We need the help of Form Members

[Irish Hills Farm]

Where I live in TN the coyotes here are the size of German Shepherds. We also seem to be the hot spot to dump all sorts of dogs, cats, unwanted this or that off. No one seems to have the intelligence to take the unwanted animal to the local human society, well actually we've heard they don't want to take them to the human society because the human society asks for a donation at the time of drop off. HELLO donation means a buck, the left over dog or cat food, etc. Sorry, about that rambling, just ticks me off to no end how people just dump their animals leaving them basically as coyote bait.

Anyway, where I live there is no way in the world I would depend on hot wire alone to protect my horses. No a even a slim chance. If you want your horses protected as best as possible you'll put up field fence, cattle panels and a strand or two of hotwire as well as get a guard dog, donkey, etc.

If you associations says you must put up board fence, why can't you leave your hot wire up as well?

 

[Suzie]

In an association like that, you may be fighting a losing battle. We have a friend who was told to take down his birdhouses....not in the "association rules". He wants a mini too, no can do. His neighbor has great danes which are taller than my minis.....go figure.

You might have to do the fence as they require. However, I would consult an attorney and see if anything happens to your livestock, the "committee" would bear the cost. That might grant you some leeway if they think they are held responsible...?

We put up a board fence and ran wire inside the boards to give double protection. They probably won't let you do that either....

 

[Miniv]

They make invisible fences for dogs, Tony.

:

Ummmm.....you have NO IDEA what that would entail for Tony.......He has ACRES and ACRES!

MA

 

[dangerranger]

HMMMM I weighed in earlier on this but it seems to have been lost. My wife and I live in a comunity that has fence laws also. when our last two are out of high school we will be free to move to a place where people could care less about what we do on our own property. But for now we put up with the rules we have . we are alowed to put up three board fences. theres another rule that allowes a trellis for vines and plants. so after out fences were up I put field wire inside the fence to trellis some vines on. the field wire has holes small enough to keep out small animals but keep in horses. the vines also have become quail habitat. you may get some help from places like quail unlimited , fish and game commision, or your county extention. after I put ours up I found out they would have paid for part of the fence cost and provided most of the plants . and if presented well to your board , noting the estetics, benifits to wildlife, etc .you may fair better than those that had to move. Good Luck. DR.

 

[anita]

They make invisible fences for dogs, Tony.

:

Can you get the picture Olympia and Seatle, WA together? This size is Tony's ranch.

A

 

[Jill]

I wonder if Nicole didn't mean an invisible fence for Tony, but for Carol and John? That's what I thought when I read her post just now.

Would a guardian dog work for you, Carol? I just now realized you were the one posting this and I am very sorry about the worry you are having :no:

 

[Hobbit Horse Shire]

Would a guardian dog work for you, Carol? I just now realized you were the one posting this and I am very sorry about the worry you are having :no:

Hi Jill .. :saludando:

We've talked about a guardian dog in fact I've spoken with Julie at My Ark Farms about her Marames but in a reply yesterday they said you really need 2 dogs .. 1 as a backup which makes a lot of sense .. We've drafted a letter full of some of the replies to my posting including some very graphic photos of a yearling colts that was attacked by a pack of dogs .. We're hoping that will be enough to persuade them into allowing the fence .. If not our only other options are to move (which we can't do financially now) or get the dogs

Are you guys going to the show on Saturday? If so we'll see you there .. Good Luck with your minis and congrates on your National win :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033:

 

[Jill]

Hi, Carol --

I wish I was going to the show this weekend, but I'm not. I've got a CFP course exam next weekend and need to study. I took off from the office to do that today and tomorrow (and alllllll weekend). Lucky me

Thanks for the congrats

Hopefully you'll be allowed the fence, but if not, the two dogs would probably be a good alternative. (Plus, the only four legged things I love more than my horses are my dogs).

