Hypothetically, could I do this?

[Lemsipper]

I live in a small bungalow on a residential street with the garden about the same size as the house foot print. If I converted my garage into a stable could I hypothetically keep 2 Falabella horses (the tiny ones) in there at night if I rent a field nearby which I would them out in during the day? Is this allowed or would I need special permission?

[OrlandointheWilderness]

I think there are restrictions on keeping livestock within a certain distance of dwellings. And what about the effluent and muck? How close is your garage to the property?
How experienced with horses are you OP? Falabellas are sensitive ponies, they aren't particularly hardy unlike shetlands. And they cost a fortune to buy 😂.

[OrlandointheWilderness]

And some properties have restrictions on the deeds if I remember rightly.

[twistyizzy]

Everything @OrlandointheWilderness says.
Keeping livestock in a residential area is cruel to the animals and not pleasant for neighbours plus you probably wouldn't get planning anyway.
Horses are highly sejtive especially to noise etc so many residential noises would be scary and stressful for them.
I take it you have no experience of horses?

[mindutopia]

You would create a lot of muck to be barrowed out each day and where would you put it? If you truly want to keep horses (and I'm not sure I'd recommend the experience 😂), you would be better off getting a field with a field shelter and letting them live there full time. Horses don't want to be living in a garage. And how would you get them in and out of the field each day, just walking down a residential street in traffic?

Beyond that, do read up on the metabolic issues that some small ponies can have. For some of them, it means they can't be out on grass at all or only very little.

[Lemsipper]

@mindutopia @twistyizzy @OrlandointheWilderness thank you for the reality check guys! I see it would not be the kindest things to them to live in my garage at night 🤣 or practical with the manure. I do not have experience with owning a horse, but have experience horse riding but can no longer do so, thought this might be a nice alternative but clearly it’s not 😁

[Easterness]

How about renting a field and putting up a mobile field shelter?

[lifebeginsaftercoffee]

Why couldn't the horses just live in the field?

[Lemsipper]

@lifebeginsaftercoffee Yes, that is the best idea. I had gotten carried away imagining building a cute stable for them in my garage so I could look after them at home😄

[twistyizzy]

Falabellas wouldn't thrive just living in a field, they aren't hardy like shetlands.
@Lemsipper do you know about horse health, hoof care, worm control, dealing with injuries and behaviour? If not then lean about these things first.
The worst thing you can do is throw native breeds into a field and forget about them! Laminitis is a killer.

[lifebeginsaftercoffee]

I didn't mean just chuck them in the field and do nothing else - I meant why couldn't the stables etc. be built there rather than on OP's property.

[CountryCob]

This would be a change of planning use

[OrlandointheWilderness]

I'm assuming the OP doesn't actually own the field, and planning etc could be difficult. What you could do though is a mobile field shelter if the owner would allow it, then gate it off into stabling. However Falabellas aren't the toughest (are you sure you don't want shetlands, they are much more resilient! 😂) and may still get chilly. They need rugging through winter. Watch the grazing with any equine of diminutive nature - you don't want laminitis.

[OrlandointheWilderness]

I'm concerned that you don't seem to have equine knowledge OP - can you start helping at a local yard or riding school, or look into taking your BHS level 1 stable management?

[lifebeginsaftercoffee]

@CountryCob

This would be a change of planning use

Yeah, I understand that. But my point was if you're going to keep horses then it needs to be done properly with a field and appropriate shelter - you can't just convert your garage and have them living there!

I appreciate my first post wasn't clear though.

[CountryCob]

@lifebeginsaftercoffee I agree with those comments, hay storeage, bedding, first aid, rugs and a muck heap with a plan for its removal would all be loads to manage as the OP has mentioned. When neighbours complained the council would approach you in planning law and it is worth realising this, which I don’t think was mentioned elsewhere….

[Lemsipper]

Thanks all!!! I see my idea wasn’t good xxx 😊

[Ariela]

@Lemsipper Am I right in thinking you're missing having contact with horses?
Could you volunteer eg RDA, or a horse rescue charity?

[Postapocalypticcowgirl]

@lifebeginsaftercoffee

I didn't mean just chuck them in the field and do nothing else - I meant why couldn't the stables etc. be built there rather than on OP's property.

Because it's expensive and getting planning is really tricky!

@Lemsipper I'd suggest maybe spending some time volunteering with horses to build your care skills, and then consider keeping two small native ponies in the field e.g. Shetlands, Welsh Sec As, Dartmoors etc- these are much more robust than Fallabellas and will easily cope with living out all year (and are just as cute)!

[Lemsipper]

@Postapocalypticcowgirl thank you, that sounds like a much better plan 😊