Some perspective needed....

[menagerie]

Well, tonite somehow the discussion at our house came around to an old topic. It concerns our backyard neighbor and I would like to get ya'lls opinion on what you think....


This happened awhile back but here goes..... we have about 10 acres of pasture land here divided into three pastures. One in the front and the two largest in the back of our property. Our backyard neighbor has a very small strip of land that borders our back pastures and is in fact the previous owner of our land, let me add here that HER main pasture area is in the front of her land and this strip is mainly weeds. Well they have horses as well...... since our two back pastures are really our main pastures that is where we kept the main of our stock (5 horses at that time, 2 studs but one very young) as they are the biggest of our grass area.

Sooooo, at some point our wonderful neighbor decided to turn her horses out in that area bordering ours and all the horseys would cut up and paw at the gate between the two. Eventually HER mares broke thru and were running around and I had a big mess on my hands. When I called this woman she was at work and said 'I'm at work' like I was suppose to deal with it on my own. Her horses were charging me like they wanted to run over me until the last minute. And I'm thinking, no way, someone better come get these horses. Eventually her son and daughter in law show up to get the horses and fix the fence and the daughter in law has the nerve to tell me that 'we need to work something out cause she doesn't want to be called out every time something happens. I'm astonished and say 'well I don't mean to be rude but her horses are not my responsibility'.

My husband thinks that I should have said nothing and that she can do whatever she wants with her property. My thinking is that, yes its her property but she didn't put her horses out there for years and then without asking and also knowing that is our main pasture area she decides to do so it is wrong and if nothing else VERY unneighborghly.

What do ya'll think?

[Horseless]

I think if it happens again, turn her horses out and let them loose and she can track them down herself then pretend you have no idea what she's talking about.

I hate rude Neighbor's

[AUEquine]

Don't ya'll have some law about the distance of fences from property lines. I think we have something like this, for this reason here! Whomever's property the fence is on, it's their responsibility. However, if that fence is WITHIN your property, ie there's more of your property past it (even a few feet). Then they should be responsible for building their own fence to keep their horses on THEIR property, and not yours (even if it is only a foot or so)!

I'd call a surveyer!!!!!

[oursarge]

I'm with Horseless.

I'm not sure if you share a fence between properties or not but if you do I'd be putting up my own section of fence and then let her horses do what ever they do.

[mare]

Sounds like the horses were all being horses. It wouldn't matter to me whose did the final damage to the fence. Some owners are like some parents: they'll never believe theirs did anything wrong. Neighbor may not believe her's did the tearing down. Regardless, with it down mine could just as easily run onto her place. Still be a mess.

I'd be finding out what the laws in area are about fencing. Know for sure who's land the fence is on. And, bottom line, have a fence that will keep mine contained without uninvited company. To protect my own.

Good luck. I hope you never have a prob in the future.

[menagerie]

Thanks for the input. I didn't think I was being unreasonable about that situation. Thankfully it hasn't been an issue again and I hope it won't. I never intentionally put my horses in a situation where they may get hurt and try to avert problems from happening when I see the potential for it. And I really don't understand people that don't.

[mandisue]

I'd electrify that fence at least so you're horses will stay away from it, and if hers try to get in with yours they'll get shocked too. If you're both using the same fence, I'd put up your own on your side.

[Cat]

I'm not sure why you think she should ask permission before she puts her horses anywhere on her land. Its her land - she can put them where she wants - as long as they are properly contained. And it sounds like she was at work but got someone to come help in her place - I don't know the problem there either. One time my horses got out and I had to say I'm at work because it was going to take me 45 minutes to get home - it wasn't writing off the situation, but an explanation that it was going to take me a bit.

What the daughter-in-law said was out of line - but you don't know if that actually came from the owner of the horses, or just teh DIL being ticked being called out there and taking it out on you with that rude comment.

