Boundaries and horses

Bodshi

Bodshi

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Apr 23, 2009
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Just out of interest really, it hasn't come to anything yet, but yesterday when I went to collect Raf, the next door neighbour was waiting with her trowel in hand, husband hanging about in the background. She said that my horse had pulled up some of her new plants and it was ok, but next time I would be receiving a solicitor's letter. She then disappeared pronto through the gate that husband was waiting to open for her. Weird.

Aside from the fact that it would be YO who received the solicitor's letter, not me, I wondered about the legalities of it all. There is a post and rail fence on the boundary between YO's property (Raf's field) and their property (a small grassed area), I don't know who the fence belongs to. YO has run the electric fence on her side of the boundary, attached to the post and rail. The neighbour appears to have started planting a hedge right up against the fence and presumably Raf was reaching over or through and pulling up her hedging plants. Not impossible, he is partial to a bit of hedge if he can get it. He is good about electric but I suppose if he could get his head between the strands and the rails he could easily snatch a plant. He was actually a bit upset and pleased to see me when I went to collect him, I imagine she'd been waving her trowel at him.

I can understand that the neighbours might want a nice hedge to divide the properties but does that mean that YO has to keep the horses away from it, even though it encroaches on her boundary I wonder? These neighbours have been a constant thorn in the side to YO since they moved in - townies who bought the land next to the yard, built a house on it and then spent their whole lives complaining to the council that the horses smell, the dogs bark (I've caught the woman in the bushes deliberately goading the dogs into barking), etc etc. I can't remember what the latest thing was but when it was resolved by the council in YO's favour it all went quiet for a while and we kind of thought they'd given up, but maybe they've come up with a new plan to annoy her.

Anyone an expert on boundaries? Just interested really, it's water off a duck's back to YO!
 
It may depend a bit on who's boundary it is, if I remember correctly as you look at the property from the road you normally own the right and back sides. But I think as a rule you/YO would have to stop the horses leaning onto their land to pinch plants, as technically they are on their property regardless of who owns the fence. As an animal owner I think regardless of who owns the boundary, you have a legal obligation to contain the animals and I would assume that would also apply in this situation.
 
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Hmmmm hard one. I’d let her threaten and let the YO deal with it. I live rurally and many houses back onto fields but I’ve never heard of anyone complaining the cows have eaten their hedge :confused:
 
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It has happened here. We put up an electric fence to stop horses leaning over to steal garden!

My neighbour (different one) wants to build a wooden picket fence along my field. I told him the Shetland ponies would love that and it would taste delicious. Like moths to a flame. There is a perfectly good wire fence but he wants a perfect wooden fence.

He doesn't believe me that my ponies will be chippy chipmunks and have the lot. He will find out. I have told him it will be eaten because I know my ponies and they will love it!

He then mentioned something about buying an electric fence - I told him to do that then. He wants it. He can get it, set it up and pay for it. Not me. I was happy with the wire fence. It did the job just fine.
 
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Poor Raf - I should imagine she'd been ticking him off for nibbling!!! They sound annoying. As already said, let the YO deal with it. Hopefully they'll put some electric up so he can't get any more - rightly or wrongly - having to put the electric up will cost money etc but least it will (hopefully) shut the townies up! What a pain some folk are.
 
I would let the yo deal with it. I think you said there is already an electric fence but if that were me to not upset the yo or neighbour I would run my own electric wire and portable electric unit completely seperate inside of it.
 
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I'm not sure about the legalities of it, but to make my life easier - the less interaction the better it sounds (!) - I'd probably want to put a fence up between the fence on Raf's side.

I can kind of see their point, but I think there are better ways to go about it.
 
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Let the YO know that they visited. If you are insured maybe see if you are covered for any damages of this type.
We are responsible I believe for containing our animals including that reaching neck.
You could ask the YO if you can put a fence on the post and rail to stop the reach, or perhaps something along the base.

My concerns would be whether the plants were poisonous, so I would want an inner fence of some kind?

When my pony broke through a fence into the neighbour's garden she wanted to sue me for the replacement fence.
It was the yard owners boundary fence and I can't write what he said, but these people were a thorn in the side neighbour.
Pony was relocated and fence was left, it was ours after all.

Just to add another occasion this same lad ate someone's tree. But in this case the tree branches were completely overhanging our field. It wasn't my fault he was rearing up and munching, he pruned it for them!
 
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Thanks for the input guys. YO isn't going to do anything about it for now. I can't see her wanting to put up an inner fence (although that does sound like a solution) because she'd lose some field and the hedge would probably soon bush out into the inner bit anyway, plus she'd have to somehow keep the grass down in the dead space to stop it encroaching on the electric fence.

They've planted Laurel apparently, which is poisonous but the horses aren't likely to touch it. However, as YO points out, how are they going to maintain the hedge on YO's side? She says she's going to send them a bill for chopping it back to the boundary :p Also, apparently if you want to plant a hedge on the boundary between yours and neighbours' properties you have to get permission from the neighbour. I'm not sure whether planting one on your side of the fence counts as 'on the boundary', but YO is a member of BHS if she needs to take advantage of their legal helpline. Not sure if the same law applies in Scotland @Frances144 !

TBH I think it's very unlikely that Raf will touch it - there was no evidence that he'd actually pulled any up when the neighbour accused him of doing it. They're horrible people, but I don't think they'd deliberately harm an animal, they are dog lovers I know. Can't help being a bit worried though. Blooming boundary wars!
 
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Bodshi said:
Thanks for the input guys. YO isn't going to do anything about it for now. I can't see her wanting to put up an inner fence (although that does sound like a solution) because she'd lose some field and the hedge would probably soon bush out into the inner bit anyway, plus she'd have to somehow keep the grass down in the dead space to stop it encroaching on the electric fence.

They've planted Laurel apparently, which is poisonous but the horses aren't likely to touch it. However, as YO points out, how are they going to maintain the hedge on YO's side? She says she's going to send them a bill for chopping it back to the boundary :p Also, apparently if you want to plant a hedge on the boundary between yours and neighbours' properties you have to get permission from the neighbour. I'm not sure whether planting one on your side of the fence counts as 'on the boundary', but YO is a member of BHS if she needs to take advantage of their legal helpline. Not sure if the same law applies in Scotland @Frances144 !

TBH I think it's very unlikely that Raf will touch it - there was no evidence that he'd actually pulled any up when the neighbour accused him of doing it. They're horrible people, but I don't think they'd deliberately harm an animal, they are dog lovers I know. Can't help being a bit worried though. Blooming boundary wars!
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Behind the boundary is your side, so the Laurel should be behind this- unless it's their boundary in which case I think they can plant on it.
I like your YO though. If this person had simply been nice and said hi Rafs mum I think your horse ate my plants, you could have discussed it.
But if someone hits me with verbal spade I hit them back with the verbal fork!!!
And yes charge for cutting back the hedge which if it comes into your field space you can chop it back.

Of course you could go one further and give her a few poos and say here are the remains of the plants. They might sprout.
 
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Does the Yo have horses??? Move fields and let the yo put one of her horses there.PERSONALLY I'd want MY horse OUT of that field..
I would want mine well away from these people you have no idea what people can and might do.
They could feed him something bad or hit him with something.
I totally would not chance leaving him
In that field.
 
Boundary disputes can become acrimonious and costly - best stay out of it as far as the neighbour is concerned. If you are concerned over what your horse is eating then either move fields or tape off the bit of fence concerned - I used to do this with Scully when the oak trees dropped their acorns.
I believe the law requires a stockproof fence to be erected around land - whose responsibility that is depends on who owns the boundary.
 
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