Horse in neighbours back garden -illegal?

[riverrock]

Well just as the title says, this can not be legal right?

[pickgo]

Don't think it's illegal, afterall many people kept a horse in stables next to their houses not that long ago.

What's the problem? Is the horse a bad 'nayhhhhh' bour?

[midlandsmumof4]

Makes a change from the usual pet . Seriously though, it depends on what it's doing there I suppose?

[MitchiestInge]

depends, if someone is grazing it there without your neighbour's permission that's not legal

or if your neighbour has stolen the horse that's definitely illegal

is it a nice horse?

[midlandsmumof4]

Pickgo-love it, very clever.....

[midlandsmumof4]

If the garden is huge.....there shouldn't be a problem. There's a minimum requirement depending on the size of the horse.

[pickgo]

..... I can only say it is past my bedtime really.

[ZacharyQuack]

I'd be tempted to climb over the fence with a shovel.

My kids would love a horse to live over the garden fence.

[CheshireDing]

Depends what the title deeds to the land/property say. Sometimes you cannot even keep chickens/pigs etc.

I presume you like in the countryside though and it's a big field so to be expected. Obviously if its a new build estate in Birmingham it's probably not appropriate (but would be damn funny)

[izzywhizzyletsgetbusy]

Your neighbours are cultivating heroin in their back yard?

Do you live in Afghanistan?

[MrsTerryPratchett]

[NorksAreMessy]

Is it building a 'gym'?

[Bellavita]

I love horses.

[PerryCombover]

Ooo it's like something from the Bunty

Is there a really good untrained girl gymnast on the estate also?

[PorkChopSter]

Oooooh it's my childhood fantasy come true Are they riding it on the school run?

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

YANBU There's a horse in the garden of a house that backs onto my office. It's got a little stable/shed to stand in but the small suburban garden is now churned up so there's no grass. Have often wondered if it's legal.

[randomness]

Reminds me of the bit in the Commitments:
'you're not gonna take that horse in the lift are you?'
'I have to, the stairs'd kill 'im'

(not suggesting you live in a Belfast tenement OP, btw)

[carabos]

Midlandsmum there is no legal requirement depending upon the size of the horse. It isn't illegal, but it might be unlawful and might be against any restrictive covenants on the property as Cheshire pointed out. While it may not be appropriate, assuming it is grazing and has access to water, there really isn't a cruelty issue either.

[LottieJenkins]

When my old neighbours were forced to remove their animals from a small holding they kept a goat in a horsebox at the bottom of their garden. Everytime we sat down to a meal we had a goat peering over the back fence at us!!!

[AnotherJaffaCake]

Like Cheshire and carabos say - you need to check your title deeds for restrictive coventants. These will tell you what you can and cannot do with regard to your property eg whether you are allowed to keep chickens, or whether you can change your windows, paint your front door a different colour etc. Some of them can be very restrictive and some a bit vague. Ours says you can keep domestic animals. I would take that to mean cats, dogs, and the usual pets, but probably not chickens or horses.

[catsrus]

When we bought our house the solicitor remarked how free of restrictions we were - and that we could keep a cow in the back garden if we wanted to :-) we did keep a couple of goats once - and always have kept chickens, but passed on the cow. People a few streets away kept a horse though..... So it depends on their deeds

[CadleCrap]

@norks

Do they have side access or do they have to take it through the house? Not that it matters, I'm just nosey!

[PercyFilth]

"you need to check your title deeds for restrictive covenants"

Your title deeds are irrelevant - it's the neighbour's title deeds that count and they may not be identical to yours.

[slavetofilofax]

There must be something they need to make it legal, either on the deeds or a licence or something. I have no idea what though, so sorry for being spectaularly useless and posting anyway.

But my friend had to have a licence for keeping pygmy goats in her back garden, people even came round to check that her garden was suitable. And they had to have seperate permission to transport the goats from the farm they were born on to her house. There must be something simelar with horses.

I'd phone a local riding school and ask if you should be concerned. They would probably be happy to help as it concerns the welfare of a horse.

[Booboostoo]

Of course it's not illegal and why would it bother you anyway? The only legal requirements regarding the keeping of horses relate to the citing and removal of muck although the more restrictive requirements apply to commercial premises not individual owners.

If you think the horse's welfare is affected because of lack of food, water and/or shelter call the WHW.