How many of you didn't fence to your property line? FOR SALE!!

[TheJenners]

But instead left an eight-10’ gap, esp if your neighbor also has horses? Concerns over germs and fence fighting? Or did you not want to lose the grazing (it adds up!), but rigged something to eliminate any cross fence shenanigans?

The reason I ask is my new neighbors, who bought the farmette next to my land (I’m building on raw land, they bought the adjoining property that was turn key, we have the same seller) gave me a weird vibe. They are very young, like 21 and 24, and the fence between us is five stands of poly hot. I need non-climb because one of my horses is a dog stomper, and for protection of my donkeys. The neighbors got cows but didn’t hook power to the fence. I go out a month ago and a cow is on my side. I push it back thru, and drive over to say hello and to let them know that my front fence will be torn out during construction, don’t want their cows to get out, and when are they hooking up the hot? I was exceedingly friendly! “Hi I’m First and Last Name, I’ll be your neighbor when my house is built!” and questions about them, their horse (I knew about it from the sellers), what did he do in the Navy, etc. He only gave his first name, didn’t want to shake my hand, and his wife was outside and didn’t come over for the 10+ min I was there. When I did ask about the fence, he said he was hooking it up that day (??), but I’ve been out since then and the amount of cow splat on my side is increasing.

I pantomimed my entire interaction with him to friends and had some say “sorry, you have weird neighbors” and others say it is just part of the social-media generation and he just doesn’t know how to do meet-n-greets with strangers. No idea WHY the wife never came over, she saw me and was outside the entire time but went from petting their horse to feeding chickens and then went into the chicken coop and never came out. But they brought a horse and kept the seller’s horse because the seller didn’t want it (I made the same offer, sellers were downsizing). My dog stomper is also a bitey face fence wrestler and if he has a willing playmate, he has chomped on and left marks on other people’s horses. At this point, with the weirdness and the continued loose cow issue, I’m wondering how much I want to deal with it…

tl;dr My neighbors might be weird, should I leave a buffer between where my horse paddock will be and the property line or no?

[hosspuller]

Because your horse is at risk reaching over a fence, I would leave a mowers width between your fence and the property line. Keep this strip clear and protected from your neighbor. You don’t want to get into “adverse possession”

[TheJenners]

Oh for sure, it would be kept up. Am actually trying to come up with uses for it if I do…

[ladyj79]

I did read. Are they from Wyoming? Or Maine? Or any of the Orcas Islands? Cause some of those people can be socially awkward due to no society haha.

This one seems a little more complicated than normal because they don’t seem to want to fix their fence. And they don’t seem like they care about their cows on your property.

My normal suggestion is permanent fence on property line with interior electric a few feet in.

But will this then result in them using your permanent fence and subjecting it to wear and tear of their horses/cows/stupid selves?

Ugh.

I expect you need something on the property line…how about laurel bushes? That’s what we have at my dad’s place in Kitsap, they grow fast and bushy. Then maybe an interior fence a few feet in from those. Stretchy neck distance in so your horses don’t nibble. Cause toxic. And then the neighbours will be forced to do the same.

[betsyk]

Even if you didn’t have weird neighbors, it’s a good idea, especially if your idea of safe fencing is different from theirs. Good fences make good neighbors

[TheJenners]

Ladyjay79, he said he is from Michigan and I knew already she is from Georgia, as I’m on good terms with sellers and they gave me info. I even commented that HE sounded like he was from Georgia, he was very…draw-ly… and he said he got it a lot, and I said I lived in WI for a bit and GA and had some experience, and nada from him. Now that I think on it, part of the weirdness was he never asked a single question at all!

So no, Michigan. And I’m sorry but even the most back country dairy farmer in ole Mich isn’t gonna sound like this fella. And Georgia for the wife, so much for Southern hospitality?

My original plan was fence next to the poly hot because I DIDN’T want cows rubbing on my fence. Plus the fence is (nicely) done with t-posts, to which I didn’t want my animals to have access. I don’t really want to plant 900’ of bushes buuuut…

[ElementFarm]

I would definitely fence inside the property line!

A: you don’t want your horse playing halter tag over the fence with their horses
B: you don’t want your horse blamed for damage to their fence
C: you don’t want to deal with conflict over their horse or cows tearing down fence and getting on your property
D: you are financially responsible for “your” fence, they are for “theirs”.
E: you can install exactly the type/height of fence you want.

The old adage “good fences make good neighbors” is very true.

Our neighbors’ fencelines are 6’ inside the property line to their side, ours are 6’ inside the property line on our side. A few times a year, we mow the 12’ section between the pastures.
They don’t have to worry about new germs being passed over the fence when we get a new horse. We don’t have to worry about their cribber damaging our fence. We get along great, and I think that’s because all or our interactions get to be friendly, instead of complaints.

[TheJenners]

Think six feet is enough??

[ElementFarm]

Assuming they fenced right on the property line, the “aisle” between the fences will be all your property. How wide is your mower? You want to be able to easily drive down the aisle, without hitting fenceposts (or shocking yourself if they ever do hook up the fence). If you have a big tractor, 6’ might be tight. If you have a riding lawn mower, 6’ might be fine.

Also, I think two tall horses will be able to touch noses across a 6’ gap.

but I understand not wanting to sacrifice grazing space. So maybe 6’ is a compromise you’re willing to make. Personally, I think I’d do 10’.

[TheJenners]

I don’t have a rider yet, but do have a tractor. It’s a compact Bob Cat, tractordata says 55.4 inches? So even then 6’ would be enough. But if the other fence is hot (if they don’t hook it up, I will) then neighboring horse can’t stretch as far.

