# Horse pasture help.



## Sereno (Apr 21, 2013)

horsecrazygirl13 said:


> HI we're fencing in a new pasture for my horse. It's on the edge of our property and our yard is next to a field/farming land. The farmer plants crops there every year and he uses/sprays herbicides/pesticides(not sure) on the crops several times a (growing)year. the pasture is going to be next to the farmer's land and I was wondering if I should be concerned about the stuff he sprays and would it be safe for my horse to graze there after the farmer sprayed the field? the pasture wouldnt be sprayed, though.


Overspray and spray drift WILL enter property. If he has higher land then water will move the chemicals onto yours. Been there and done that.

If you are on good terms ask to work with him and move your horses out for at least one month after his chemical date. You need to keep track of rain... one month may not be enough.

Otherwise. I would move my horse containment fence back 50 feet from the line. IF you know when and what he has sprayed, use the slot best you can.

I hope that you can work with you neighbor and rotate your land as needed.

Dang... Edit. We have had problems from others using our grazing property for pool, laundry waist dump. These have the same type of chems. in some fertilizers. We now keep several emergency injections for the horses for.... grazing with these chemicals. I'm sorry I don't remember the terms. I'm sorry to say that we corrected the problem only to have our neighbors ignore them and raced to use the injections. (neighbors told to leave, by .... someone else... the country or else and did.)


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## horsecrazygirl13 (Jul 16, 2012)

Is there anything else I can do? I dont have anymore pasture space and the only space I have is within 50 ft of the field. I really need to graze my horses!


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

Go ask the farmer what he sprays with and determine if it's horse-safe.


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## horsecrazygirl13 (Jul 16, 2012)

Delfina said:


> Go ask the farmer what he sprays with and determine if it's horse-safe.


 I dont know how to contact him!!! would it help if there was a row of trees between the pasture and field?


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## horsecrazygirl13 (Jul 16, 2012)

My horse dry lot paddock is by the propertly line also and I cant move it because my dad doesnt want horses everywhere. if it is 50ft from the line is it alright? do i have to move it?


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## RitzieAnn (Dec 22, 2010)

You can go to the county office & they can help you. Purchase/sale of a property is public knowledge. You can search the address in your countys assessors office & find out that way too. Or, when you see somebody.... Go over there & flag them down!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Sereno (Apr 21, 2013)

Lots of good advice above. Sounds like you really need to talk with the farmer and get some good relations going so he tells you when we is spraying or spreading and what he is using.

IF you have no run off from his property then thats good. If no wind while he is spraying/spreading would minimize any drift and if he understands your concerns then he can be a little more careful.

Good luck.


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## horsecrazygirl13 (Jul 16, 2012)

Ok I just measured everything. My dry lot paddock is 42ft from our property line and then there is a 6-8 ft wide ditch in between our property and the field. there is a row of trees between the paddock and the ditch. My horse would have to spend most of his time there I cant take him anywhere else. Is that ok or does he have to be moved if the field is sprayed.
And I just measured the pasture. I can move the fence line back 50ft(afterall) and there are trees and a ditch between the pasture and the field too. so is that ok? do I still have to take him off for a month? i really cant take him off his dry lot. I'd put him in the barn while the farmer is spraying and let him out 2-3hr later.
We dont get any run off from the field it all goes into the ditch.


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## Sereno (Apr 21, 2013)

horsecrazygirl13 said:


> Ok I just measured everything. My dry lot paddock is 42ft from our property line and then there is a 6-8 ft wide ditch in between our property and the field. there is a row of trees between the paddock and the ditch. My horse would have to spend most of his time there I cant take him anywhere else. Is that ok or does he have to be moved if the field is sprayed.
> And I just measured the pasture. I can move the fence line back 50ft(afterall) and there are trees and a ditch between the pasture and the field too. so is that ok? do I still have to take him off for a month? i really cant take him off his dry lot. I'd put him in the barn while the farmer is spraying and let him out 2-3hr later.
> We dont get any run off from the field it all goes into the ditch.


