Miniature Therapy Horse at the Center of Neighborhood Dispute

A miniature emotional support horse has been declared persona non grata in one Massachusetts neighborhood. Judy Hinchey talked to NBC10 Boston about the issue, sharing how she purchased a horse named Clover after getting what she thought was the city’s blessing.

However, after getting the horse home—and spending a lot of money getting the supplies, materials, and shelter the horse needs—Hinchey says she was told that her request to have the horse was actually denied. Local reporter Stephen Quinn interviewed Hinchey about the reason. According to the homeowner, it all boils down to horse manure.

But Hinchey says the fuss seems to have been blown out of proportion, since she says you cannot smell the manure on her property at all because she has a closed-off disposal system set up.

Now, she’s taking her fight all the way to the top and asking city officials to reconsider banning Clover, especially since the little horse has the potential to make a big impact in the lives of others.

Hinchey Says She Received ‘Verbal’ Approval From the City

Before purchasing Clover, Hinchey says she went to city officials to ask if she was allowed to keep the horse on her property. She told NBC10 Boston that she was given what she thought was verbal approval from the city, and she went out and spent close to six figures getting everything ready to bring her home.

The 165-pound horse stands at just 28 inches tall, and before she came to live with Hinchey, she worked in the Sunshine State as an emotional support animal. “In Florida, she went to nursing homes and all that, so she’s certified,” Hinchey told the outlet, adding that she planned to do something similar with Clover once they got settled in.

However, Hinchey soon found herself in trouble with the city, and officials told her she needed to remove Clover from her property because of manure storage requirements. According to documents found on Newton’s government website, manure storage facilities must be kept at least 100 feet from all side and rear lot lines and 50 feet from the dwelling. 

Neighbors Have Complained About the Smell

According to an interview Hinchey did with reporter Stephen Quinn, a big sticking point for the community has been Clover’s smell. Only, Hinchey says that shouldn’t really be a problem since she cleans up after the horse each day.

Hinchey then told the reporter that she even tried to talk to people directly through a local community Facebook page, asking neighbors to tell her what their issues are so that she could address them instead of getting rid of Clover. “Why are they scared? That would be what I just want to know,” she said. “I can’t fix it. I can’t address it.” However, Backyard Garden Lover wasn’t able to verify these claims through the private group.

For now, Hinchey plans to continue to fight for Clover. However, she did note that she was having second thoughts about staying in Newton after going through all of this. Hopefully Hinchey and the City of Newton are able to come to some kind of arrangement soon, especially if Hinchey plans to continue using the horse as an emotional support animal.