I am confused. The title said Hedges and horses, now it is sheep you are complaining about... well anyway.
If it was horses in the first place I think I'd not have used barbed wire, since that stuff can shred a spooked horse to pieces, and it's not a good start to neighbourly relations... but whatever.
If your neighbour won't see reason, just add a line of electric fencing on top of your fence. We fenced about 2-3 acres of land with three strands of electric fencing for about 300 € (we cut the posts in our own forest, so the price includes just the wire, the insulators, and the machine that puts the ZAP! in the fence).
It will cost a bit, and some work (but not much, if the posts are already in) but less than going legal on your neighbour.
PS if aesthetics come into it (as well they might, since it's your garden), remember that there is electric fencing wire in black/green or dark grey, or brown, that hardly shows in the garden.
I think we have to go back to the idea that the neighbour/owner of the horses is a good person who is concerned about there horses and there neighbours property if they are they would straight away make sure there horses would not destroy there neighbours property if they are of the group that thinks sod them then that is up to them to protect there horses and sadly there are a lot of people out there that think sod you its not my problem
Ah ah, you are right Pansy, I kinda got lost on the way. But the essence of my post remains. I think it's up to the owner of the livestock to contain the animals, but if they don't, and they get stubborn, it might be easier and cheaper to set up a line of hot wire than to go through complicated legal proceedings.
If they were decent neghbourly people, I suppose the problem would not even arise
I have known several horse owners who don't give a damn what their precious nags do in their spare time... why should they there's always some poor idiot that runs around, catches the horse, brings it home, fixes the fence somehow, and then phones the horse owner to reassure them the bloody beast is fine. (Ah yes, that would be me, three times these last two years)
It appears that the farmer sold the land with the proviso that the purchaser erected (and presumably maintains) a stockproof fence so that he doesn't have to. Presumably the previous boundary had been sufficiently stockproof and selling a piece of land so that Debcon could extend his/her garden was more of a favour to Debcon rather than a commercial venture and there was no reason why the farmer should be put to the additional expense of fencing.
All the farmer needs is for the stock-proof fence to contain the animals. If Debcon wants the fence to prevent the animals from nibbling his/her hedge then he/she has to erect a fence that will do just that.
I am confused. The title said Hedges and horses, now it is sheep you are complaining about... well anyway.
If it was horses in the first place I think I'd not have used barbed wire, since that stuff can shred a spooked horse to pieces, and it's not a good start to neighbourly relations... but whatever.
If your neighbour won't see reason, just add a line of electric fencing on top of your fence. We fenced about 2-3 acres of land with three strands of electric fencing for about 300 € (we cut the posts in our own forest, so the price includes just the wire, the insulators, and the machine that puts the ZAP! in the fence).
It will cost a bit, and some work (but not much, if the posts are already in) but less than going legal on your neighbour.
^ Indeed... my thoughts precisely.
My garden is surrounded by horses, cattle and sheep. It's what happens if you choose to live in the country or next to fields that are absolutely just right for grazing stock. The notion that you can make a garden totally inpenetrable by anything is, in my opinion absurd. Though I know many try and I'd be happy to argue that's the reason why we've got problems with such as flooding and loss of habitat for birds and hedgehogs.
Now in my case there's not much point in bitching and moaning and complaining about things eating the plants or occasionally crapping on the lawn or digging stuff up because aside from the fact that in the great scheme of things I would prefer my life to be surrounded by nature and wildlife and animals, we actually own them.
I also know that there's not really such a thing as a hedge that's impervious to stock. That's why farmers go to a lot of expense and trouble and erect things like dry stone walls and stock proof wire fencing and it's why hedgerows at stock farms are all fenced through their hedgerows. They do it to keep their valuable assets safe and on their property.
The best and unpalatable hedging to prevent horses pushing through and stretch their necks over to eat your flowers is hawnthorn or blackthorn.
Debcon said:"When I bought the land, 2011, as part of the contract I had to erect a stock proof fence... I then planted a hawthorn hedge on my side of the fence. I then needed to cover the face of the fence with chicken wire as the sheep were poking their noses through and eating the whips. Things were ok until the hedge grew above the fence line, the sheep now stand on their hind legs with their front hoofs resting on the fence and lean across and eat the hedging. Hence me being interested in whose responsibility it is. I have been told by a local landowner that the responsibility lies with my neighbour and not me but I need that in law rather than an opinion."
