The neighbor that threatened to call animal control is at it again! I am so mad, I could spit bullets.
Now he has stopped at my parents house. (I have no idea how he knows us, or who they are.)
Apparently he came to MY house today while I was at work. He claims that there were no foot prints to my horse pen, so I haven't watered or fed him today.
Then he went INSIDE my barn and said there were sharp things in there that is unsafe for a horse. He also looked and snooped around and said I had no grain, so I am obviously starving my horse!
#1 There are no footprint because it is 30 mile an hour wind outside, and there is snow on the ground. Of course they would blow over. The water is frozen because it is 14 degrees outside.
#2 I DO NOT WANT people coming to my house when I am not home, and snooping through my stuff.
#3 No duh the barn is not safe for horses. That is why he is not in the barn!!! He has his own shelter.
#4 I have over 200 pounds of grain in there. And even if I did not, since when is it a crime to not feed a horse grain. (He gets hay 24/7 which is all he needs.)
He says if something does not change today he is calling animal control. I just do not understand. I am sitting here bawling. I do not think he has a case, but what if they come and decide he is right and I get in trouble or they take away my horse.
I want to call the police, but I do not want to start anything.
I will be stopping at walmart and getting a no trespassing sign on my way home. I do not think it will help though.
He needs to mind his own business. I know dozen of horses, with NO shelter. Why is he picking me on, when I have a shelter, and obviously well cared for animals. The only reason he even knows is because my house is out in the open and visible to everyone.
My parents are going to come help try to figure something out. But I am scared to put my horse in the barn again. He hates it, and he hurts himself.
@#^*# Neighbor
January 21st, 2014 at 07:38 pm
January 21st, 2014 at 07:49 pm 1390333769
Call Animal Control yourself. Explain to the ACO what is going on and that the neighbor came on to your property without permission and went into your barn. Tell them what arrangements you have for your livestock and invite them out to see for themselves. Then when the nosy, uneducated neighbor tells you they are going to call animal control, tell them to please do that so the ACO can explain proper horse care to THEM.
January 21st, 2014 at 07:51 pm 1390333880
If he has already called animal control once (not sure if he did or didn't), then I would call them and let them know of the situation (what precautions you have taken, etc.) Also I would document the living conditions (date stamped preferable). And I would get the No Trespassing signs, as well.
January 21st, 2014 at 07:58 pm 1390334318
January 21st, 2014 at 08:03 pm 1390334628
Do make sure the horse has access to liquid water in the cold weather. That is something that could be a problem for you, as well as the horse.
January 21st, 2014 at 08:11 pm 1390335105
And yes, maybe the police need to be called for trespassing. You might consider getting a video system if it become a real problem!
January 21st, 2014 at 08:30 pm 1390336237
But around here they don't handle big animals much.
What if they think my pen is dirty, or my horse is sick because he is old and his coat is shaggy. They are not very educated, so I would be afraid they would not make wise decisions either.
He did not call them last time. But I am tired of constantly worrying that my neighbor is going to be coming to my house and snooping, and deciding if he feels that my animals are properly taken care of. I have had horses for close to a decade now. I think I know what I am doing.
January 21st, 2014 at 08:39 pm 1390336752
January 21st, 2014 at 08:48 pm 1390337309
I can not wait until this winter is over. I am stressed about the pipes refreezing too. I have too much on my plate.
I wish there is someway I could put up a big wall so my neighbor could not see what goes on at my house. But alas I can not. It is too big of a piece of property.
I just feel like my privacy has been violated. I feel spied on creeped out.
January 21st, 2014 at 08:48 pm 1390337315
January 21st, 2014 at 09:22 pm 1390339363
Can you padlock your barn? I would certainly do that, if it is possible. Maybe in the spring you can plant a screen of fast growing shrubs and trees between you and the neighbor. Out of sight, out of mind....
January 21st, 2014 at 09:31 pm 1390339906
I am still worried. I feel like a horrible animal owner. But at the same time, I do not think I am in the wrong.
I can not plant bushes to block my house. The neighbors house is not even within eye sight of me. He just drives down the road I guess every day and looks, and/or comes up my driveway and gets out and looks.
Padlocking the barn is not an option either sadly. It is a big slide door barn like they use for parking tractors. It does not even latch. You just push it open.
But your right. Changes are going to have to be made. My guard dog needs to grow up. lol
January 21st, 2014 at 09:34 pm 1390340097
January 21st, 2014 at 09:45 pm 1390340735
January 21st, 2014 at 10:00 pm 1390341632
January 21st, 2014 at 10:48 pm 1390344502
January 22nd, 2014 at 12:09 am 1390349386
January 22nd, 2014 at 12:32 am 1390350772
January 22nd, 2014 at 01:33 am 1390354431
January 22nd, 2014 at 03:30 am 1390361450
I love the idea of the large painted sign!
I do think you need to do something so your livestock water isn't frozen.
January 22nd, 2014 at 03:41 pm 1390405319
But besides that, horses are very intelligent. He has a big trough, and it is only frozen on top. He actually knows how to put his foot in there and press down, which breaks the ice and he can reach the water underneath. So he is never without water.
I bet cows do the same thing. It is quite amazing.
January 22nd, 2014 at 08:10 pm 1390421420
January 23rd, 2014 at 02:47 am 1390445230
Good luck!
January 25th, 2014 at 08:18 pm 1390681136
January 28th, 2014 at 12:21 am 1390868492