Yes, research your fencing laws and decide to do what you need to from there. I know here we can have our fences right on the property line and mine are - except along the back. The cattle farmer has his barbed wire on the property line, so to protect my horses I have hotwire set several feet back onto my own property. You have to do whatever it takes to protect your own horses and keep other horses out. Now there is a bunch of brambles between the fence lines that grows lots of nice black berries in the summer. :D

[vicklynn]

Our fence lines are on the property lines here. Why I put hot wire up. Darn horses like each other so much they bend the fence..lol. If someone said anything about me putting my horses on my property, that would tick me off. I own it, my horses can run on it. I am very anal about my neighbors though, so I make sure my fencing is secure and hot. Id have a sit down talk with your neighbors, and also think about hot wire.

[jerseypacer]

You didnt specify if there is a shared fence line, but I would establish and maintain my boundry with hot wire. Zap! ;)

[JackieB]

I think the neighborly thing to do is meet with her and see if you can work something out.


She has a right to let her horses go wherever she wants on her property.
She should have known that allowing mares to be in proximity to your stallion(s) could cause trouble.
You have stallion(s). More responsibility on your part, in my opinion.
Her horses got out. She is responsible for that once you notify her.
So, before it does turn into a bigger problem, I'd see if you can talk. Perhaps an additional hotwire barrier that creates a buffer. We've had to do that with geldings and mares before because of all the screaming.

[WashingtonBay]

She has the right to put the horses there. Responsible horse ownership would have been for her to make sure the fence between her horses and yours was secure and safe enough before doing it.

[Remali]

I'd put up some electric fence on my land, a little distance from the boundary fence (I assume you share a fence line then?) so at least there was a boundary in case her horses get out again....
Next time her horses get out hopefully they wouldn't be able to get into your pastures then and would get zapped.

[lovesfortune]

Everyone has good advice. We have most of our fencing in a big on the bordering property lines, and dont share any fencelines with neighbors livestock. Hot wire sounds like a good idea, as well as a sit down with the neighbor.

[Apaches Mom]

since it was "a while back" have you had any problems since then?

I think first off, I would start by talking to your neighbor face to face. Just because it was her daughter-in-laws opinion, it may not be hers. Work out an agreement on what to do when the horses are out. Next time, it could be your hourses out and her at home. Figure out who should be called if the horse owner can't be reached. Whether it's you or her. Work together for the good of the horses.

I'm sure you were frustrated after having horses charge you and trying to deal with it all, but really, its her property and she can put her horses on it anywhere she wants. And horses will be horses. I think the others made a good suggestion with the electric fence. At least that might detour them from going through the fence.

I don't know just how much it's actually enforced but I know we have a law here that a stud has to have two fences between it and the property boundary. I know it's not always the studs fault because we know how crazy some mares can be when in heat. This law probably only comes into play if some one is trying to sue for one reason or another but it is there...

[menagerie]

Wow! Lots more responses! lol Ok, I'll go alittle further into it. Its not worth going completely over since its been quite awhile and I only brought it up cause it came up in conversation last nite and I wanted to see if I was the only one that would feel that way.

First off,yes... she can do what she wants with her property. My beef from all this comes in that this woman pretty much just does whatever she wants and expects others to accomodate. Her land that borders our back pasture is just a small strip that is mainly just weeds so really no true pasture value. All her pasture area is at the front of their property as their house is set towards the back with an arena behind that, hence the small strip of land between that and our property line.

I was actually about to get showered and dressed to go see clients that day when all this happened as well, which didn't help my mood. She had also never had her horses back there until that time and she knew ours stayed back there as she could see them plus we always planted the smaller of the two pastures in rye grass for them. When I called her that day she not only told me 'she was at work' but also that she had no idea they were back there (that could only be true is she was blind AND stupid) and after I called her on it she confessed that yes she had seen them. I also hate a liar.

As for our land our house sits basically in the middle of our property and we have the back sectioned into two pastures and only one pasture in the front. We keep all the boys in back and the girls in front as there are 4 boys and 2 girls and the back pastures are larger. I have been trying to get hubby to put up an electric fence but thats like pulling teeth and I can't afford to hire it done so I do the best I can. At this point she hasn't put them back there anymore and I no longer have studs so I don't know that it would be as much of an issue but I still say that with that portion of her property having no more grazing value than it does I would still resent the heck out of her letting out her horses without letting me know first so at least I can protect my own horses. If she isn't more concerned about the welfare of her own thats her problem.