However when it comes to sheep and Debcon's "problem" that's an entirely different matter. From her own words she's legally responsible. I don't even understand why she's asking the forum. It was in the contract for sale. Sheep are best kept in by sheep netting. Basically that's wire fencing done in squares. You can also get it so it's electrified. That can stop them climbing as can a hot wire on the top rail. With hindsight it was probably a mistake to hedge and plant so close to where the fence was and so they can reach up and over. Where we've planted new hedging or put new fencing round the garden, I've push
... Debcon said:"When I bought the land, 2011, as part of the contract I had to erect a stock proof fence... I then planted a hawthorn hedge on my side of the fence. I then needed to cover the face of the fence with chicken wire as the sheep were poking their noses through and eating the whips. Things were ok until the hedge grew above the fence line, the sheep now stand on their hind legs with their front hoofs resting on the fence and lean across and eat the hedging. Hence me being interested in whose responsibility it is. I have been told by a local landowner that the responsibility lies with my neighbour and not me but I need that in law rather than an opinion."
However when it comes to sheep and Debcon's "problem" that's an entirely different matter. From her own words she's legally responsible. I don't even understand why she's asking the forum. It was in the contract for sale. ...
Exactly - just what I was trying to say, but you said it more succinctly
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Living int he country the occasional animal will wander in. If a certain pasture is so ill-fenced that horses keep breaking through, the owner should be held accountable. That said even the best fence will occasionally not be enough. Horses will be horses, from time to time, especially in spring when the hormones are fuming out of their pretty foxy ears. So there is no point getting enraged if that happens from time to time (as opposed to *all* the time). I prefer to see horses, shhep and cows out of my garden rather than skyscrapers... and if they *occasionally* mess up something, well, it's better than living in town anyway.
I think the only reliably stock proof hedge (as in keeping the cattle in) would be a solid well-grown laid hedge like they used to make in the old times, with hawthrorn (and other) saplings nicked on one side and bent at an angle. But I have no idea if anybody still does those. So, I'd say, definitely a strand of hot wire at the top of the fence (and a slightly more philosophical attitude).
As for plants that grow through the fence and on the other side, I am sorry But you can't expect cattle to respect that! It's just ridicoulous! Actually If I were the owner of the pasture I'd be cutting down every bit of plant that comes through the fence, especially an electric fence, because vegetation touching the hot wire cuts down the efficiency of the fence quite a lot.
Posts
I am confused. The title said Hedges and horses, now it is sheep you are complaining about... well anyway.
If it was horses in the first place I think I'd not have used barbed wire, since that stuff can shred a spooked horse to pieces, and it's not a good start to neighbourly relations... but whatever.
If your neighbour won't see reason, just add a line of electric fencing on top of your fence. We fenced about 2-3 acres of land with three strands of electric fencing for about 300 € (we cut the posts in our own forest, so the price includes just the wire, the insulators, and the machine that puts the ZAP! in the fence).
It will cost a bit, and some work (but not much, if the posts are already in) but less than going legal on your neighbour.
PS if aesthetics come into it (as well they might, since it's your garden), remember that there is electric fencing wire in black/green or dark grey, or brown, that hardly shows in the garden.
I think we have to go back to the idea that the neighbour/owner of the horses is a good person who is concerned about there horses and there neighbours property if they are they would straight away make sure there horses would not destroy there neighbours property if they are of the group that thinks sod them then that is up to them to protect there horses and sadly there are a lot of people out there that think sod you its not my problem
hmm didn't mention sheep now where I my wheelies lol
Ah ah, you are right Pansy, I kinda got lost on the way. But the essence of my post remains. I think it's up to the owner of the livestock to contain the animals, but if they don't, and they get stubborn, it might be easier and cheaper to set up a line of hot wire than to go through complicated legal proceedings.
