We have been approached by family member and friend to see if we would be interested in leasing a few stalls for keeping horses. My son and his friend have been renting stalls at this place that had been destroyed by the hurricanes last summer. They pay 150.00 a month just for the stall they tend to the horses but the place was destroyed literally by the hurricanes and the owner has done little in the way of repairs. It took until last month to get water back. The barn isn't much of a barn it is really a pole barn covered in tin which had lost most of its tin and some parts had collapsed which they repair to be able to give some shelter. They have been using tarps for walls and help cover the roof.

We have a 2 ac. property, all zoned agricultural, with small barn and paddock area and they had asked to keep their horses at our place for 150. each a month. Our property is pretty torn up too. We have numerous large trees down tangled together too which exasperates the issue. The fallen trees took out a good part of our fencing along with some of the barn too. We have neglected those problems to focus on the repairs to the house, some of the repairs needed existed prior to the hurricanes which added more damage.

They are very aware of the state of our property and are willing to help. Our place is closer to them as well, my son lives with us so it is very convenient. They also had said they would assist in repairing the fencing and the barn too.

We are wanting to get our farm certification too but with all that has been going on we haven't been able to move too far with that. My problem is we want to keep sheep and some hogs. I do not want to get into the position where we run out of room. The pig stye already exists so that isn't a problem.  However the 300.00 a month would go a long ways in helping to repair. It would also help prove we are making an income from a farm related business.

My wife is on board and the one who brought it to my attention. The money isn't a huge sum, and all the repairs will still be made to the property regardless. It is just that the extra money can be diverted to use directly to repair the farm related side of the property. It will also help with the farm certification for tax purposes.

The other party involved, besides my son, is a responsible and sober family man. I would have no issues with him being on the property.

The property which backs onto ours is a large pasture which used to house cattle. My wife's grandfather used to lease acreage from the owner to run his cows on back in the 60's and 70's. I thought that maybe we could too should we run out of room, or obtain an agreement to access the property to exercise the horses.

I would consider keeping the horses but I am not sure if I would want it to become a permanent thing. I would also hate to have to tell them they need to find another home for their horses if I do decide to stop. Certainly since prices are always on the rise. So I am sitting on the fence.

General advice. Horse people are nuts. People that have horses but don't have a place of their own to keep them are the cream of the nut crop.

The drama ain't worth the cash.

You should look into the agriculture exemption. Horses are usually not considered farm animals and if they arent yours it might make other trouble.

Sounds like adding a lot more to an already busy 2 acres

FPNI.

this^

Every horse owner I know is wacky and kooky

I had a feeling the horses might interfere with our ag exemption. I am thinking of just saying no.

Thanks.

This ^  All day long .

What are you going to do when they stop paying, stop showing up to feed / care for the horses?

Something else to think about is that horses live to find a way to hurt themselves. If there is a stray piece of barb wire in the pasture their hooves will find it, and if there is a way to cut themselves on anything they will do it. What is going to happen if they hurt themselves and the owners aren't around? How much time and effort will you want to spend on helping the horse, getting a vet out to it, etc.? Not really trying to talk you out of it, it's just something else to think about.
ETA: Since it is your son and a friend it may be a different situation. That does make a difference, and in no way am I trying to say anything bad about anybody.

Yeah, I think I am just going to say no. It really doesn't mix with our future plans. I do not want to deal with butthurt people when I have ad enough. My SIL wanted to us to basically build up the property to house her horse when she travels here then got her ass up on her shoulders because my wife said we were planning on having sheep and hogs. If we had 15-20 acres no problem, but not on 2  She became so upset she didn't speak to me for a few months. So I know all about horse people

The 300 a month looked good short term, and it really isn't about the money, although I could have put it to immediate use. I just think it will be more hassle than I want to deal with. I do not want our plans to run be slowed by something I am not really interested in.

This!

That's where my wife and I are right now.  The tenant is 8 months behind and has done nothing for her horse.  She's supposed to be bringing out winter feed for her horse but hasn't.

