VENT! Stupid people trespassing on horse property!

[mp]

[QUOTE=DMK;2969607]
I mean the people who come up to your fence to pet your horses are just probably genuinely interested (as opposed to freaky scary types that would actually walk into your horse’s stall). I figure it isn’t personally painful to me be nice to them or to politely explain why petting Sharkface isn’t a good idea no matter how cute he looks. They might even educate some of their neighbors if I am polite about it as well.[/QUOTE]

That’s pretty much the way I look at it. I spent the first 40 years of my life without horses and I feel very lucky to have them now. I don’t want people wandering through our pastures (or our barn!), but I don’t blame passersby for wanting to pet my horses when they come up to the fence. Horses are wonderful and mine particularly so.

Could we get sued if someone is bitten? I suppose. But if you’re doing to base your actions on what might happen, don’t get out of bed in the morning.

[Artful]

this kind of thing used to happen all the time at the barn I used to board at. When strangers would get miffed when I told them not to touch my horses (I had a mouthy youngster), I would say "well, I don’t walk into your house uninvited to pet your dog, why do you think it’s acceptable to waltz in here and pet my horse?

[enjoytheride]

Sadly today horses are grouped with swimming pools as an “attractive nuisance” It’s YOUR job to prevent people from getting injured and putting fences around your horses doesn’t always count! If someone’s loose child wanders into your pasture and gets stepped on it’s your fault for putting the pretty pony on your property behind your fence in the first place.

It’s like if you put a pool in your backyard. Your next door neighbor is a terrible parent and sends her children out without supervision. Dumpling wanders out of their backyard, into yours, and falls into YOUR poor. Guess who’s fault that is? No the bad parent, but you!

[ESG]

Exactly my point, enjoytheride. I’m all for educating the public, and do my fair share, but it’s we, as property owners, who are at fault when some idiot makes a bad decision and Dumpling’s finger gets bitten off. That’s one reason why my paddocks don’t front on the street.

[Equine_Obsession]

I’d be fine if they JUST stood outside the fence and rubbed the horses’ noses. But the fact is that some might try to come INSIDE the pasture, jump on the horses, feed them something they shouldn’t…

I’m located on a heavily used road with an equally heavily used pathway for people and horses. All types of people use it. We have since stopped using the pasture that they can easily walk up to. There’s a high berm along the fenceline and a fence with a ditch that discourage people from coming up to that pasture. So we’ve kinda done our part to make the horses and people safer.
When people drive up or are walking by and ask to pet the horses while I’m out there, I’m happy to oblige. A little aghasted sometimes…like when the solely Japanese/Spanish speaking guy was taking pictures of me lunging a horse. But hey, I went over to talk to him and in the little English he knew he told me about his daughter who was taking lessons nearby and loved horses.

Here’s my idea: If you don’t already have the owner’s permission, either quickly rub a nose and walk away or don’t venture on private property at all.

[smay]

electric fence is a wonderful thing

Yup, even a single strand running along that top board keeps the horses from coming to the fence for some lovin’… and it’s a little bit funny when the neighbors’ city visitors jump up there to “pet the horsies”… and get zapped! I get kind of a kick out of it!

[Giddy-up]

@mp;2969440

Technically, they’re trespassing but they’re not hurting anything and the horses are free to run away if they want to.

Some of our pasture fronts the road so if they are standing there, not too much can be done except to yell “watch out for the hot wire” when they try to pet or feed them which stops most (I do get a :lol: doing that). But I have seen people (adults too) make the turn & walk point blank onto the property & chase the horses down the fence line & are now standing 1/2 way into a 5 acre hay field. My horse is trying to “flee”, but they won’t back off. All the while we are yelling from the house or barn “you are trespassing, please get back on the road”. :mad:

Another favorite is when they get out of their car & bring their barking spazzing dog over to “meet” the horses. :dead: Last thing I need is horses running or striking thru the fence at said barking dog. What are people thinking? Of course they always thinks it’s just so fabulous when the horses start running.