It is difficult being able to advise not seeing your situation.

OK. Ditch will catch any polluted rain water. Fence on your side of the ditch so horse can not graze on the ditch grass.

Which way does the wind usually blow? From his field onto your place or from your place onto his field? A mild breeze or windy? (most farmers will not spray in windy conditions.)

How dense are the trees?

IF he sprays and a little drifting happens, can you water that area for a couple of days?

Talking with the farmer is STILL your best bet. Will you KNOW that he just sprayed his field or what he used and which way the wind was blowing?

With some more investigation and information, you MIGHT be able to put your fence a couple of feet in from the ditch with very little disruption or danger. MIGHT!


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

Does the farmer live on that property? If so, go knock on his door. Otherwise, keep an eye out for the next time you see him over there, walk over and talk to him.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

If the farmer knows (and cares) what he is doing, you shouldn't have to worry about anything. There are strict rules for spraying herbicides and fertilizers and no farmer that I know is going to risk harming a neighbor's animals and have 10 government agencies and a lawyer at his door.
We're surrounded by corn fields that are planted within 6' of our fence. Even when he sprays RoundUp in the spring, it doesn't come near the fence.
Just talk to him so both sides understand.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## horsecrazygirl13 (Jul 16, 2012)

The farmer is pretty friendly and he never sprays when there is wind--maybe not even when there's a breeze. he does it with a plane or a tractor. He hardly ever comes around but if I ever get the chance I'll ask him. We live on that yard so he HAS to be careful. If I have the paddocks and pasture 50ft away, from the field isnt that going to be good enough? I mean, they dont spray concentrated chemicals do they? And only a little mist would come on the grass it wont hurt-right?


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## Sereno (Apr 21, 2013)

horsecrazygirl13 said:


> The farmer is pretty friendly and he never sprays when there is wind--maybe not even when there's a breeze. he does it with a plane or a tractor. He hardly ever comes around but if I ever get the chance I'll ask him. We live on that yard so he HAS to be careful. If I have the paddocks and pasture 50ft away, from the field isnt that going to be good enough? I mean, they dont spray concentrated chemicals do they? And only a little mist would come on the grass it wont hurt-right?


I'm NOT trying to alarm you. No one here knows his property, yours or the conditions. I think that we are working for you so you get the most grazing area for your horses and stay safe. You have to figure this out. That's YOUR job. 

As EVERYONE has advised. Talk with him! 

Plane spraying/misting CAN and WILL DRIFT even with what appears to be NO breeze but you want/he wants/the pilot wants any breeze to be away from you.

So go find the man and see him. Introduce yourself and tell him of your concerns but with understanding that HE has a job to do also. Exchange phone numbers. I'll bet that you will be able to work together.

I look foreword to hearing how your meeting went. :lol:


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

It depends on what is sprayed. Herbicides like 2-4-D are safe to graze on. Others typically have a 7-14 day wait. Don't guess...talk to him and see what he is spraying, especially if he's using a plane.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## horsecrazygirl13 (Jul 16, 2012)

How do I know what is bad? He doesnt always use a plane. he sometimes uses a tractor. Since I dont know where he lives or what his phone number is, would it be ok if I pin a note to a post or tree in the feild?
What did you mean about moving the fence lines back 50ft, Sereno?


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## horsecrazygirl13 (Jul 16, 2012)

Bump? If he sprays round up, is it ok? Sometimes my dad sprays our lawn with round up(makes the whole yard stink!:lol and it kills only the dandelions- not the grass. After about 12 hrs, we go outside again and it hardly stinks. 
ANYWAY,
What about insecticides?