Am currently debating legal options with my wife as to what to do.

Sadly the horse isn't worth much and would probably go to a slaughter house if sold at auction.

Semper Fi

In my opinion, it isn't worth it.  2 acres is not a lot of land for horses.  In our county, the land owner needs to allocate 5 acres for the first two horses, and an additional acre for each horse after that.  Your township/ county may have a similar law, even if zoned for ag.

Even though it is your son's friend, you may need to look at additional home-owner's insurance, should the horse escape, be injured, or injure someone.

2 acres is really not enough for even one horse. The grass would be eaten down to the dirt pretty quickly with two or more.

We're looking at all options currently.  I'm arguing that the owner sign her over to us in lieu of back rent since the horse will maintain our ag exemption.  That and because I am a softie for animals and would really hate to see her go to the knackers.

Semper Fi

I'd load it up, drive it to her house and tie it to something. You know you won't see a dime from her even if you go to court.

You can ag exempt 2 acres in LA?  10 is the minimum in Texas unless you're keeping bees.

As the husband of a horse lady, I just want to say...

FPNI

I've known several people who've kept horses on half an acre, I even looked after them when they went on vacation in the summers. I never had horses of my own, we always had sheep and goats, so I guess they figured I was halfway responsible.

The ground will be eaten bare, so you have to feed them, hay and grain. They'll need a little room to run around in and you'll have to manage the manure. We had some assholes down the street that ran 5 or 6 horses on half an acre. It was a nightmare when it rained. They finally moved out and this elderly couple bought the place. They didn't have any livestock, so somehow wild rye grass got started in there, grew in thick and 4ft deep. They asked me to mow it for them and we actually killed a lawn mower trying to keep it under control. We finally struck a deal to let me run some sheep out there and that's what it took to keep the grass down for a while.

Two horses aren't gonna be that big of a deal IF they are taken care of. If it gets out of control, you can have issues. They don't need as good of fence as sheep, and the stray dogs are less likely to get in there and kill one, although they may try to chase them. Electric fence is a good tool.

My problem is whether or not you want other folks on your property every day. I like going out on my back porch at night to pee and have the reasonable expectation that no one is out there looking at me.

/thread

seriously, he's 110% right.   fooking whackjobs and trying to actually get some money out of them won't be easy.

Also, horses (and their owners) are destructive (1100lb animals), tear up property, fields, etc

it's a hugely bad idea

in some states you can file a livestock lien.   And basically put a lien on the horse.   At least you'll  legally end up with it.

2 acres is a small yard. Not enough room for a big dog. You like the smell of horse shit? There won’t be a place you can’t smell it on the property.

That is a question I have been trying to find out. We really need to see a CPA, but 10k things going on with making repairs, hearding contractors, local inspectors, the list goes on.

From what I have found on-line there isn't a size requirement only an income, you must make commercial sales of over 2k per year from what I read I have been trying to find where I read that too. You have to send in your tax forms for verification and recertify more frequently. Initial certification is only good for 1 year. Then you have to reapply and the next certification is valid for 3 years.

Commercial Farmer
As provided by Act 378 of the 2017 Regular Session, a “commercial farmer” is a person,
partnership, or corporation who meets the following three requirements:
1. Occupationally engaged in producing food or agricultural commodities for sale or for
further use in producing food or such commodities for consumption or sale;
2. Regularly engaged in the commercial production for sale of vegetables, fruits, crops,
livestock and other food or agricultural products; and
3. Report farm income and expenses on a federal Schedule F or similar federal tax form,
including but not limited to, Forms 1065, 1120 and 1120S under a North American Industry
Classification System (NAICS) Code beginning with 11.

The plan is to begin with the hogs and sheep, then move to something else. It would be nice to be tax exempt when we are fixing all of the fencing, and outbuildings that were destroyed. We have plenty of ground work to do as well once we remove the downed trees. Our pasture looks like we were bombed literally.

Horse boarding doesn't meet 1 or 2.