Silly easy question...horses per acre/farm

[Xctrygirl]

I think I know this answer. I have seen the guidelines that it’s 2 acres for the first horse, and 1 for each 1.5 acres there after. This is in Chester County, PA.

So my question: Looking at a 3.2 acre house/farmette (total property size, not grazing lands) I believe that this would barely qualify for more than one horse, if that. But it has a barn and a couple paddocks. So what happens if you brought 2 in???

Or is that never allowed? I am confused as I know it’s not a lot of land but are there actual enforcement people involved with checking residential properties with horses? I’m friends with the folks at LAPS, so I have a call in to them. I just didn’t know. Have always worked at and boarded at MUCH bigger farms. I am thrilled with my horses current home and not really enthralled with the concept of having them at home, but I want to know what can and cannot be done.

Thanks.

Em

[Fergs]

This varies by location; check with the county zoning department.

[Xctrygirl]

Thanks Fergs I added my location in the post now.

Em

[GoForAGallop]

The “2 acres per horse” is meant to refer to what the land supports, although it varies incredibly by location and is more or less outdated.

It has nothing to do with legal requirements, which vary by town, as Fergs said.

[Ambitious_Kate]

In the town I Lived in growing up, it was one acre requirement for a horse. Believe you me, I knew every possible rule and regulation which my father might use to try to thwart me getting a horse, and that was the rule in our town. In neighboring towns, it was very diff, being 2 acress before having a horse, no limit on how many, and one town was one acre per horse but you had to have 5 acres or more to have a horse at all, so varies.

[ElementFarm]

what’s allowed is different from what’s workable which is different from what’s ideal.

Our neigborhood doesn’t have a #/acre, but no cloven-hooved animals are allowed (no goats, cows). I’ve seen and worked at establishements that had very minimal acerage and turnout (think 5x small paddocks that ranged from large round-pen sized to under an acre) and they maintaned 40+ horses (ranging from school ponies, to boarders, to several grand prix jumpers). It, sadly, was the norm for a horse farm in that area – land lots were small and property expensive (near/in urban areas). The horses had very limited turnout and there was no grass to speak of.
On the other hand, I’ve boarded at places with 10 horses on 20 acres. Sounds great till you have to bring in a hard-to-catch one…

I think it really depends on if you plan to have your horses live out 24/7 or be stalled part of the day. It depends on your set up (some grass paddocks, at least one sacrifice area) and how smart you are about rotating. Soil (clay vs sand for example) will play a part in how well the grass and pastures hold up.

I think with a well designed 3-acre farmette, you could comfortably have 3 horses. But layout, and maximizing all space, is vital.

[merrygoround]

There was considerable dust up in Unionville about horses and boarding, I’m not sure if they enacted a horse per acre for private owners. Look well, check well and proceed with caution.

[cutter99]

According to your first post, that property would legally accommodate one horse. In order to have two horses, you would need 3.5 acres and 5 acres for three horses. This is what your zoning permits. The zoning requirements are usually based off total acreage not just pasture acreage in Eastern PA.

I would recommend always checking with your local borough or township about what your zoning allows. Some properties are grandfathered for more than current zoning regulations if you are lucky.

And NEVER trust a real estate agent to accurately tell you how many horses you can legally have- always go to your zoning.

ETA- If you have a neighbor who is not happy with you for whatever reasons, they will most likely be the ones to bring it to your zoning board’s attention. If pressed, a zoning board could require you to remove animals from the property if you have more there than legally allowed.

[gumtree]

Emily, I am pretty sure the zoning is by township not county. I don’t think Chester County has a “blanket” horse zoning ordinance. It would go against the whole reason why William Penn divided the county into townships. Call the township supervisor and ask. They might have a website with all the rules and regs.

Zoning restrictions are not required to be recorded with the Deed by and large. It is up to the buyer to perform their due-diligence.

“So what happens if you brought 2 in???”

Depends on your surrounding neighbors. You saw/read what happened in Newland Township last year. The “horse ordinance” had been on the books since the early 80s. It just wasn’t enforced. When a certain “private farm” changed hands and the new owners leased out the barn and indoor to our mutual H/J trainer friend. It increased the traffic on the road and pissed off a couple of long time landowners on it. They complained and had the township enforce the zoning. Which triggered a review and in the end they “upped” the land requirement per horse. It has shut down a few boarding operations from what I understand.

