# distance between house and pasture



## PaintHorseMares

You can put it as close as you want as long as they can't reach over and grab stuff they shouldn't.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## stevenson

there should be something for your county , town, etc stating in Code Compliance . 
Most states, towns and counties have their own rules and regulations and in my area it is 100 ft away from any dwelling, this includes neighbors.


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## SouthernTrails

As many have said Laws vary from area to area, but the closest I have ever heard of being able to put a pasture fence to a permanent structure is 50 feet (unless that structure was a barn)

I would try calling your local County Extension Office or Zoning/Development Board

.


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## farmpony84

I thought it was 50 that the barn had to be from the house?


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## walkinthewalk

I live on a road full of farms. We don't have any sort of fence rules.

We have 23 acres fenced and cross-fenced. The 3 acre pasture on the front/side of the house is 30 feet from the house. The pasture down behind the other side of the house uses our backyard chain link fence as a boundary for the horses. 

My side of that chain link is the back yard, relegated to the dogs when they have to go outside. They aren't allowed in the main yard/farm, unless we are out there with them. 

As long as you don't live in a township with restrictions on fencing you can do what you want. 

However, I would check in your township just to be sure and get a copy of any fence ordinances. If they get changed for the worse, you want a copy of how the stipulations were, when you put your fence up so your property can be grandfathered.

Hopefully none of that is an issue


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## PaintHorseMares

walkinthewalk said:


> I live on a road full of farms. We don't have any sort of fence rules.
> 
> As long as you don't live in a township with restrictions on fencing you can do what you want.
> 
> However, I would check in your township just to be sure and get a copy of any fence ordinances. If they get changed for the worse, you want a copy of how the stipulations were, when you put your fence up so your property can be grandfathered.


I agree that it's always best to talk to your local government and get a copy of any statutes, if nothing else, for your own information.

Like walkinthewalk, our area is in the rural, unincorporated part of a county full of farms and ranches, and there are no fence statutes, you're pretty much free to do what you want for agricultural structures (barns, shelters, etc), and there are not even limits on the number of farm animals.


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## stevenson

lol... i stand corrected... I think it is 30 ft here,, the 100 ' rule is for something else I had been thinking of. 
but the smallest parcel allowed to keep a horse here is 1/4 acre , most are 1/3 acres and larger.


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## JCnGrace

Except for the driveway being open all the way to the road our house is completely surrounded by our pasture. We fenced off behind the garage for the minis and that took up half of the backyard. I've never measured it but a rough estimate would be 4 ft. at the closest point along one end of the house.


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## Chevaux

You'll want to confer with your local municipal government to make sure but there is little likelihood of restrictions in that regard. What you might come across is how close the fence can be to the municipal road.

Where we used to live, because of the way the yard was fenced, we would routinely turn our horses out in the yard to graze to both maximize grazing and reduce the amount of time spent lawn trimming.


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## gigem88

farmpony84 said:


> I thought it was 50 that the barn had to be from the house?


Yikes, I hope that's not the case where I live. My barn butts up to my yard as does my arena!! I love sitting on the patio looking at my horses, when we have parties they hang their head over the fence and want to join in.


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## Acadianartist

Rural areas in my part of the world are regulated by Local Service Districts. My husband (a lawyer) contacted ours and apparently there are no rules pertaining to fencing. There is, however, a rule that says an agricultural building must be 100 ft from any house that is not your own. 

So I guess my real question is how close SHOULD a fence be to a house? The deck is 12 ft out, the pool is another 16 ft and we would probably leave a good 12 ft between the pool and the fence (maybe more). So that's 40 ft with a downward slope going away from the house. If I thought the horses would tend to poop right up against the fence, I might push it back a little, but what are the odds that they will pick a hill to poop on?


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## PaintHorseMares

40' should be more than enough, IMHO. They'll tend to poop on areas with weeds and/or the less palatable grasses that they won't eat (or eat last).

Our closest spot (to our deck) is about 20'.


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## Acadianartist

PaintHorseMares said:


> 40' should be more than enough, IMHO. They'll tend to poop on areas with weeds and/or the less palatable grasses that they won't eat (or eat last).
> 
> Our closest spot (to our deck) is about 20'.


How are odours? The grass there is actually quite good so I don't think they'll choose it as their bathroom, but our neighbor (who has 3 horses) was just here and recommended we put the fence a little further away because of the smell.


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## PaintHorseMares

Acadianartist said:


> How are odours? The grass there is actually quite good so I don't think they'll choose it as their bathroom, but our neighbor (who has 3 horses) was just here and recommended we put the fence a little further away because of the smell.


Well, we don't notice any odor, but we've been living with horses for a long time....


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## Acadianartist

Yes, I'm worried I won't smell it, but guests might  We have a gazebo right next to the pool. Oh well, they can just stay home if they don't like it! Less work for me and more time with the horsies!


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## PaintHorseMares

Acadianartist said:


> Yes, I'm worried I won't smell it, but guests might  We have a gazebo right next to the pool. Oh well, they can just stay home if they don't like it! Less work for me and more time with the horsies!


When you have livestock on your property, your place will always smell like what it is, a farm. I really don't think moving the fence 10' or 20' is going to make one bit of difference.


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## Acadianartist

Well, the whole neighborhood already smells like a farm (horses, cattle and sheep nearby) so I guess a couple of horses won't make that much difference.


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## horselovinguy

My closest paddock fences are about 125 -150' behind my house.
Walk outside and breathe in the aroma of horse.......
For me, it_ *isn't*_ the "smell", *it is *the flies that are attracted to the horse smell, the manure pile that are the pest. I hate the flies, then again, so do the horses :-x
Have a bug zapper in the yard to help, clean stalls and paddocks every day but horses attract flies, fact.
I find if I lime my ground in my paddock, then water it in a small amount the smell is not so obnoxious from urination the animals do..... then the flies are less too.
I normally use pellet lime on my fields..it lasts longer and isn't so dusty on the animals respiratory system. 
I try to apply lime as it is raining lightly or indeed in the imminent future, like rumbling nasty skies overhead! Or I have it applied as a spray along with fertilizer and weed control products....then keep the horses off of that area till it dries as is recommended...

Good luck planning your layout. :wink:


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