Jill

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

I am going to just agree with EVERYTHING Sheryl has said. We live way out in the country too, with a HUGE national forest just about 1/2 mile from our house. We have coyotes, bears, cougers. We just seem a litter of coote pups on the road right in front of our house. They were howling up a storm, so my hubby went out there and shot into the air. My mini pasture is located about 50' from the back of our house. It was weird but for 3 nights before this they howled every night and about 1/2 hour before there howling would start my donkeys would bray and bray and bray. So we were well aware of something coming into the area. Ever since my hiubby shot we have not heard or seen any coyotes. I would NEVER trust only electric fencing, I dont care how many strands it would be. We have panels and ranch fencing (the little 4X6 squares) plus the 1 1/2" electric tape, and 3 rows of tied on flourescent pink ribbons...which is what the DNR is doing to farms that have had problems, (still cant figure this one out, but it seems to be working..just dont know how!) and also my donkeys. I still know that if they wanted to get in they could find away, but its the best I can do to protect my horses. My donkeys are worth there weight in gold for protection, and letting us know when something is out of the ordinary, but not all donkeys will protect. Good Luck at your next meeting, and let your voice and concerns be heard loud and clear. Corinne

 

[appymini]

I just went through a attack last week in board fencing on a mini/We thought it was a bear. But the Lands and Forest said no.Bears don`t go through board paddocks. Then we heard from another neighbour they got Timber Wolves in their fields.I got the new paper out and they did a story. But it was a waste of time.As the Ministry said no way. Our paddock is a 4 board fence attached to the barn. with nothing in it, that she could have gottena agash like that.Here is the story and a pic of the fence. http://www.nugget.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=682022

 

[mininik]

I wasn't talking about Tony's ranch. I was replying to his comment that the fencing the original poster wants will not hold a LGD.

 

[Hobbit Horse Shire]

Hi, Carol --

I wish I was going to the show this weekend, but I'm not. I've got a CFP course exam next weekend and need to study. I took off from the office to do that today and tomorrow (and alllllll weekend). Lucky me

Good Luck with your exam :aktion033: .. I know what you're feeling .. I"m having to go thru a re-certification process myself .. Not what I call FuN -----> NOT :no:

 

[Charlotte]

I think in a case like this your first stop should be with an attorney to read the 'association' documents then give you legal advice. Then go from there.

In the area where we live you can't change the rules after the game has started...as it were.

Good luck. It makes me MAD for you!

Charlotte

 

[Katiean]

I know coyotes can be a problem. There is a stable about 1/4 mile from me and last night I heard about 5-6 coyotes yapping and howling and just causing a ruccus. You could tell they were on the move. It sounded like they were at or near the stable. They were there for a few minutes and then back again. They were having a grand old time. I don't know if anyone was hurt. They only report the bears that come into town. Not coyotes unless they go into downtown.

 

[Hobbit Horse Shire]

:aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033: We want to say Thank You to everyone who replied to our call for help .. Although we don't know yet whether our electric fence will be allowed to remain, we wanted to take a minute to say THANKS .. Thanks for responding so quickly!! Thanks for giving us such great suggestions!! Thanks for offers of help!! And a very special thanks to Tony & Stacie for their photos & letter of support!! I'm sure once the committee sees thes photos they will do the right thing & allow us to keep the fence.

We will not be able to use donkeys or llamas, we are still considering LGD's (2 of course to have one for a back up) but we are not a wealthy farm so that option would have to wait until we can gather that much money

We will be sure to let you all know what happens .. May St. Francis bless all of your 4 legged "loved" ones, with long, happy & healthy lives .. And may they NEVER be without the love of a human companion.

 

[yankee_minis]

if you need documentation on electric fencing protecting livestock from preditors there are MANY MANY sheep/goat farmers that use it here up north. they recommend a 5 strand fence with several ground wires between. you do need to have a high powered one but they are WELL KNOWN for being excellent preditor protection and i'm sure you can find many many many instances to present your council. check on sheep web pages and stuff for documentation! many electric fence chargers will even come with info on them as preditor protection. they do indeed keep out most preditors if they are the right charger. a good charger will also not ground out real easily like many horse chargers you get. if i had a problem with preditors that would be my FIRST step then go from there...but i know they will keep out/in most animals when set up correctly and maintained appropriately. i have used electric for years and years and will keep out dogs and coyotes as well as the slimey two legged preditors that we have problems with around here!!

woopsie..this is "boinky" i forgot to change identities while we are here at nationals!!

 

[Hobbit Horse Shire]

woopsie..this is "boinky" i forgot to change identities while we are here at nationals!!

Hi .. I'm not sure whether I should say Hi "Boinky" or Tracey .. Thanks for the great suggestions about the fence & about checking with some of the sheep farms .. We don't have any near us but I'm sure there are plenty listed on the Internet

As a side note .. I love the way you show your new foals - with their moms & dads .. But I have a question .. What is the "ring"? We are new to minis .. well horses period & have never heard of it .. Thanks :saludando:

Carol P.

 

[runamuk]

We are in need of your help .. We live in an association that has decided to enact some fencing rules .. Currently we have a 6 wire electric fence because of living in a high coyote & bobcat area .. The new rules would make our fence illegal & therefore we would have to tear it down & build a 3 board horse fence

 


We tried explaining to the committee that board fence won't protect these horses from predators .. Last spring a pack of coyotees attacked & killed a fawn in our driveway .. This happened 1 month before we got our horses .. We had planned on using the board fence until we spoke with other mini owners at which time we decided the electric fence would offer the most protection

 


At a very heated association meeting last night the committee said we need to show them that others have used electric fencing for predator protection also .. So my husband thought maybe some of the Forum members have heard or experienced some of these problems

 


Thanks for any help you can give .. If you know of any news articles that we could use that would be great too!

 


Carol & John Pilot

When we were in Idaho we put up 6 strand high tensile (new zealand) electric. It was the only method that would keep the coyotes and neighbor dogs out. It also kept my horses and sheep and dogs in. This type of fencing is reccomended in heavy predator areas as it is a better deterent.

 


here is a link to something you could print out it includes types of fencing that provide predator deterrent board fencing is not one of them

:

 


http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/predator.pdf

 

[Hobbit Horse Shire]

We are in need of your help .. We live in an association that has decided to enact some fencing rules .. Currently we have a 6 wire electric fence because of living in a high coyote & bobcat area .. The new rules would make our fence illegal & therefore we would have to tear it down & build a 3 board horse fence

 


We tried explaining to the committee that board fence won't protect these horses from predators .. Last spring a pack of coyotees attacked & killed a fawn in our driveway .. This happened 1 month before we got our horses .. We had planned on using the board fence until we spoke with other mini owners at which time we decided the electric fence would offer the most protection

 


At a very heated association meeting last night the committee said we need to show them that others have used electric fencing for predator protection also .. So my husband thought maybe some of the Forum members have heard or experienced some of these problems

 


Thanks for any help you can give .. If you know of any news articles that we could use that would be great too!

 


Carol & John Pilot

I can finally write to all of you who so kindly offered support in our recent battle to keep our electric fence .. For those of you who are not aware of the situation to state it briefly - our home owners association decided that our current electric fence was not esthetic enough for some of the residents & there were trying to force us into putting up a 4 rail horse fence .. We have had coyote attacks, dog packs & bear in our area in the past year & a board fence would not protect our minis

 


I am happy to let you all know that we just got an email from the Board of the Association stating - "Your request regarding the acceptance of your electric fence as a specialty fence to be accepted under the current by-laws was approved at last night’s meeting."

 


We wanted to thank two members who sent us such convincing letters & photos .. Tony Greaves of Little America and to Stacie of Little Bitz Pony Farm .. Thank you to all the members who prayed & wrote wonderful words of encouragement .. You will never know how grateful we are to have had such support!

 


John & Carol Pilot

 

 

[wendi leigh]

That's great news!!! Now tell those association people to go get a life.... I am so glad that my community decided not to form a homeowners association everytime I hear of stories like yours.