I doubt there is a “horse zoning enforcement officer”. If no one complains nothing will happen. Most of the time, depends on the township. If someone complains you will get a letter saying you are not complying with the zoning and you have X amount of days to comply and or appeal, and or apply for a conditional use variance. If you do nothing after a certain amount of time the township will levy a per day fine.

[Texarkana]

Horse-zoning laws in PA are all over the place depending on your township!

Growing up in East Nottingham Township, Chester County, for a long time there was a 10 acre minimum to own any livestock, unless the property was grandfathered. Supposedly that law came about due to a dispute between neighbors about someone’s geese constantly flying into the neighbor’s pond! None of the other townships around Oxford had that law. I’m pretty sure they’ve since re-written the zoning, since I see a lot more new farmettes now when I go back to visit.

Bottom line: call the township and ask.

[Frog_Pond]

[QUOTE=gumtree;8223422]
I doubt there is a “horse zoning enforcement officer”. [/QUOTE]
How I wish that were true in MA. Many towns, mine included, license horses like dogs, complete with an annual farm visit from a Board of Health animal inspector to count heads and check living conditions. If you don’t have one of these, feel lucky, COTHers!

[cschattner]

From my experience when I was house hunting the county has a general rule and the township/city can make it more strict if they want.
Where I grew up the county said 5 acres minimum to have the first horse then 1 acre per horse after that. While the city stated that you needed 10 acres to have livestock period. That was years ago it may have changed since then.

[ladymcts]

@Xctrygirl;8223038

I am confused as I know it’s not a lot of land but are there actual enforcement people involved with checking residential properties with horses?

I’m more familiar with suburbs around the Chicago area, but the answer there would be both “yes” and “it depends.” The yes part is that they are definitely out there and definitely contact property owners and issue citations. The “it depends” part is that if you manage things really well such that your neighbors are not inconvenienced by a violation (too smelly, too muddy, too much manure running off your property, horses escaping, etc.) then it may be that no one ever bothers you. But then again, there are always meter readers and postal carriers and service delivery people, any of whom could also make the judgment to report a violation.

[Laurierace]

I agree, it is all about zoning and if you are not complying with the zoning, try not to piss off your neighbors! They can and will make you reduce your numbers immediately if they become aware of it. Don’t assume you know the regulations though as there is no real standard. We had 30 horses on 6 acres legally.

[Guilherme]

[QUOTE=ElementFarm;8223154]
what’s allowed is different from what’s workable which is different from what’s ideal.

Our neigborhood doesn’t have a #/acre, but no cloven-hooved animals are allowed (no goats, cows). I’ve seen and worked at establishements that had very minimal acerage and turnout (think 5x small paddocks that ranged from large round-pen sized to under an acre) and they maintaned 40+ horses (ranging from school ponies, to boarders, to several grand prix jumpers). It, sadly, was the norm for a horse farm in that area – land lots were small and property expensive (near/in urban areas). The horses had very limited turnout and there was no grass to speak of.
On the other hand, I’ve boarded at places with 10 horses on 20 acres. Sounds great till you have to bring in a hard-to-catch one…

I think it really depends on if you plan to have your horses live out 24/7 or be stalled part of the day. It depends on your set up (some grass paddocks, at least one sacrifice area) and how smart you are about rotating. Soil (clay vs sand for example) will play a part in how well the grass and pastures hold up.

I think with a well designed 3-acre farmette, you could comfortably have 3 horses. But layout, and maximizing all space, is vital.[/QUOTE]

Best answer by far, particularly the first line. That should be tatooed on inside of the eyelids of all horse owners.

We get almost 60" of rain per year. That means lots of grass and mud. Around here cattle folks talk about “one cow, one calf, one acre.” Some do better. If I lived in the Big Bend country of Texas it would be “one cow, one calf, one section”*

While the Big Bend example may be a bit overstated if you’ve ever been there you’ll know why.

In answering this question the basis of that answer will be three elements: location, location, and location.

G.

*That’s a square mile, 640 acres.

[ASB_Stars]

Chester County resident, here.

It is correct that it varies by township, and then varies some more within the township, depending on the zoning, and other factors. For example, my place is a “non-conforming use”, and I am grandfathered. So, unless I subdivide the ground, I can, in theory, have as many horses here as I would like.

