Crazy new neighbors

[wildwoman]

OMG I am IN SHOCK at people-can not believe what they have the audacity to do.
2 of my horses have been moved to pasture at my friends place, this was land that we cleared and fenced-so horses on the property has been quite the interest for all the people on the road-she has had to tell the kids to only go in with the horses when we are there-had talks with their parents etc. well now the people that moved in across the road from the pasture had a bbq last saturday and took like 20 people in with the horses to play with them-leaving both gates open and just going right in UNINVITED-NO PERMISSION. I had been out in the morning and my friend was gone for the day.

Friday we had QUITE the scare-When my friend had fed for the evening Lex wasn't acting right-then she calls me telling me she is rolling and puking. Lex is 29 and on beet pulp/senior mash and grazing on pasture for entertainment's sake.
We rushed right out there to see if she is colicing/choking or whatever and she had apparently coughed up whatever the problem was-I am freaking out thinking there wasn't enough water in the mash or she ate too fast, gas colic or whatever trying to figure out the problem.
Good gut sounds, pooping, walking around and didn't seem to be in distress the rest of the evening.

SO NOW we learn "THE REST OF THE STORY!"
Friday apparently ballsey new neighbors HAD TAKEN OVER A WHEELBARROW OF APPLES
OMG they could have killed my horses and who the hell are they!?
we have now put up NO TRESSPASSING signs -one directly across from their driveway-wanted a sign that said "tresspassers will be shot, survivors will be shot again"
Major issues here-
1)they could have killed my horses
2)if it had been the two horses here instead-and they took off they could not have caught them
3)tresspassing
4) liability issues-what if they go on the property and get hurt? Who gets sued? Umm yeah the bank CFO who owns 40 acres and a million dollar house.

Has anyone else had issues like this? What do you do? If not-thanks for letting me vent-I am so steamed and shocked.
Lisa

[michellep]

We had a similar issue with our neighbor who is just plain stupid and whats more disturbing he just doesnt give a d**n about our animals. He thought it was cool to start a compost pile IN OUR PASTURE where the horses could get into it. Well we had a conversation with the neighbor and I flat out told him that feeding of my horses/dogs was not okay under any circumstances and that if by chance they got sick he would be the one paying the vet bills and the cops would be called out. That was the pleasant trying to keep the peace version. My husband told him that if he ever caught him dumping stuff on our property for the horses to get into he would shoot him on the spot.....We havent had that kind of problem since, but I would go talk with these fools personally and let them know that they are not welcome around your horses and the reasons why and if they continue the cops are coming. I would let the property owner know your concerns and if you can have them go with you to talk with new neighbors. I always worry about people and their motivations, i.e. what will they do to your horses if they get mad enough, especially since you have to drive to get to them. I would talk with the local law enforcement. Hang in there, I hope that it will work out with them and they were just incredibly stupid and didnt realize the harm they could have done.

[jenm]

I'm glad everything turned out okay, you had quite a scare!

Do you have the option of putting locks on the gates?

Also, I would suggest taking a diplomatic route and intruducing yourselves to the people across the street and give them a brief tutorial about the digestive systems of horses. It appears they weren't being malicious, but merely wanted to give the horses "treats". Talk about killing them with kindness!

They neighbors could prove to be helpful as extra eyes and ears in the event your friend is not home, but if they don't know anything about horses, they won't be able to help. Also, if you alienate them, they may not want to help if a situation were to arise and you and your neighbor were not on the premises.

Just my thoughts. Again, I'm glad Lex is okay.

[wildwoman]

My friend has already talked to them about not going on the property and not feeding them-I think we are going to go with the "they are incredibly stupid and didn't know" angle-guess I can file this under-didn't know this was a potential problem cause I wouldn't have thought people would just do all this. In addition to the "No Tresspassing" signs we will put up sign that say DO NOT FEED THE HORSES.

[beckybee]

Well meaning, stupid people. I had my horses on our property in town, so I know how it feels having your horses exposed like that.

I'd def post no tresspassing signs. Maybe make up a special "do not feed" sign mentioning diet restriction or allergies or something that will get people to think twice. Also I would go talk to them. Glad everyone survived in the end.

[NanciK]

OK, I think these people are just ignorant, not malicious.

I could actually see my elderly Dad doing something like this ... all good intentions, but truly ignorant. And this man has been around horses for many years, but thinks like an Old Timer, oblivious to the health needs of a modern horse.

First of all, take a day to simmer down, then think about how to be most effective in getting your point across. Posting signs is kinda passive-aggressive, when, IMO, you could use this opportunity to educate these people, but you'd have to actually TALK to them.

Don't think you want to turn this into the Hatfields vs. McCoys ... that can turn ugly quickly, and you'd always be worried about what they might do to your horses if they REALLY wanted to get back at you.

[wildwoman]

The other people on the road have been helpful and have our cel numbers etc. That is how we found out about the wheelbarrow full of apples. George got a bee sting and we got a call-so yeah-I am all for having other eyes and ears out there-but the liberties people take-OMG.
The gates aren't lockable-fencing is to keep horses in-but people could go right through it.
Maybe I should also inform them of the cost of a farm call and vetting? Not sure how you could legally hold them accountable for that-but an going to educate them as much as I can.
eeek

[wildwoman]

Also wanted to add-these people are new on the road-so we hadn't talked to them yet like we had with everyone else-so the no tresspassing signs were not just for them-but whoever else may come along in the future. My friend has now had a couple conversations with them regarding staying off the property (when she found out about them taking all their guests-it was probably a housewarming bbq) and another when we found out about the apple incident.

