Wintering My Garden

[ducks4you]

"They (wild horses) also kicked our neighbor's horse to death, so stay away from them."
THANK YOU! They are not wild animals. They are feral versions of domestic animals and the the BLM is a worthless government money-hole organization.
Just FYI, most horses do not jump well. 3' is kinda their limit bc it takes specific breeding to get a good Hunter or Stadium Jumper.
That said, if you could invest in horse fencing, you could probably keep them out of your garden.

2\" x 4\" Mesh 4' x 100' 12.5 Gauge Utility Fencing -204800 | Rural King

2\" x 4\" Mesh 4' x 100' 12.5 Gauge Utility Fencing -204800

www.ruralking.com

You want fencing like this bc horses don't like the look of it. If I still had my TB (not the best horse, but BOY could he clear a fence,) I would not be able to persuade him to jump fencing that looks like this. They can't figure it out.
Horses are smart and they learn. I would put up 6 ft fenceposts and run some electric wire on the top. They can smell it and, just like a barking dog, the burgler will move on to the next house.

 

[Jane23]

"They (wild horses) also kicked our neighbor's horse to death, so stay away from them."
THANK YOU! They are not wild animals. They are feral versions of domestic animals and the the BLM is a worthless government money-hole organization.
Just FYI, most horses do not jump well. 3' is kinda their limit bc it takes specific breeding to get a good Hunter or Stadium Jumper.
That said, if you could invest in horse fencing, you could probably keep them out of your garden.

2\" x 4\" Mesh 4' x 100' 12.5 Gauge Utility Fencing -204800 | Rural King

2\" x 4\" Mesh 4' x 100' 12.5 Gauge Utility Fencing -204800

www.ruralking.com

You want fencing like this bc horses don't like the look of it. If I still had my TB (not the best horse, but BOY could he clear a fence,) I would not be able to persuade him to jump fencing that looks like this. They can't figure it out.
Horses are smart and they learn. I would put up 6 ft fenceposts and run some electric wire on the top. They can smell it and, just like a barking dog, the burgler will move on to the next house.

The horses belong to a local rancher. They are not wild in the true sense, but they are still extremely dangerous, especially since they rove around in large bands. We once had 30 horses right outside our door. I had pounds of manure that day to clean up next to our entrance.

My husband and I are going to weld a drill stem fence. This will take longer than a regular fence, but we are also looking to the future. We don't want to be mending fences when we are 80, and this will last as long as someone doesn't drive into it. Until then, I will collect the manure and use it. Also, we are still putting in our electricity, so no electric fence.

 

[ducks4you]

That IS horse fencing. Looks like mine. Here is "Harold," the neighbor's guinea that moved in last month. He hangs with the ponies, and that is my Mountain Horse mare next to him. We don't open gates, just slip through the fencing.

 

[Jane23]

We don't mind the wildlife coming through our yard. The horses just destroy everything. We have had our property regularly ripped apart by galloping horses, and when we first bought the property, we found one dead further back into the trees on our property with the trees around it covered in hoof prints. They were probably using them to gain extra leverage. An epic battle took place that day, and the bones remain.

We regularly have rabbits all over the place, bands of turkeys, deer, and maybe an elk. We have found evidence of at least one elk but have yet to see it.

 

[heirloomgal]

Montana looks like such a gorgeous place, from the pictures I've seen. I love the wildness. I'm fascinated by the whole area, Montana, Wyoming etc. partly because grizzly bears still roam there. They aren't found in many other places across North America anymore. We have loads of bears where I live, and they're very shy, timid animals for the most part. Seldom is anyone ever harmed by one, but grizzlies are almost like another species. I read about the college wrestlers in Wyoming recently and just can't imagine what it would be like to wander in the forests and need to be on my toes for that sort of encounter.

 

[Jane23]

Montana looks like such a gorgeous place, from the pictures I've seen. I love the wildness. I'm fascinated by the whole area, Montana, Wyoming etc. partly because grizzly bears still roam there. They aren't found in many other places across North America anymore. We have loads of bears where I live, and they're very shy, timid animals for the most part. Seldom is anyone ever harmed by one, but grizzlies are almost like another species. I read about the college wrestlers in Wyoming recently and just can't imagine what it would be like to wander in the forests and need to be on my toes for that sort of encounter.

The thing about Montana/North Dakota/Wyoming etc. is that you can’t take your eyes off the weather and the wildlife for your own safety.

One of our neighbors just had his septic tank eaten by a bear. Around me, I have seen prints, but not recently. They tend to stay on the BLM lands to be left alone.

Those kids are lucky to be alive. The wildlife will leave you alone if you leave them alone. The bear tracks my husband and I found last year were for a mother and her cub. A large set and a small set. That means pay attention to your surroundings and never leave the path.

I did not grow up here, but love it for the nature always around me. I could never go back to a city. Not even a small town. It’s too far removed from it all. Plus, I will take a bear over people any day. It does less damage.

 

[ducks4you]

Sounds like heaven to me!

 

[Jane23]

Sounds like heaven to me!

It is, but as a lot of the locals tell everyone else. Sorry, Montana is full.

 

[ducks4you]

I hear that Idaho is filling up fast.

 

[Jane23]

I hear that Idaho is filling up fast.

Everyone wants to get away from the junk and regulations. I get why they are there, but at the same time, it is very restrictive. I know my husband and I couldn't do half of what we do if we were elsewhere.

It is also getting away from junk. In my old area, some of my friends with homes have "homeless" using their gardens as a toilet, and they have no option to stop it besides fences that get jumped and security cameras that get ignored. They also have their water stolen regularly too.

I don't know what the answer is, but I am happier now than I have been in years. Not everyone can live in a city and make it work.