Luckily our road is pretty busy & traffic goes fast so not too many actually stop, but I am still surprised by what people find is “ok” to do. :no:

[Sonesta]

An annoying as it is, I am like DMK and always take the time to speak to them nicely and explain the dangers and help them properly pet the horse and then make sure that they understandt that they must not - EVER - come up and pet them without me again. I tell them if they stop by and I have time, I’ll help them pet one again.

I do this because 1) I remember how horse crazy I was as a kid and sempathize with the child or even the adult and 2) I hope to educate them so they don’t make the same mistake again.

[RiverBendPol]

[QUOTE=Sonesta;2969774]
An annoying as it is, I am like DMK and always take the time to speak to them nicely and explain the dangers and help them properly pet the horse and then make sure that they understandt that they must not - EVER - come up and pet them without me again. I tell them if they stop by and I have time, I’ll help them pet one again.

I do this because 1) I remember how horse crazy I was as a kid and sempathize with the child or even the adult and 2) I hope to educate them so they don’t make the same mistake again.[/QUOTE]

I agree with Sonesta. I also have 3 strand hot tape with no warning signs and am quite pleased when the trespasser gets zapped:cool:. I also was a horse maniac when I was little and would go into any barn or field I could find just to feel one velvet nose.
One night at overnight riding camp, age 9, I slipped out of my cabin and into the barn. This practice was FORBIDDEN. It was about 10 PM, I was alone. I scrambled up onto the back of “my” camp horse and rode her around in her stall for a while then lay on her back while she munched her hay. When I got down and gave her a thank you pat on the neck she turned and CHOMPED the inside of my scrawny little fore arm. Holy Hannah, not only did it KILL and bleed like mad, I was convinced I was going to die of Lock Jaw that very night. I made my way back into my bed and lay under my covers with the flashlight staring at the wound that was going to make me dead before morning. No, I never told a soul. I also have a good scar!

[blton9th]

@smay;2969767

Yup, even a single strand running along that top board keeps the horses from coming to the fence for some lovin’… and it’s a little bit funny when the neighbors’ city visitors jump up there to “pet the horsies”… and get zapped! I get kind of a kick out of it!

Yikes, we have the same sick sense of humor!!!:lol::lol::lol:

[mp]

[QUOTE=smay;2969767]
Yup, even a single strand running along that top board keeps the horses from coming to the fence for some lovin’… and it’s a little bit funny when the neighbors’ city visitors jump up there to “pet the horsies”… and get zapped! I get kind of a kick out of it![/QUOTE]

Wheeeee, that’s some fun, ain’t it! Much better than watching the bug zapper. Don’t go putting up any of those yellow “ELECTRIC FENCE” markers, or you’ll ruin all the fun.

Giddyup, the people in your area are a lot dumber than my neighbors, I guess. But then we don’t live in a newly developed area. If you’ve only lived around here for 20 years, you’re a newcomer. :lol:

[deltawave]

I’m not a lawyer, but the whole premise of “attractive nuisance” is not all that cut and dry. Having a pool (for instance) safely fenced is just plain GOOD SENSE. You hear about ridiculous frivolous lawsuits on TV, but in the majority of cases reason does prevail and parents ARE held responsible for their own kids, as it should be.

I vote for pleasant over needlessly unpleasant in all dealings with non-horsey people. There is a STRONG current already of “you couldn’t POSSIBLY understand me, I am a HORSEMAN” running through too many horse people and personally I think it’s really grating and alienating. :no:

[Tory_Relic]

@deltawave;2969812

I’m not a lawyer, but the whole premise of “attractive nuisance” is not all that cut and dry. Having a pool (for instance) safely fenced is just plain GOOD SENSE. You hear about ridiculous frivolous lawsuits on TV, but in the majority of cases reason does prevail and parents ARE held responsible for their own kids, as it should be.

I vote for pleasant over needlessly unpleasant in all dealings with non-horsey people. There is a STRONG current already of “you couldn’t POSSIBLY understand me, I am a HORSEMAN” running through too many horse people and personally I think it’s really grating and alienating. :no:

I agree. I have no problem with people patting my horse over the fence…if they can get to her…there is a row of brush along the fence line that keeps them back a bit, so they actually have to come onto the property at the corner of the paddock to get to her. I do not want anyone feeding her and I don’t want them inside the fence. Fortunately, the paddock is near my mom’s house and her dog would have a fit if anyone came around, so there is a little bit of safety there.