However, another factor that comes into play is the DEP, and the Chester County Conservation District. If you have livestock, you are required to have a “Manure Management Plan” in place. You can fly under the radar with this, unless the neighbors or the township officials get involved. At that point, you need to get your paperwork in line.

I would not be concerned about having two horses on the property; in this area, land is $$$, and the density of horses on properties is therefore higher. But, I would do my due diligence. Check with the township, and the neighbors. If you don’t do it now, they’ll let you know what they think, later. And, that might not be in your best interest.

[gumtree]

[QUOTE=Guilherme;8223996]
Best answer by far, particularly the first line. That should be tatooed on inside of the eyelids of all horse owners.

We get almost 60" of rain per year. That means lots of grass and mud. Around here cattle folks talk about “one cow, one calf, one acre.” Some do better. If I lived in the Big Bend country of Texas it would be “one cow, one calf, one section”*

While the Big Bend example may be a bit overstated if you’ve ever been there you’ll know why.

In answering this question the basis of that answer will be three elements: location, location, and location.

G.

*That’s a square mile, 640 acres.[/QUOTE]

While it gives some good information. It has nothing to do with what the OP is asking. Completely off topic.

I know the OP personally she is top notch horseman and knows exactly what she is doing and how to manage a farm. She is asking about zoning not how to manage horses with small acreage.

The OP and I live in the same “neighborhood”. I have been a “land owner” around here for a while now. I have a pretty large farm for the area and following zoning and horse zoning very closely because horses are what I do for a living. My land is our retirement plan I and others of like don’t want any self-serving changes made that will devalue it. . Long time farm owners have to battle suburbanites from time to time who move out to the country buy a couple of acres to raise a couple of free ranging chickens and want to change things to their liking.

[Mango20]

You definitely need to go to the official source - your county or township zoning department - and find out the real answer. Is it a “guideline” or is it actually a zoning regulation?

My county doesn’t have an actual animals per acre regulation on the books. Oddly, it did have a limit to the number of stalls I could put in a barn for personal use in the “conservation zone” that I’m in. So, I can have a 3 stall barn, but have 15 horses on the property if I wanted! I built a 4 stall barn, which I told them is 3 stalls, plus “storage” space (which looks very much like a 4th stall). I did have 4 horses here for a few years but am currently down to 3. This is on 6 acres.

[Jim_in_PA]

[QUOTE=cutter99;8223344]
According to your first post, that property would legally accommodate one horse. In order to have two horses, you would need 3.5 acres and 5 acres for three horses. This is what your zoning permits. The zoning requirements are usually based off total acreage not just pasture acreage in Eastern PA.[/QUOTE]

Given there are 10 acre properties in this area with 30+ horses (boarding operations/show barns and legal under zoning) it’s more about what one expects the land to do from a practical perspective. Those operations are not expecting the land to feed the horses…turnout is more for exercise and fresh air. For folks wanting to have pasture that supports the horse for feed during the grass-growing season, the ratio of horse to acres is very different. As you and others have noted, local jurisdiction zoning trumps everything and it’s important to ask at the source…I agree that the Realtor isn’t the right source to confirm that. The local zoning officer is the right resource.

[SonnysMom]

It varies quite a bit in Chester County. I am in East Coventry in the Northern part of CC. When I bought the house it was 2 acres for the first horse and 1 acre for each additional horse. There are also setbacks. So I can put a shed within 50 feet of a property line but a building that houses livestock including horses needs to be 150 feet. We are a small township so we only have one zoning for the whole township. I think there are other townships that the zoning is more complicated. There are different minimums for agricultural, low density residencial, high density residencial etc…

Honeybrook is 10 acres unless the horse is your primary means of transportation. So basically the Amish get an exception to the zoning.

I have never seen zoning go out an randomly to count the number of horses on a particular property. However, the township will get involved due to complaints to the township by neighbors.

In my township I would take the chance since my neighbors are cool and my property is very private. My township also just rolls and grants the variances pretty quickly rather than try to fight it, sometimes even if the neighbors are opposed to the variance being granted. Definately easier in my township to beg forgiveness than to ask permission.

So I would verify with the zoning officer for that township what the correct zoning is. Many times the whole zoning book is on-line and generally kinda of searchable so you might be able to find it on the township’s website.