Neighbours horses keep coming on our property.

* Nannarose* our local Council has just sent a letter to a farmer regarding his Cockerel crowing before 7 am. Farm has been there for many, many years as have his livestock.
His neighbours are knocking on his door to say that they didn’t report it. The letter is now on Facebook.
Crazy days.

I am sorry that Abbey is having such a lot of difficulties. I have lived in the country all of my life apart from 4 years (and the same part of the country for all but another 3) and I am unfamiliar with Abbey's idea that it should be OP's responsibility.

Having said that, most people I know would, in these circumstances, put up their own fence. They would grumble about it, loudly, in the pub, with a detailed account of how much they have spent; but they would not risk their own property or especially the welfare of their children (or animals) if initial approaches haven't worked.

I also find it unhelpful to say 'townie' attitudes'. We have all read in the newspapers about people who object to cocks crowing or something similar, but I've never come across that in real life (writing this as a tractor rumbles past, shedding straw bits onto my garden!)

I think I would put up another fence within your own boundary a few inches from them. It will be cheaper in the long run rather than having legal wrangles.
Also it would give you peace of mind that your grandchildren can play safely without the horses getting into your garden. I would look at it from this point of view, rather than him getting away from his responsibilities.

ps try the RSPCA.

I agree with Abbey, having been in a similar situation from time to time.
We still have electric fence equipment (I think) if the OP would like it. If we haven't left it behind?
I feel sorry for the horses. Someone should be looking after them better. but in this dry weather there will be a shortage of grass and they should have forage. Do they have water?

Being at the wrong end of a tree preservation order, I believe in some circumstances you may be able to have a preservation order put on your hedge if its really special. It depends where it is. Worth checking it out abbey

www.gov.uk/guidance/countryside-hedgerows-regulation-and-management

Abbey, the OP has a well off neighbour who is deliberately not taking responsibility for his own property and is thus causing damage and expense to the OP's property by his delinquency

How do you know the neighbour is well off? Because the OP says so? How does the OP know - have they seen their neighbours bank balance or something?

Money isn't always a primary issue anyway.

I may well appear wealthy to my neighbours - nice house from the outside, recently painted as it happens ( a friend of my husbands did it for me - my husband was a tradesman in his day, and the friend was a tradesman too) , nice large plot of land, not used anymore...…

In reality I am struggling now. Not necessarily financially but finding a contractor, getting them in and being there is difficult. My husband lost his sight recently, quite suddenly with wet macular disease and he is still in mourning for that, is having having his other eye monitored and treated and that means regular trips to the hospital. he is having difficulties and he wont allow anyone about the house when I am not there ( or sometimes at all) because he cannot deal with them . He is vulnerable. He doesn't drive anymore. he doesn't go out. He cant do the hedges as he would have once.

I am struggling because my husband did these things for me. I am pretty much alone too now.

My husbands condition is not widely known, I don't publicise it in case I am taken for a ride by some unscrupulous person.

My neighbour probably thinks I am being nasty too.

You do not know the circumstances of others.

I would say the fact that the smallholder has stopped running his own stock and now rents the field out suggests that there is something more going on there.

Just because you have a boundary with someone else and they have always had a fence, doesn't mean they necessarily have to keep it there. Whose boundary is it anyway? Do the deeds speak or are they silent ( quite often a case in rural properties I know). Has the neighbour always kept the fence up - it was mentioned he hasn't done anything for 15 years. What agreement does he have with the person using the land for his/her horses? Do you actually know?

In my own case , my neighbour would find it easier to cut my hedge from his own side rather than demand me do it. I am six feet below his level on that side and the hedge is held by a Cornish brick wall ( that's dirt with bricks stuck in it) with a five hundred year old hedgerow on top. If he wanted to take the hedge and put up a fence, as I know he does, he would have to raise the fence on his own property as my side wouldn't hold it.

( Although I am not sure about legal matters as it is an ancient hedgerow)

But , it is a simple matter to fence your own garden in surely if you want peace of mind?

I like the idea of an electric fence and then growing a hedge behind it. This could not only look attractive but help biodiversity. Hawthorne, willows, wild roses, crabapples, blackberries,elderflower. And it would give the GC interest too. I think you have an opportunity here.

Abbey, the OP has a well off neighbour who is deliberately not taking responsibility for his own property and is thus causing damage and expense to the OP's property by his delinquency. This is the issue, not your attitude towards country living and your neighbours.
I am sorry for the many difficulties you are undergoing, but possibly you might like to make that a post of your own instead of voicing them here.

It cuts both ways, abbey Should the field-owner rely on someone else to fence it to keep in the animals whose owners are paying him for its use? Should the horse-owners rely on someon else keeping their animals from danger? Perhaps they expect the field owner to see to the fences and are just trusting him that the field is secure. Perhaps they don't even know that the horses regularly escape.

