 10 acres in yalding,kent.
The neighbours took everything of mine and I mean everything! but the ponies.
and was in full view but the police wouldn't do anything to help and told me if I took stuff back I would be areested for trespass theft!

 

[BigRed]

No. I am afraid the police will do nothing to help you if you have problems. Its not just the theft angle, they seem to have a great desire to leave loads of crap everywhere too. This lot may be nice, but what if they get replaced by a nasty bunch ?

 

[Jericho]

No, but I had very bad experiences with them when I stabled my horses near by so I am probably biased. Problems included:

Kids driving fast cars down narrow lanes where we rode, my lovely show palomino had his forelock and mane cut short (might not have been them I guess but always suspicious), verbal abuse from young and old, one drove into my car and flatly denied it and then his family came out and told me to clear off as they saw me drive straight into his!!
Lots of noise, shouting, rubbish - you had to have a pretty bombproff horse to get past the site!
Constant 'oi, I'll buy your horse off you, love ..."
It also broke my heart to see the horses being hammered up and down the roads in their carts or chained up with no shelter.

On the plus side, the older guys who knew their horses helped out once or twice, once when I was riding a very nappy twirling rearing beast when he managed to lead the horse with me on half a mile down the road until I could get it to go forward on my own and once when I fell off and my horse bu**ered off and they caught it and came and found me.

I guess I would just ask the current incumbents at the yard if they have had any issues.....

 

[Chumsmum]

No - I used to rent land off a gypsy and though very nice to my face, stole off me

Once bitten, twice shy

 

[Janette]

Sorry, but no.

At Appleby Fair time, encampments would suddenly appear. (We lived in a village on the A66) When I rode past - the people would come out of the caravans and stare at me. Very intimidating, aggressive and unnerving.

I'm sure that not all encampments are like this, but this was my experiance.

 

[Tinypony]

Nope, was in that situation for over a year, never again. The people who are there now might seem OK, but that could change. In my experience even the ones that seemed OK thought it was OK to nick my stuff when they got a bit short. I used to stack my hay cutting the strings on the bales as I went along.

 

[Thunderbirds R Gone]

No, it would be asking for trouble

 

[Delta99]

unfortunately I own the land!
Was going to see how it goes in the summer but i guess I best pack up my stuff and go back to livery!

and hope I can somehow sell the land and recover my money!
Means selling one of the horses as I cant afford to keep 2 at livery and I was going to breed this year which will also be out of the question now!
And to make it worse, pretty much everything I own is tied up in that land so it's absolutely devastating...!

 

[SNORKEY]

Sorry but No! Id like to know my horse was going to be there the next day and all my tack etc, even settled gypsy's are trouble they stole all the electric fencing that my friend put up in her field only the day before, she then saw it put up in their field a couple of days later, but was too scared to confront them.

 

[Jericho]

Crikey that doesnt sound the best - you have my sympathy..
You could still keep your horses there I suppose, just dont keep anything else there or chain it down, and make sure the security around the field is very good.

What about renting the land out? Someone might take you up on the offer if they only want the grazing and wont keep much there.

 

[Tinkerbee]

Gypsies... or Pikeys?

Gypsies yes, Pikeys no. Although I have no experience of the English version

 

[1275gta]

Would depend, we have some good firend who are proper gypsys and I would have no hesitation, but we also have some down the road who'd nick your bootlaces.

If you want to sell approach them to buy and ask £10K per acre, they'll probably buy it no problem.

 

[marlyclay]

[ QUOTE ]
unfortunately I own the land!
Was going to see how it goes in the summer but i guess I best pack up my stuff and go back to livery!

and hope I can somehow sell the land and recover my money!
Means selling one of the horses as I cant afford to keep 2 at livery and I was going to breed this year which will also be out of the question now!
And to make it worse, pretty much everything I own is tied up in that land so it's absolutely devastating...!

