Jim, part of the problem is that he didn't give enough details. So I can't say for sure whether he was right or wrong in shooting a horse. But the attack on him and threats to shoot his animals were, in my opinion, entirely uncalled for.
I put up a bit of fence at my new place for my horses this summer. Like my previous farms, I put up a high quality fence to keep my horses in and to keep my neighbors animals out.
Before the fencing was done, we had four legged visitors about a half a dozen times. We did what we always do, we went located the owners and they came and got them. Only after the sixth time did I call the sheriff because one of the critters, the burro, got in out barn and did a lot of damage including destroying some very expensive medicine.
I think they finally got rid of the burro after that but that was around the time I got the fence up and running so problem solved. Though, just yesterday another neighbor's herd of cows showed up in my front yard. I shushed them back to an open field across the road then called him up at work. Guess they went home by the time he arrived anyway.
At my last place, a neighbors buffalo showed up one day. I went and got him and we got them home. I made a friend and learned a bit about buffalo's that day.
I would only shoot someone elses livestock if there was eminent danger for some odd reason.
As for stallions, I have two. I also have nine mares, seems like one is always in season, sometimes two. My stallion fence is high enough and hot enough, they have never gotten out and I don't expect they will.
okm sorry havent been on here for a while
to fill people in. the horses are wild australian brumbies (their running an illegal buisness and wanted me to get involved since last post) ive changed the fences from single row premade 6 lines to dual row seven line electrified barb closer to the horses with a 7 line lain ht wire on my side.
no horses yet and if they do ive taken legal acction to shoot on sight
I'm in a fence in state. Here, you keep your animals home or they will be shot. My neighbor used to let his cattle in on my pasture, while I was transitioning to Organic (the previous owner was a big chem guy as is neighbor.) I told him to keep them home. He said that the grass was there to be eaten & I didn't have any stock to eat it so he'd be letting his in anytime he wanted; until I got stock of my own to eat it. I told him that if I caught his cattle on my pasture again, I'd call him w/ the phone number of the packing house, while it was hanging... so he could call in his order. [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img]
I never saw his cattle on my place again. Everybody around here hated the guy. New guy leasing that farm now. He & I get along famously. His cattle have come visiting, as have mine. We just go thru the gate to get them home, as soon as we can. When I told him what I said to the old guy, he bust a gut. Later that week, people were coming up to me in the feed store & telling me I was an all right sort. (I had recently relocated from Los Angeles.)
I have LGDs, so I don't have to shoot peoples animals. The dogs take care of them.
There is never a reason to shoot a horse just because it comes through a fence. If you have sheep, you should already know that the last thing you wanted to do was spook the horses and get them running around like crazy. Then you have to remember that even torn up grass comes back up and does well. I imagine that the only thing you accomplished through all of this was making a first class enemy of your neighbor and you may find yourself in court over it.
Wow it all sounds a bit drastic to say the least! I live in the UK and shooting horses is a big no, no although farmers are allowed to shoot dogs that are worrying their sheep. Horses don't usually cause much of a problem and don't kill other animals.
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