20 horses on 5 acres is pretty excessive. I grew up on 6 acres and had 2 horses on 3 pastures and they kept everything pretty well mowed down so I can only imagine the overgrazing and mud-hole effect 10 times as many horses would make out of 5 acres.
[Assuming you are in the USA]
If you did take him to court over what could be considered "a taking", you could only fight him legally if you could prove you alone were bearing the entire burden of the nuissance yourself. Since I imagine other neighbors are in the area, he could successfully argue his way to getting the case dropped (then countersue you for legal costs) because you don't have legal standing to sue.
It is likely his activities are also protected under the Right to Farm act which prohibits noise complaints by neighbors especially when it comes to operating farm-related machinery at pretty much any hour of the day or night with just cause.
As a side note, it might be a tough sell to get a judge to swallow the idea of fireworks as legal animal deterants UNLESS you were growing a couple rows of blueberries and employed a "berry cannon" which is meant to scare birds off the bushes. They're about as loud as a gun and you could grow the berries right along the fenceline with your neighbor. Of course you'd have to grow enough blueberries (or berries and something else like christmas trees) to make a minimum $1,200 gros revenue stream a year from them (to be considered as a farm)... your property tax would be slashed in half if you did and signed up for the farm tax grant. The great thing is, you'd also be protected under the Right to Farm act and could set the cannon off at any time you felt like pissing him off.
Of course a simpler solution might be to just try and talk to the guy and in a civilized way, convey to him what it is like in your shoes. Some people just don't have any clue how bothersome what they're doing can be. Maybe try working out a compromise. Get rid of half of his horses in exchange for running twice as many classes. The classes would be half the size and you'd only have 10 smelly beast next door instead of 20.
2006-10-21 08:50:11
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answer #1
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answered by wreck_beach 4
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It would depend on what kind of zone you live in, rural/urban. It's not illegal to run business from your home. There are statelaws that would probably pertain to your situation.
I don't think the police would side with you just b/c you built your house prior to him building his.
Try doing something that would annoy him. If you live in the country, go buy some fireworks and scare his horses by lighting off fireworks in the middle of the night. You can say that you are using them to keep animals away.
2006-10-21 15:18:04
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answer #2
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answered by Anonymous
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DO NOT USE LOUD NOISE! If you scare the horses and they harm someone, you can be charged with reckless endangerment. If you blow your horn, shoot fireworks, fire cannons, or shoot a gun where you know there are horses, you will be held liable. 20 horses on 5 acres is perfectly legal if he feeds the horses well (buys hay and feed). The best way to get your neighbor to change his ways is to ask him to buy your place, when he says that he won't, tell him that he will have to pay you for the loss of value because of his activities.
2006-10-21 17:26:58
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answer #3
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answered by Jack S. Buy more ammo! 4
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5 acres isn't enough for 20 horses. Check zoning, and if that doesn't work, call the Animal police. It may be cruelty. If that doesn't work, you may have a Nuisance suit, if you were there first or he started this after you had been there a while.
2006-10-21 15:41:42
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answer #4
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answered by open4one 7
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Let me see you just built a new home next to someones farm and you wonder if you can stop him> I have to laugh, the horses were already there.
And yes most likely even if in city limits he has a grandfather clause to have his farm operation.
I would say you knew or should have known he was there, so you have no reason to complain,
he was there first, I guess he may not like you being right next door either.
2006-10-21 15:57:07
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answer #5
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answered by Anonymous
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Check your town's statutes.
But I live in an area where I can't raise chickens myself, and still have two for "biological pest control." I keep everything quiet, and clean, and although I am a "chicken outlaw", nobody in my neighborhood cares.
He owns his land, and maybe rattled your inertia. Just talk to him, and may end up compromising in a far more amicable manner
2006-10-21 16:49:01
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answer #6
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answered by Anonymous
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If you buy/build a house in horse country this is what you get. Check with your local code enforcement department to determine if he's breaking any laws.
2006-10-21 15:40:57
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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look up the ordnance's in your city/county,about the horses...
I live in the country, and complained about my neighbor building his house in the middle of the night. The cop said he couldn't do any thing about it...Good Luck...
2006-10-21 15:19:49
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answer #8
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answered by shoot.bang 3
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If he and you live in a rural area, outside the city limits, it may very well be legal. Check with the authorities in your area..
2006-10-22 08:35:13
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answer #9
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answered by WC 7
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Sorry But he is running a farm and you just need to put up with it. He has the rights to his land. if you wanted less livestock you should have stayed in town.
2006-10-21 15:17:42
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answer #10
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answered by Anonymous
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