That makes sense, I have to say.
Sounds as if you've plenty enough on your plate..
Hope you can get to rest sometimes.

My view is that you cannot expect the world and his wife to look after your GC ( or children). You need to ensure your own property is safe, not demand/expect that others do it for you.

My point is simple, it isn't always easy for others to maintain/fence sort out livestock for your garden or your GC. There may be many reasons that things do not get done or are not done on your schedule.

Ask maybe but remember, if you want something done, do it yourself or offer to help the other person.

Good example of this is my neighbour who wants me to cut my hedges..... I cannot do this right now. I have a number of carer responsibilities and a job. I am not able to always be there or to fix someone to come in.

I do not have the strength to do the job myself and getting a contractor in is proving difficult right now, not to mention costly.

However my neighbour is fit, strong, has a chain saw and all the equipment and the know how( he does all his own hedges around the other sides of his house) - he could have asked me if he could help me out by chopping the hedge for me, but he didn't. He even knows I have the equipment but cannot use it and my husband cannot do it for me now as he is housebound and blind. However, he sent me a note telling me to do it for him.

I haven't seen him or motormouth ( his wife) otherwise they may well have got some choice and colourful language from me too. No doubt I am that "horrible neighbour" as named by the OP but there are two sides to all stories.

If you want something done and it is important, do it for yourself, your own side of the boundary.

Yes, "keep your grandchildren under control", whilst animal owners don't.
That makes a whole lot of sense.

Where we had dodgey fences, we put electric tape up to keep the horses in their place. Most horses have a healthy respect for electric tape. I’m sure if the owners were told their animals are getting into your garden regularly they’ll put tape up.

My last pony was the exception to the rule, was too clever by half, but then only bothered to get out when he ran out of food or was very bored. Why are these horses coming into the garden?

Unless you have planted absolutely everything in your garden or are very knowledgeable about botany, you probably do have some shrubs or bushes that are poisonous in your garden.

I would try talking to the horses' owners, but I think you will need to put up a fence yourself to get any peace.

We used to keep horses they did fine with the white tape and fence posts someone suggested I only had one incidence of a pony escaping but she didn’t go into a garden and we got her back easily. I would put up the fence yourself for your own peace of mind regardless of who should or shouldn’t be doing it?after all the current set up prevents DGC from using the garden

Anybody reading your posts, Abbey would think those of us who live and work in the country are a load of irresponsible, inconsiderate oafs.

Loose horses are a danger to themselves and others especially if they stray on to a road. Damage to property is not funny. Fences and hedges should be properly maintained by the landowner.

Look at the Horseguard website for an idea. Lots of horses round us and the fields are divided up with a type of broad white tape. The horses appear to know their bit of field.

I assume it’s cheaper than fencing and maybe you can start a hawthorn hedge going as well.

Stop faffimg about a build a strong fence

ErmAbbey not my horses, when I said we I meant I and our adjoining neighbours.
and for your information I wouldnt want Alpacas, cows or sheep running into my garden with toddlers in it.

Nice to know though, that you would have no sympathy for people whose toddlers are injured in their own gardens due to unfenced horses. Or is it just my GCs?

Still, ifI was worried about my grandchildren I’d be putting up a fence.

Who cares if he’s “won” when it comes to their safety. I put up a gate and some extra fencing to keep mine off the road

I could have said “Why should I? Cars shouldn’t go so fast through the village.”

Sometimes we have to decide what our priorities are.

Like someone said, right or happy.

For your information, cows, sheep, alpacas and all manner of animals bit at one end and kick at the other.

Glad you have the money for all those horses and shetlands. Keep your GC's under control then. They are human and should be able to understand.

I have no sympathy in this instance.

So Abbey I also live in the country with its unruly hedges and horses in a paddock to the rear of our garden, small shetlands and some Polo Ponies. All well fenced in.

I also have 2 small GCs in the garden playing,( like the OP) I wonder what my reaction would be if I had to fend off horses trotting towards toddlers?

Nothing to do with being a Townie.

It’s ridiculous to equate unruly hedges and chickens with an unpredictable animal which bites at one end and kicks at the other.

No, I didn't suggest planting poisonous plants to harm the horses. I suggested planting, or pretending to plant poisonous plants and then tell the horse owners and land owners that these plants are in your garden and the harm that COULD come to the horses if they got into your garden and ate them, on the assumption that horse owners and the landowner would then take some action to make sure they didn't.

Most of them are hedgerow plants like deadly nightshade

Call the police non emergency line and also the RSPCA.

Loose horses are a danger to themselves and others.