[piopico]

I second, (and third) the approach of 'educating' them. Perhaps you could take over some of the treats YOU give the horses, and show them how to safely feed .... A......treat over the fence, emphasizing ONLY when you are there. And emphasize how helpful it will be that they can watch over the horses, and let you know if something looks odd, knowing that they probably don't know normal from abnormal, but it puts them WITH you rather than AGIN you.

[wildwoman]

This 7 acres was hawthorn trees before we cleared it-I am almost wishing we had left a perimeter of hawthorns to keep everyone out-I am feeling like a protective hermit-leave me alone with my animals-don't anyone mess with them-guess I don't play well with others. I am sure if I were to talk to them right now-I would come across in an unfriendly manner-so for now-my friend has done all that interfacing.

[toeps]

I'm going with ignorant on this one. It sounds like they had good intentions with absolutely NO knowledge about horses. Be kind and calm and educate them. Tell them what the dangers are in giving "treats" and unsupervised visitors.

I went down to feed one day last fall and there was a HUGE pile of cornhusks in the run in. I was completely flabbergasted, I had NO idea who would be comfortable enough to come on the property and go into the barn alone until the neighbor called later that week and asked if I wanted more . . . er, no thanks ;D He really thought that since cows like them that it would be a great treat for the horses. Now I have a BIG Rottie so it's not an issue anymore

[cutiepiepmu]

you need to go a step further than just posting the no traspessing signs. you need to set up a hot wire keeping the horses about 20 feet back from the front of the fence. You also need to post specific signs stating - NO FEEDING, NO PETTING, NO ENTERING THE PASTURE. I would also go ahead and either spend the money and get the solar powered video recorder camera and put it up on a pole to watch the pasture OR at least get one of those fake ones to make them think it is being recorded. Make sure to also post a sign that property is under video survelliance. If something happens again, you need to call the police to come out. Make it CLEAR the danger tehy put your horses in and that it absolutely WILL NOT be tolerated.

In my experience people seem to think that what the owner doesn't know won't hurt. Uneducated people thing you are just being a jerk so try to do whatever they want anyways. It is important for legal reasons to post the no petting, no feeding, no treats, no snacks, and no entering the property signs. It has to be clear to even an idiot or the neighbors can claim they didn't understand.

I have ZERO tolerance for this kind of crap..... zero.

Anyways - that is my thoughts

Sara

[cutiepiepmu]

my views are probably slanted from seeing serious situations that result from several clients as well as experiencing it myself. I find that unless very very strict limits are set, people keep pushing the bounderies of what is ok and what is not. I am a big fan of extra eyes, but not at the expense of constant worry that something will happen to my horses because someone took their own iniciative to feed or handle one of them.

Sara

[cinda56]

I agree with cutiepiepmu put in a hotwire to keep the horses away from the fence, you might also put one on the existing fence just as a reminder to keep out. There must be some way to lock the gate even if its with couple of chains on each side with padlocks. Good Luck

[wildwoman]

I forget the legal term-but this almost reminds me of when someone has a trampoline or swimming pool on their property and someone else tresspasses and gets injured and sues homeowner because the "attractive danger" was too easily accessable-she has already called her insurance agent regarding liability issues etc.
so yeah we were talking about hotwire and how hot one could make it.-maybe concertina wire around the outside too-(OK OK so I know this is just wishful thinking-I would never go THAT far)I am REALLY not feeling very friendly.

[cutiepiepmu]

If you hotwire fence that has public access you HAVE to post signs not only written but also picture signs for children. This is a legal thing. If a kid gets hurt because of your hot wire you could be in a big stink. As far as how hot to make it - I say, don't use the little thin stuff, get the real ELECTROBRAID from the website. Use a charger designed with at least 9 joules and set it to be steady with TINY pulses. It shoudl be hot enough to leave a welt if touched by horse or human.

Trust me, one tangle with the fence and no one will want any part of it. Also - put the charger somewhere AWAY from the main fence so that no one can unplug it.

Just make ABSOLUTELY sure you post signs that the fence is electric and poses a shock risk.

I was having problems with a neighbor trying to mess with my horses. We have interior electrobraid 5 strands set on posts set in concrete ever 15 feet - very sturdy fence. I hadn't electrified the inside, but once I went ahead and put a charger on it that was BADD A$$ and the neighbor got into it once - they haven't tried since

Sad that I had to turn my fence on not to keep my horses in, but rather to keep the neighbors out lol.

Sara

[wildwoman]

WOW-I have never heard of hotwire so hot it leaves welts-yowza! Bet that would keep deer outta my garden too!
right now the charger is by the shelter-across the field from road-so they would have to go clear to the back to get at it.but yeah-with any charger-it has to be somewhere-and if people were that determined-they could find it. I don't think these people are malicious-just stupid. Also don't think I could use something too hot-even with warning signs-apparently they have a developmentaly delayed daughter-so signage wouldn't do her too much good.
Am ordering insulators from country supply-SO MUCH cheaper than Cenex-but do you know a good place locally to get field fence?
We are still working on fencing/refencing here at home-4x4 posts, 2x6 rails, field fence and hotwire at top.

[Tockita]

My neighbors have one for their Percheron. It's an older bull strength one and it will sure wake you up if you touch it.

We hung caution electric fence signs for our single string wire inside our chain link fencing because we had seen kids jump the fence and cut through the yard before we brought the horses up. Elderly neighbor was a bit freaked and called animal control and code enforcement saying she was afraid to go to her mailbox that she might be electrocuted! LOL They explained to her it was not that strong, and probably 2 feet from the mailbox on the other side of the fence so it was safe (and legal)