Construction workers blasting behind my property? How on earth do I deal with this?

[SAcres]

Apparently someone came on my property and left a letter for me in one of my doors. The construction behind my property will be blasting from 8-5 every day next week.

I have 5 horses, one of which is absolutely terrified of loud sudden noises, to the point where he will run himself past the point of exhaustion.

I work, realistically I can’t be there all day. Should I be drugging all 5 horses? Just the one who doesn’t like noises? Is there any way I can do something to prevent the blasting?

It is going to be extremely close to my property line.

[asb2517]

I’d stall them during the day and turn them out at night.

[Marla_100]

ear plugs or ear muffs for the fraidey cats?? Any SmartCalm Ultra??
I have a big scaredy cat also. Over the years he has been pastured or stalled close to a gun shooting range, fireworks, chain saws behind his stall, military bomb range nearby, and he is now almost normal to noisy, scarey things.
Good luck, if you stall them keep a radio nearby turned up loud .

[Where_sMyWhite]

[QUOTE=SAcres;7811745]
Is there any way I can do something to prevent the blasting?

It is going to be extremely close to my property line.[/QUOTE]

There is probably nothing you can do and even if there was, by the time you did it, they’d be done and gone.

Drugs, board them out, ear plugs…

[GoForAGallop]

[QUOTE=SAcres;7811745]
Apparently someone came on my property and left a letter for me in one of my doors. The construction behind my property will be blasting from 8-5 every day next week.

(snip)

Is there any way I can do something to prevent the blasting?

It is going to be extremely close to my property line.[/QUOTE]

No, it’s their property and they have every right to do what they want. I think you should also smooth your ruffled feathers about them coming onto your property to leave the note…I think that was very nice of them and gave you time to prepare.

Honestly, I think the horses will get over the blasting faster than you do. It just becomes background noise after a while. If you’re that concerned, I’d take half a day off work the first day they do it, so that you can monitor them. Drug the flighty one BEFORE they start the blasting, so he doesn’t break through the drugs, if you want.

[Eleanor]

We live on a military base and they bomb all the time. We never know when they are going to go off. The first time it happened I was so worried about the horses as they had only been here 2 days. They couldn’t have cared, they where just standing there soaking up the sun. Now my dogs on the other hand I have to bring into the house and lets not even talk about the number of cakes that have fallen.

[ellevt]

Maybe some reserpine for the scaredy cat while the blasting is going on?

[Pennywell_Bay]

My old place was next to a quarry. They actually used dynamite on the side that shared with a pasture. None of the horses blinked, ever. Not even while we were riding them. After the first, which may startle them, it’ll be background noise.

It was very considerate for them to leave a note. In all actuality, they typically just post in in the local newspaper depending on your local laws.

[Hulk]

The radio turned up loud may help some. We did that for the dog who hated thunder storms, and it did help. And it was nice for them to at least warn you. Good luck.

[Chall]

In my locale, you are required to notify the neighbors, by local law. For example all the neighbors must give permission for a pool.
notification also allows you to monitor your property for structural damage due to blasting, walls cracking house shifting.
its not a nicety, its the law.
You should research your town codes.

Re horses: they will get over it. At a prior farm, they filled in a ravine to get a level turnout ring. Dumpster trucks dumped condtruction debris x3 times a day. I jumped when I heard it, my horse had two days of it before and didnt flinch. If You’re worried hire a horse sitter for the first day, and I might drug then.

[Charliezmom]

We also had blasting on an adjoining property. Last year we got new neighbors and they had to blast rock for a week or two to build their basement. Our horses never seemed to be bothered by it. Us humans were jumpy at first and then got used to it. My vet though, that’s another story. She came over to for a routine visit and jumped sky high with each blast that afternoon. She couldn’t believe how chill the horses and I were.

Fireworks, that’s a different story, my crew will run like crazy on the 4th of July.

Take some time off to observe the horses on the first day just to be sure they are all a-ok.

[Trakehner]

I think after a week, they won’t give a hoot about the noise. Fireworks, since they’re up high are scarier.

[jenbrin]

I agree it will become background noise. They started major construction next to our farm less than a 100ft from the barn loud noises scary large equipment the works. I have several young horses including a foal with a very nervous mother. So when they started, I stayed home the first day and after the first hour or two the horses didn’t even notice. We are now on week six and all the horses including the foal walk right past the big excavator like it’s just another tree or something. I love all the desensitizing they have gotten.

[SuckerForHorses]

Yep, count me in as agreeing with everyone else.

I moved in with a BF who lived next to the Amtrak lines (RR). OMG the knick-knacks on shelves in the house would literally shake off from the trains going by. The horses ran the first time it went by. After that, they didn’t even pick up their heads from grazing.

Last summer my horse was boarded at a friend’s. The neighbors were ALWAYS target practicing. I was riding in the arena one day, and about 3 strides into the canter (on a horse prone to bucking when feeling fresh!) a bunch of gunshots went off. I jumped, accidentally squeezed the horse, who scooted forward, and then carried on like usual. A few circles around, and they went off again. This time I didn’t jump, and the horse didn’t bat an eyelash either.

[maunder]

I don’t blame you for being upset about the potential noise and threat to the horses but also agree with others that it probably will bother you more than the horses.

There are young people just up the road from me who set off fireworks that sound like a bazooka or (I imagine) an anti-aircraft gun.

At first all the animals jumped at each SFFFFT-KAAA-BOOOMMMMMM! and now I’m the only one who does. Sigh.

Same with loud cracks of thunder. If I’m in the barn I’m the one who jumps and lets out a whoop and the horses only jump because I jumped and made a whoop.

I hope it goes OK for you and the horses.

[HungarianHippo]

@Chall;7811937

In my locale, you are required to notify the neighbors, by local law. For example all the neighbors must give permission for a pool.
notification also allows you to monitor your property for structural damage due to blasting, walls cracking house shifting.
its not a nicety, its the law.
You should research your town codes.

This is true. For my work, I have to send letters to everyone within a mile radius to tell them about the work we want to do, and when the zoning meeting is. But by the same token, a developer/builder who is following the letter of the law is a good thing. Doesn’t always happen.

[DHCarrotfeeder]

Horses are like people - they recognize patterns. I wonder if they’re blasting so close, if they could sound something audible but less shocking a few seconds before the blast. That should eliminate the surprise factor.

[GoodTimes]

Take advantage of the desensitizing, you can try drugs or ear stuffies if you’re afraid of any going through the fence.

My dad did a ton of blasting back behind the barn to lengthen his runway, and along with the blasting, planes taking off, excavators, dumptruck, and loaders we also skeet shoot up on that ridge. Loud noises are nothing now. The water truck can drive right up behind my 5yo and he’ll just keep sleeping by the ring.

[Canaqua]

Can you put the horses in during the day and then out at night for the week? Maybe stay home the first day to see how scaredy horse does? It may be that you are anticipating a problem that might not happen. If the horse is very upset, is their a friend you can send the horse to for the rest of the week?

Before the blasting starts, take pictures of your home’s foundation, especially any existing cracks. If additional cracks show up during the blasting, you’ll want the documentation. I’ve also marked the beginnning and end of existing settlement cracks with chalk before there is blasting on the same ledge that I’m on, so I can tell if anything moved further.

[trubandloki]

Another vote that it is going to most likely bother you more than the horses.

Truly curious, why would you think you can make them not do this and why would you want to?