If they were decent neghbourly people, I suppose the problem would not even arise
I have known several horse owners who don't give a damn what their precious nags do in their spare time... why should they there's always some poor idiot that runs around, catches the horse, brings it home, fixes the fence somehow, and then phones the horse owner to reassure them the bloody beast is fine. (Ah yes, that would be me, three times these last two years)
It appears that the farmer sold the land with the proviso that the purchaser erected (and presumably maintains) a stockproof fence so that he doesn't have to. Presumably the previous boundary had been sufficiently stockproof and selling a piece of land so that Debcon could extend his/her garden was more of a favour to Debcon rather than a commercial venture and there was no reason why the farmer should be put to the additional expense of fencing.
All the farmer needs is for the stock-proof fence to contain the animals. If Debcon wants the fence to prevent the animals from nibbling his/her hedge then he/she has to erect a fence that will do just that.
I hope that Debcon was advised to get Planning Permission for the change of use of the land http://www.planning-applications.co.uk/doineed.htm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2290181/Grandmother-spent-10-000-turning-muddy-field-idyllic-garden-ordered-rip-breaching-greenbelt-planning-rules.html
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
^
Indeed... my thoughts precisely.
My garden is surrounded by horses, cattle and sheep. It's what happens if you choose to live in the country or next to fields that are absolutely just right for grazing stock. The notion that you can make a garden totally inpenetrable by anything is, in my opinion absurd. Though I know many try and I'd be happy to argue that's the reason why we've got problems with such as flooding and loss of habitat for birds and hedgehogs.
Now in my case there's not much point in bitching and moaning and complaining about things eating the plants or occasionally crapping on the lawn or digging stuff up because aside from the fact that in the great scheme of things I would prefer my life to be surrounded by nature and wildlife and animals, we actually own them.
I also know that there's not really such a thing as a hedge that's impervious to stock. That's why farmers go to a lot of expense and trouble and erect things like dry stone walls and stock proof wire fencing and it's why hedgerows at stock farms are all fenced through their hedgerows. They do it to keep their valuable assets safe and on their property.
The best and unpalatable hedging to prevent horses pushing through and stretch their necks over to eat your flowers is hawnthorn or blackthorn.
Debcon said:"When I bought the land, 2011, as part of the contract I had to erect a stock proof fence... I then planted a hawthorn hedge on my side of the fence. I then needed to cover the face of the fence with chicken wire as the sheep were poking their noses through and eating the whips. Things were ok until the hedge grew above the fence line, the sheep now stand on their hind legs with their front hoofs resting on the fence and lean across and eat the hedging. Hence me being interested in whose responsibility it is. I have been told by a local landowner that the responsibility lies with my neighbour and not me but I need that in law rather than an opinion."
However when it comes to sheep and Debcon's "problem" that's an entirely different matter. From her own words she's legally responsible. I don't even understand why she's asking the forum. It was in the contract for sale. Sheep are best kept in by sheep netting. Basically that's wire fencing done in squares. You can also get it so it's electrified. That can stop them climbing as can a hot wire on the top rail. With hindsight it was probably a mistake to hedge and plant so close to where the fence was and so they can reach up and over. Where we've planted new hedging or put new fencing round the garden, I've push
Exactly - just what I was trying to say, but you said it more succinctly
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Yes, Northern Lass.
Living int he country the occasional animal will wander in. If a certain pasture is so ill-fenced that horses keep breaking through, the owner should be held accountable. That said even the best fence will occasionally not be enough. Horses will be horses, from time to time, especially in spring when the hormones are fuming out of their pretty foxy ears. So there is no point getting enraged if that happens from time to time (as opposed to *all* the time). I prefer to see horses, shhep and cows out of my garden rather than skyscrapers... and if they *occasionally* mess up something, well, it's better than living in town anyway.
I think the only reliably stock proof hedge (as in keeping the cattle in) would be a solid well-grown laid hedge like they used to make in the old times, with hawthrorn (and other) saplings nicked on one side and bent at an angle. But I have no idea if anybody still does those. So, I'd say, definitely a strand of hot wire at the top of the fence (and a slightly more philosophical attitude).
As for plants that grow through the fence and on the other side, I am sorry But you can't expect cattle to respect that! It's just ridicoulous! Actually If I were the owner of the pasture I'd be cutting down every bit of plant that comes through the fence, especially an electric fence, because vegetation touching the hot wire cuts down the efficiency of the fence quite a lot.
Lots and lots of hedge-laying courses available at agricultural colleges and other places all over the UK.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.