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't panic just yet. When you bought the land you must of known about the travellers.Couldn't you try turning your horses out first and see how it goes?I wouldn't leave any tack,rugs etc...,but it is best not too these days where ever you live anyway. Ask neighbours what they think of the site and whether there has been any trouble .

 

[Donkeymad]

What is the situation? Were they there before you bought the land, or have they moved in since?

In answer to the OP question - NO

 

[trundle]

[ QUOTE ]
If you want to sell approach them to buy and ask £10K per acre, they'll probably buy it no problem.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, i was going to say this too. Offer them the land, they may well snap it up.

 

[nona1]

It sounds like you've just bought the land and are now having 2nd thoughts.

Ok, a lot of us have had some bad experiences, but they are still people, and one family can be very different from another. Before panicking, why don't you give it a try?

 

[ponypatter]

we used to rent opposite and had no probs - local theory was that they don't like to sh*t on their own doorstep. Was hard watching the 6months old foals being trotted up and down the road with traps though. But smile and wave! don't mess with them!

 

[Delta99]

Have had the land for a few years, but they have only just bought the bit next to it.
They paid nearly 20k per acre, so if they want to buy mine as well, they are more than welcome!
Makes me really mad to think they have that kind of money available without ever having done a day's work in their lives! And my tax money pays for them to live in a nice house, but that's not good enough!!

 

[janeprince]

[ QUOTE ]
Have had the land for a few years, but they have only just bought the bit next to it.
They paid nearly 20k per acre, so if they want to buy mine as well, they are more than welcome!
Makes me really mad to think they have that kind of money available without ever having done a day's work in their lives! And my tax money pays for them to live in a nice house, but that's not good enough!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Excuse me can I ask how you know they don't work and pay taxes?

Or are you just surmising, it seems to me rather than make nasty remarks and listen to what seem to me to be the prejudiced rambling of those on H&H.

That you would be better to go round to visit them armed with a box of Chocolates some flowers, or wine and see what they are actually like as people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If they have just spent 20k an acre I am sure they want to be civil at the very least with their neighbours.

STOP judging these people on what is the stereotypical gypsy and actually bother to get to know them first.

 

[Delta99]

I have absolutely NO prejudice whatsoever against any race or ethnic background!
However, they have submitted a planning application which details the family's entire life story. While the parents used to travel and do odd jobs here and there, these people have been on benefits all their lives. They have a house provided by a housing association, state that they pay no rent and receive benefits!
And I do have a lot against people who abuse the benefit system, regardless of whether they are gypsies or otherwise!!
But that is not the issue here. I happen to know some nice gypsy families - but at the end of the day, there is a reason why gypsies have the reputation they have!!

 

[Mickeymoo]

My husband comes from Gypsy blood on both sides of his family. He has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and was a Factory Manager from which voluntary redundancy set us up financially.

Yes I would definately buy next to a site, sell the house to release capital, live in a static and send the old man round to bond!!

 

[Rollin]

I bought my first pony for our children from a neighbour, who was a gypsy who had settled in a house. His daughter's pony was tethered in the garden to preserve the grazing and wonderfully cared for. He kept one bullock and won all the prizes at the local agric. show. What a nice family.

Not all gypsies are thieves whereas lots of thieving goes on in DIY livery I know people who have had tack, feed and hay lifted when they were not around.

 

[Vicki1986]

gypsies possibly depending what they were like. they arent ALL bad.

pikeys NO ! police, authorites, no one will get involved to help you if you have any sort of problem or altercation.

 

[Passtheshampoo]

If your horses are not being bothered by them then stick it out. Have you spoken to them? They actually might keep an eye on your horses for you and security may be less of an issue now they are next door. Only problem you may have is if they run a few colts on and you keep mares. As someone else has said if you start to have problems offer the land to them you may get a decent price without having to involve a land agent.

 

[BBH]

I personally would never want to be anywhere near gypsies / pikeys and this is not based on prejudice but personal experience. People like JanePrince have to realise that its very rare for most of us to be prejudiced for the sake of it but most people are prejudiced against thieves no matter what their ethnic origin.