I could just BEAT my neighbor!!

I wasn't sure where to post this but I am just venting..... So last night I noticed 2 trailers going down to the neighbors house right behind my barn. I was thinking "what on earth?". Let me give you a little history about these folks. They live right below our property and have about an acre. They have 5 or 6 kids 4 of which are teenagers. They have lived there for over 5 years and all they do is buzz up and down the hill behind my barn on their moterbikes and 4 wheelers. They have 2 dogs, one that has been in trouble for chasing my horses a few times. Anyway I guess they just got 2 horses. Well this morning, I went down to get my mare to take her to our shoer and she was standing by the fence visiting with the new horses. I noticed this yearling stud colt hung up on my fence!!! They had left the rope halter and lead on him overnight and he was all tangled up on one of my cross posts. So after I got him loose I took the halter off and tried to make sure he wasn't hurt but he just took off. I was soo pissed at them for leaving this on him I took the halter off of the other gelding out there too and walked over to the house to give them back and let them know that it is not a good idea to leave them on their horses but no one was home.

Well about 1/2 hour ago my husband was outside getting our tractor running and the neighbor lady came over asking if he knew who took the halters and lead ropes off her horses. Kris told her I did and why and she flipped out!! She started yelling saying that I wasn't to touch her horses and especially not take any tack off of them ever!! She didn't even realize that the colt was stuck on my fence after he told her!!! She said how the hell am I expected to catch him if he dosn't have his halter on......idiots!!!

Now that I am sure these people know nothing about horses I am worried that they have a young stud next door and do not want to let my mare out of her paddock for fear he may get through my fence. That would be just my luck!!! I should have took pictures this morning just in case something were to happen.

Sorry for venting so long, but I'm really upset!!

Oh and what the hell does a greenie need a stud colt for?

Ugh. How annoying!
At least you got the halter off and her horse is safe for the moment...
I would definitely document things. Is your fence the only barrier between her paddock and yours? I would see if you could get another with some distance between the two (Does that make sense?) to prevent any breedings through the fence.

Wow, that's just an accident waiting to happen. I hope (for the horse's sake) that it happens to the ADULTS and not the kids or the horses involved. How horrifying and sad. If the horse gets caught up in your fence again, to be safe, I'd call the police and tell them the situation, tell them you need them to come out ASAP b/c your neighbor threatened you to never handle her horses and you need to file a report that the horse was loose. Let her deal with it from there. This way your butt is covered and it's on record that the horse(s) got loose. Hopefully it will also carry a fine/summons from the police or SPCA (as loose horses is not legal of course lol!) and she'll get discouraged and sell them.....

One can hope, right? In the meantime....let's hope she doesn't decide to become a "breeding barn".

Yea, I should report it but I do have to live next to them....I will give her some time and call her later and explaine why I did what I did and try to educate her on the potential danger leaving the halters on poses. I'll try to do that first anyway. Oh....unfortunately Montana is open range, so a loose horse is not necessarily against the law.

Spastic, I only have a smooth wire fence between my pastrue and where this colt is so I have put her in my corral its about 30x25. She will be ok and I will just put her in my upper pasture for now until I find out what they are going to do with this young one. I would say he's about 2 or maybe 3. Super cute, but I cannot risk Millie getting bred.

If they leave the halter and lead on this colt again I am going to take a picture. Maybe at least the livestock inspector will say something to them if they won't listen to me. I mean, I would like to just help but she got so upset that I took them off in the first place. I know she must have something against me. Probably becasue I have turned her dogs in before. Ugh......

If you can get her to listen to any advise, maybe you can give her some tips on how to catch her new horse.
Hopefully they plan on getting that stud gelded. More advise you can give on how much easier he will be to handle if gelded
I know its tough to offer advise to people like this, in the long run its to your advantage to educate them if they are willing.

Yea, that's what I'm thinking. I see that they just left somewhere so I will call her when I see them come home and try to make peace lol.

I'd be pissed if someone took halters I had on my horses off also. It its illegal to leave them on in your state report it if you feel the need but don't take them off. To

No offense, but taking of the halter was not very smart. Yes, I totally understand why you did that, but... You know your neighbors, so you could expect her to be mad at you. In fact if someone mess with my horses without my permission I'd be very mad so I can understand her feelings too. Especially since she does not realize at all the danger (and she obviously doesn't have any respect of the property line too).

I do NOT think these people will listen to any advise from you. I hope I'm wrong, but I just have this feeling. And I suspect they will not geld him either (again, I hope I'm wrong ). What would I do is to put several extra-tall t-posts between the properties and put couple wires to make the fence REALLY high. May be even make them hot to keep the colt off your fence (and your mare). It's ridiculous you have to keep your mare in pen just because of the situation.

If your neighbor wont thankyou for saving her horse, I will! The poor thing could have died!!! I have always taught my horses to come to a whistle. Its so easy. Every time I go to feed, I whistle and give a treat. My horses come running to me every time. She needs to know this trick so she does't have to worry about catching her horses