[ESG]

@deltawave;2969812

I vote for pleasant over needlessly unpleasant in all dealings with non-horsey people. There is a STRONG current already of “you couldn’t POSSIBLY understand me, I am a HORSEMAN” running through too many horse people and personally I think it’s really grating and alienating. :no:

I don’t give a rat’s patoot if someone “understands” me or not. I just don’t want some uninvited person coming onto my property, fooling with my horse/dog/barn cat/snapping turtle, getting kicked/bitten/scratched/chomped, and suing me because they were too stupid to respect my rights by staying off my private property and not fooling with things that don’t concern them. If they want to learn about horses, they can call my phone number, that’s listed on my 4’ x 4’ sign that’s on my fence. They can make an appointment, and I’ll be happy to oblige them.

[horsetales]

fences may make good neighbors, but electric makes an even better one I’ve yet to see anyone coming up to the fence. I do see people slow down or stop when we have foals. Our road is fairly busy with no real shoulder, so people get mad if you stop or pull over and they can’t get by.

What really gets me is seeing people stopping a large commercial operation with 4 board and people pull over and feed their horses. I understand the horse crazy kid thing as I was one also, but comon, you wouldn’t me feeding your kid without you knowing about it. Worse is, you can call them and they let people come in and tour, so why not pet the horsey legally :no:

[Rivendell_Horses]

My negihbor likes to fall into that catagory (someone give me enough money to buy his property? bigger farm for me and they leave!!!) He has 3 little kids. The youngest is about 2 and they don’t see anything wrong with walking over and letting the youngest meet and great the horses in the top paddock.

There happens to be an 18 hand and HUGE draftx in that paddock most of the time. (it’s the only one with a shed large enough for him). I was out there getting night chores done and i look over and there is neighbor with his son 1/2 way through the 3 rail fencing waving his hands and Mr. Drafty whose head is bigger than childs’ body and feet are bigger than his head…is walking over. He’s 5 years old and a bit mouthy and you are letting your not yet 2 year old near him? argh!! I stood there and watched…hands on hips…and he noticed and pulled his son away and left. Doesn’t help they are related through the massive amount of family i have now does it?

Other than that, the only people that randomly show up on my farm are my students and their family and those have been ok’d to come out and pet everyone (thankfully mine don’t bite or anything. It’s part of the reason why i don’t have my address listed on my website. I have worked at too many private farms that did, and the people who would just randomly show up (always at the worst of times) drove me nuts…oh you’re breaking your skittish baby? well we’ll just run passed you screaming b/c we want to. argh!

I am very happy NJ has that lovely law about horses.

Jen
www.rivendellhorsefarm.com

[MistyBlue]

It’s a tough thing with people assuming our horses are public amusements. :no:
There’s the wanting to be a good equine ambassador thing. And a good neighbor thing.
And there’s the very litigious society thing. (and face it…adults who assume it’s their right to pet/feed someone else’s animals are likely the same type to thing it’s thier right to sue you for their injuries should they incur any)
And lastly there’s the equine safety thing. As in my mare has serious heart issues…there are certain things she can’t eat and she spooks easily which is not a good thing with a really bad ticker.

[equusrocks]

Oh god I wish I could find the video on youtube where this guy and kid are looking at some cows, and he goes to get closer to the fence and grabs the top wire (which apparently is hot, judging by his reaction) :lol:

[sublimequine]

That’s why putting up signs saying, ‘CAUTION: HORSES BITE’ or something like that is always a good idea, even if your 30 year old swaybacked gelding has never bitten a person a day in his life. The outsiders don’t know that.

[Andalucian]

Pegasus, you don’t happen to be in Little Elm, do you? If so, we’re probably neighbors.

Even better… you’re probably neighbors with the mother and her little girl that I found in the stallion’s stall. :winkgrin: