Okay, so went up to the field to check the horses this morning...only to find that Darcy had pushed the fence down and they had got out into our neigbour's field. Of course, the first thing they both did which was quite funny was to jump straight back into their own field and pretend that nothing had happened.

Anyway, the fence is totally ruined. I can't let them out till it has been fixed. The worst part was telling the farmer nextdoor, who wasn't too happy I can tell you, anyway, he said he will only fix the "damn thing" if I paid him a substantial amount for the damage to his field. He is asking for £150 for the fixing of the fencing. The fencing measures 3 metres length and is post and rail. He keeps cows on the field for crying out loud, and cows make more mess of the fields than horses do, but to tell you the truth, they must have run around a lot. Why oh why me?

Is the farmer right to demand so much money for one small section of fencing or is he being just plain mean? It is not my fault that my horse is a bit of a demanding little buggar when it comes to trying to get more grass. What do you think? Should I pay that money, or get someone else more reasonable to fix it? I am upset that he shouted at me when I was completely apologetic...it has made my day completely horrible.

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The placid face and unpredictability locked behind your feline smile,
Purring wisdom in a language I have yet to know.

Humm I do think he's taking the p a little, but then again he does have every right to be annoyed. Personally I'd offer to buy the wood myself then you'll know how much that costs and throw him a few extra quid to cover the labour for repairing it. You need to keep relationship well with him cos there's nothing worse than arguing with neighbours. Also to avoid any future problems would it be possible for you to put some electric fencing in front of his fence line then at least they won't do it again?

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oh what his taking the p, offer to save him the trouble, proberly be cheaper. and as for the damage well if theres cows then what damage?.

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have you got public liability on your horse insurance if so they will pay it. thats it idea of the insurance. It would also be cheaper to get someone else to fix it! its not hard to post and rail i post and railed a 2 acre paddock with my hubby once took us a whole weekend but we did it between us.

he also needed to PROVE your horses damaged the field he cant just say they did he eed proof no proof no case.

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"he also needed to PROVE your horses damaged the field he cant just say they did he eed proof no proof no case.[/quote]"

The OP has already stated that her horse has made quite a mess of the field.

Getting fencing done / repaired is expensive. Perhaps it's worth phoning round for a quote to get it done. Probably the farmer works as well as running the farm and will be paying someone else to do it.

He's probably more upset about the damage to his ground than anything else.
I think £150 is probably a decent compensation amount. Even if you fixed the fencing yourself he would still need compensating.

I can empathise.... my two are also wee escape artists if the grass is greener!!

Personally, I think he is over reacting over the damage to his land - if there were already animals on it, as opposed to crops, they will not have made it any worse than the cows potentially could have (I have had next doors cows escape into my hay barn and lunging area and boy what a mess, but I also realised the farmer could not have prevented it).

I think £150 is totally unacceptable. I would not ask him to fix your fence, sort it out by yourself, and give the farmer a bottle of wine/whisky as way of an apology. The money would not go directly towards repairin damage to his field!!!

I could understand if they had got into a field of freshly planted crop but a field with cows is just ridiculous.
I have had horses escape before and never had to pay any costs but who does the field belong to and whose fence is it.
As someone has said if you are insured for public liability then they will pay out although excess is usualy quite high.

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The fence separates my field from his. Technically speaking, the fence was built by the previous owners who owned my house. They had put it in I believe because the old fence was barbed wire, and far too dangerous for horses. I suppose it would actually be mine then? I hate problems! I might take up the idea of doing it myself. I believe I have a few posts in the shed actually and then just give him a bottle of whiskey as my apology.

I am upset by how he reacted. I mean I was completely and utterly devastated and apologised again and again to him as best as I could only to have it thrown back in my face; he wasn't having any of it. At the moment, he is still waiting for my reply, and I have installed thick electric fencing to bar it off from my horses. I just don't want to have to give £150 to a man who shouted at me after I had apologised immensely and who swore at me for the damage to the cow's field. I just don't know, some farmers give the others a bad reputation.

__________________
Those ceaseless liquid eyes,
Like honey watch and question,
Amid a forest of silken fur preened to perfection,
The placid face and unpredictability locked behind your feline smile,
Purring wisdom in a language I have yet to know.

£150 seems a bit expensive. It doesnt cost a lot for a few posts and rails.