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

^^^^ That's not the RoundUp that farms use....RoundUp kills everything...grass..weeds...plants..dead...all gone.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

find out what the laws are in your area. Here, you cannot spray with wind drift . Also does he crop dust using planes or helicopters? You will get a lot of drift from that. Move the horses out of the pasture when he is spraying. Go knock his door and explain that horses are next to the field and you need to know what he is spraying so you can find the grazing restrictions for the chemicals. Some are short term and some are long term.


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## Sereno (Apr 21, 2013)

stevenson said:


> find out what the laws are in your area. Here, you cannot spray with wind drift . Also does he crop dust using planes or helicopters? You will get a lot of drift from that. Move the horses out of the pasture when he is spraying. Go knock his door and explain that horses are next to the field and you need to know what he is spraying so you can find the grazing restrictions for the chemicals. Some are short term and some are long term.


this person has not put ONE MINUTE of solving her/his own problem.


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## horsecrazygirl13 (Jul 16, 2012)

Sereno said:


> this person has not put ONE MINUTE of solving her/his own problem.


I DONT know the farmer or where he lives or what his phone number is. If I did know, I would have asked him a LONG time ago. I just met him once when we moved to this place a few years ago. Would it be ok if I pinned a note to a post or tree with my phone number and my question? I AM doing what I can.


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## Sharpie (May 24, 2009)

If you don't know who farms that field, do you know ANY farmers? They probably know who does every acre in the county. If you don't know any of them, talk to the folks at your local feed and farm supply store- you might have to talk to a manager, but they DEFINITELY know at least a few of the local farmers, and they could help put you in touch with one or two so you can track down who farms the fields by your pasture. 

Without knowing WHAT chemicals are being used, it is completely impossible to know or even guess if your horses will be safe. Some chemicals are safe after they dry. Some need to be rained on before they're safe. Some have a time limit before they're safe- maybe two days, maybe two weeks, maybe a month. The only way you're going to know is to track down the farmer and talk to him. Short of that, you're just putting them out there and hoping they don't get accidentally poisoned.


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## Sereno (Apr 21, 2013)

horsecrazygirl13 said:


> I DONT know the farmer or where he lives or what his phone number is. If I did know, I would have asked him a LONG time ago. I just met him once when we moved to this place a few years ago. Would it be ok if I pinned a note to a post or tree with my phone number and my question? I AM doing what I can.


Nope. Just does not cut it. It didn't when I was growing up. Didn't when my kids were growing up. Didn't with my Grandpa or father.

DO what you KNOW you need to do.


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## horsecrazygirl13 (Jul 16, 2012)

Sereno said:


> Nope. Just does not cut it. It didn't when I was growing up. Didn't when my kids were growing up. Didn't with my Grandpa or father.
> 
> DO what you KNOW you need to do.


Dont really get what you mean? I dont know how else to contact him.

Edit. I will ask my dad, HOPEFULLY he knows! I dont plan on putting up the new pasture fence until I find out what he's spraying.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

horsecrazygirl13 said:


> Dont really get what you mean? I dont know how else to contact him.
> 
> Edit. I will ask my dad, HOPEFULLY he knows! I dont plan on putting up the new pasture fence until I find out what he's spraying.


Here in the U.S., you can find the owner and mailing address from the county real estate tax office. I imagine there is something similar in Canada.


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## horsecrazygirl13 (Jul 16, 2012)

The farmer was in the field today checking for fallen trees and stuff, I would've asked him but I'm babysitting my little brother and i cant leave him alone.
I'll try to contact him sometime this week and I'll update you guys on how things went.


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## horsecrazygirl13 (Jul 16, 2012)

UPDATE:
I FINALLY got to talk to the farmer. yesterday he was just about to spray his field when we got a hefty downpour with hail. he left his spray tractor(or what ever it's called) in the field and went home. After it stopped raining, I left a note on his tractor with my question and phone number. so today I got a call and he says he's just spraying roundup this year and my horse should be fine. Boy, was I relieved! 

He even said I had quite a nice horse!


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