Can't use my own pasture !

I know of no US state where in areas that horses are allowed to be kept a neighbor can tell you that you can't keep your horse on your land. Why not tell the neighbor that since your mares are on your property they can't bring put their stallion on the adjacent property that they own. It's just as valid an argument. If they have some hot shot show horse you can put up couple strans of barbed wire (as already suggested) above your existing fence. It's unlikely they'll want to risk their stallion getting cut up by tearing through the barbed wire to reach your mares and (as also already said) they'll likely put up something substantial enough to keep him from getting into the barbed wire.

Would be quite like the old joke about Gertrude the heifer and George the bull, but still unpleasant for the stallion.

You can check into your local zoning laws as to how the stallion should be contained. I believe in MN they are 'supposed' to be contained by a 6 foot fence.


Go to the link and click on your state to see if there are any set guidelines:

http://asci.uvm.edu/equine/law/fence/fnc_menu.htm

If that stallion breeds your mares, they can be sued. Its their stallion and their responsability to make sure he is in a suitable pen that does NOT affect anyone else.

I would put up a double fence w/electric. Having 4 mares, I can tell you that when mares share a fence with a stallion, keeping mares that are in season inside your pasture can be a lot harder on your fence than keeping a stallion out...

I've seen mares back up to a fence to try to accommodate the stallion.

Great advice from everyone. I'm printing out this thread and filing it.

I'd break the problem/solution down into pieces:

-1- No neighbor has any right whatsoever telling you where you can or cannot put your mares on your own property. The only exception I can think of to this is if the neighbor's well is on your property - he has a right to not have poo in his well. Doesn't sound like that's an issue. Keep telling yourself that: it's your land, not your neighbor's. It is better to annoy others than to let others annoy you (when you're right).

-2- Like stated many times, contact the powers-that-be and find out exactly what the laws in your area are: Fence out, fence in, fence set-backs, special requirements for keeping stallions, etc. Study it well so you know exactly who's in the right and wrong before you do or say anything at all. Make sure whatever you end up doing keeps you in the right. It will prevent a potential lawsuit. These neighbors sound like the suing type. Knowing your rights always makes any verbal confrontation easier to handle as well.

-3- Rather than arguing with the neighbor and trying to force him to do something (ie taller fence, etc), I personally would just bite the bullet and do whatever fencing I felt was necessary to keep my horses in and that stallion out. I would want to use my land, and not have to worry about anything, and I would not leave that up to someone else. Once that's taken care of, they can complain all they want. Block their phone #.

-4- As satisfying as it would be to use barbed wire of other hazardous fencing materials to create a moat, I wouldn't do it. The neighbor would deserve the aftermath. The horse wouldn't. I think if he got tangled and shredded himself on the barbed wire, the neighbor would learn their lesson. However, if you love horses, you'd probably feel really awful for that stallion. Remember that your own horses could pull some unforeseen antics and end up in that wire too. Probably in the middle of the night - because that's what they seem to do.

Legally, you probably can't take down the current fence to build a new one further in, since you have joint ownership of it. If it's legal, I'd take that puppy down and build my own fence on my side. Otherwise I'd put a strand of electric wire 6' up on the current fence and send the neighbor the bill for half the fencing and half the power-bill and put my mares wherever I wanted. If ordinances require 6' fencing for stallions, I'd send him the whole bill. He may not pay it, but it sends a message and puts you on the offense.

What is the current fencing? Is it fancy expensive stuff? How long is it? Is it something you can afford to abandon and rebuild? Is it sturdy so it can withstand mares and stallions on either side?

Some good advice given by Freia. First, find out what the zoning / property laws in your area say. I don't know that I would take down the original fence, but I would put up a new fence a few feet into your property line. Build whatever kind of fence you would use for your own horses if there were no neighbours and you were starting from scratch. Then, I would ask the neighbours to share the cost of reinforcing the existing fence, by adding a few taller posts and an additional higher strand of wire or whatever was originally used. This fence is for their benefit, so they should share the cost. Alternatively, you can suggest that they build an additional section of fencing a few feet into their own property, like you have to ensure the safety of their stallion. Make it clear that you WILL be putting your mares out on that side of the property and using YOUR land, but that you are also concerned about the safety and well being of all the animals involved. If they don't respond positively, do what you must to use your property while keeping your mares safe.

I have never heard of a "world class stallion" being turned out behind anything other than a good wooden fence, to protect the stallion. Someone is pulling your chain. You do need to check the laws regarding the keeping of stallions and the required fencing. With stallions it's not so much about neighboring mares but the general public.

Also, you need to check your state statutes, as many law officers as well as county commisions don't know what they say that well.

As well as you said you bought a tract out there, are there provisions in that?

Stallions can be very dangerous to deal with, not just in terms of mares, but in terms of kids and adults, if the horse should get out.

And sadly, even electric fence will not keep him contained, if mares are in, if he decides to go visiting, and is the kind to be pushy about it.