[The_Centaurian]

I always thought it would be cool to fence 10 or 12 feet inside the property line, leaving a track to ride around the property on the outside of the pasture. I don’t compete, but I’m sort of a nerd for conditioning. Yes, you would want to have a lot of land to make this happen!

[Guilherme]

This depends on a lot on where you are. Recent circumstances required me to do a complete review of fence line issues in TN and I was reminded that a common boundary line fence is a common obligation of the adjoining land owners. Meaning I could run up a big bill on my neighbor for fencing (and they could do the same to me). My fence is not, in fact, on the property line but at a distance varying from 5’ to 60’. The fence predates my purchase over 20 years ago. My neighbor, who did not get a survey when he bought the place, assumed the fence line was the property line. To ensure there are no further issues I’ve hired the guy do did the survey for me when I bought to mark the entire line, as it meanders some (right now just the corners are marked). I do not intend to run a boundary line fence as part of it would be through woods, on a steep hillside. Nor do I intend to require him to keep his cattle on his side of the line (which I could do). He was a bit difficult to deal with, but a mutual friend explained to him what was or was not correct and we don’t have any conflicts. Sometimes a bit of “mediation” can go a long way!!!

First thing would be to find out what the fence line laws are in Washington. You might get some help here http://asci.uvm.edu/equine/law/ If not you’ll have to ask a lawyer there for guidance.

If the law is like TN I’d approach the neighbor and negotiate an agreement on a good fence. Good fences make good neighbors, so the poet tells us. Then put an electric fence a decent “stand off” difference on your side. This may not be the cheapest way to go but likely will be the easiest way.

Of course if the law is not like TN then you’ll have to deal with it as it is. This still might be the easiest way.

Good luck in your project.

G.

[TheJenners]

Just txted a friend, but good point. I will say the fence is thankfully either right smack on the property line or within less than a foot or two. No meandering ;). Thank you!

[JanM]

Unfortunately, you have one of the neighbors we all dread. I would fence on your side, inches inside the property line, probably with hot wire (I assume that’s the cheapest), and keep it hot. Then put your substantial fence inside that at least 6’-maybe further, if you intend to get a regular, tractor mower deck. Put no access from their property. I think you’re neighbor to people who don’t care, never will, and if you let them it will be an issue forever.

He just told you he was hooking the fence up to get rid of you.

[lawndart]

Leave enough room for trees

Years ago we had a miserable neighbor. We ended up planting arborvitae inside our fence (which was on our property line) and building another fence inside that. It blocked the view of their trash pit of a house, and some of the noise from their constantly barking dogs. And it slowed down on the dog visits as well. At this point, I’d build a fence inside the line, leave it clear for now and keep it mowed. It can be used for exercise, or blocked off in sections for temporary grazing in dry years. You can always add trees later, for shade, food or to block the neighbor.

http://garden.org/learn/articles/view/3351/

[goodhors]

I would leave an alley between the line fence and your new permanent fence. Adding cost to your fence, but I would run another line of hot horse tapes or poly wires along inside their fence. You can insure that fence is hot all the time to keep cows off your no climb wire so it stays nice. Your property is enclosed, not usable by them.

A spring handle on tape or poly will work as a cheap gate to let tractor or mower in and out of the alley, close it off. I would allow an extra two feet in alley over the width of widest mowing machine. That give you space for “error” without taking down a post going backwards to leave the alley.

I am from Michigan, we are not all fence jerks! No excuse for him not keeping his cows home. Is it always the same cow? Some are more difficult to contain if they learn fence does’t bite hard. One of ours tested the wire daily by touching it with her whiskers! Never got out, but obviously ALWAYS looking!

Michigan no longer has adverse possession laws. But Dang! Surveying is NOT an exact science to keep track of your property either! We have been to Court when two Survey companies do not agree, both reputable services. At least yours was surveyed by the seller, no guessing. I WOULD mark my stakes and learn their proper location in case something changes later on.

New folks do sound peculiar. If cows do keep coming over, document every incidence, call him to fix it. No improvement? Maybe time to call the Sheriff to deal with it. Here, any cow who worked hard enough to get in would immediately become a play toy as the geldings ran her into the ground!! But my fence is fairly solid, hot too, so while she might jump in, she is unlikely to go thru it. We can also charge board, damages, if animal is not removed quickly from my property.

Sorry they are not nice, with you starting over all new. Takes the fun away.

[JanM]

I don’t care what local fence law is, you’ll never get cooperation, or anything else out of these people. Just do everything yourself, and expect nothing out of them. I’ve had ‘neighbors’ like this, and they are a total pain.

[HungarianHippo]

I’d fence interior to the prop line, at the width you think your long-term mower will be so you can do just one pass down the line. Then you don’t have to deal with maintenance/damage to theirs, injuries caused by bitey-face or pawing games. I like the idea of using it as a conditioning track, else I might plant a line of conifers (though that eliminates ability to mow, in which case I’d make friends with the local tree service companies, and let them know you will take every load of chips they generate, and mulch the gap). Electrify BOTH sides of it, for their wayward cattle.

You’ve prob already read this, but here’s WA fencing laws.

[Marla_100]

you need an 8 ft. alley between your fence and the neighbor’s fence for average necked horses… just went through this .

[caper]

We have a laneway between our fence and the actual property line. We keep it cut and some of it has gravel. We can take a truck or tractor down to the hay field and great for hiking and riding on.

We did have an odd neighbour and finally they moved. Our neighbour now is actually a crop farmer and the house was severed from the land. He has been a great neighbour. Only see them in spring at planting time and in the fall for harvesting.