[vicklynn]

So old story hu? No more problems? Cool.
As far as the hot wire, it is easy to put on your existing fence. If t-posts, just get the insulators, put on, add hot wire. Get a grounding rod put in ground, grounding wire, charger, and of course hot wire of your choice. I use thin rope type stuff. If you have wood posts, you get the insulators that come with nails.
Hope you never have to deal with your neighbors again. I dont have stallions, but still put up hot wire on the top of my fence.

[42many]

I'm glad it's all working out for you for now. You'd probably be well-off to make some changes BEFORE it is an issue again, though, possibly with some hot wire or better fencing or at least asking POLITELY that if she is turning hers out she should let you know.

I find it hard to believe that you actually resent her NOT TELLING you when she is putting her horses out on her own land... I have never in my 22+ years of being around horses gone to tell a neighbor (either to my own place or at a stables/other persons house) what I am doing with MY horses on MY pasture/land. Just because the land doesn't have grazing value doesn't mean that it doesn't have SOME value (often mine are out on non-pasture to be able to wander without ruining tender grasses). Frankly, if there is a fence there and up and not dilapidated, I would just turn the horses out and not worry about it.

Of course, if they got out, I would respond to it in a much different manner, but that's a different matter.

How do you know for sure it was her horses that broke the fence down? Where you there watching and not stopping them? Or did you just assume that because they were on your land? Are you saying that hers could get in but yours couldn't possibly get out?

If the fence is in bad enough shape (or at least not secure enough) that some mares could easily get through it, then it should have been fixed (and still should be fixed) to protect your OWN horses from getting out. Don't wait for her horses to get back there again and push the issue - at ANY TIME your own horses could get out on there own just being horses.

[Cat]

I still don't understand the resentment towards her letting her horses out on her own property. I've tossed my horses out on different small sections that had little to no grazing value because my other fields needed a break and there was atleast something ther to munch on - and trust me - less grazing value is sometimes a blessing with easy keepers. I've never thought about asking my neighbors if its ok to put them here or there, and I think my neighbors would think I was rediculous if I asked!

I think you need to realize - its her property - she can do what she wants with it. And if you had stallions - you hold more responsibility. Sorry, just how it is. It doesn't matter what every way her house is situated on her land - its still her land.

Why wait on your husband to put the electric up? Do it yourself. Its your horses - do what you need to do to protect them. Electric is very easy to put up. Even temporary step-in posts lined with one strand of bare wire just inside your fenceline will help. Just make sure you get a good charger - at least 5 miles, preferably 10 or 20 - even if you only have a small amount of fence. A 2 miler just doesn't have the juice.

Glad there haven't been any big issues since. I still would put up electic to keep it that way.

[menagerie]

42many, I guess I resent her actions since I know if it were me I would be talking to my neighbor first to make sure there were no issues or problems. Sorry but I don't believe in just throwing my horses, or anything else for that matter, out in a pasture area where their could be an issue without checking it out or making sure it is safe first. I call that being responsible and caring for the welfare of my horses and property. So I suppose from my apparent overly responsible frame of mind she should have at least said something to us first. As for your other questions, I answered them below....

How do you know for sure it was her horses that broke the fence down? I know for sure because at the time it happened my horses were in the adjacent back pasture grazing and minding their own business and I looked up to see hers running thru the paddock area to them.

Where you there watching and not stopping them? I would never just stand by and watch, if that were true then why would it be that I almost got run over by her horses trying to get them separated?


Or did you just assume that because they were on your land? If I didn't have to deal with this first hand and knew that hers came over to our land I would not have said that.

Are you saying that hers could get in but yours couldn't possibly get out? Obviously if hers got thru most likely mine could have if they had tried. That was not the case though.

As for the fencing its decent but no hotwire at this time. As I stated I'm working on that but I do not have the time nor the physical ability to take care of all that. So I do the best I can. If anyone wants to come help, be my guest!