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[Joan Deutsch]

We woke up this morning to find out three horses were loose in the neighborhood. Fortunately, they weren't ours and we quickly found the owners after making a few calls. Anyone else had to deal with this?

[cassyopia]

yes, but it was my donkeys and they went wandering in the woods. every now and then it happens when a horse,donkey,cow get loose and I happen to be the first one to find them and they are not mine. I just capture the animal and either put it back in it's pasture and check the fence where it came from if the owner isn't home and leave a note or put it in one of my stall/corrals till I find the owner. the bad of this is if a cop finds a loose animal (livestock) it goes either to the humane society or the nearest auction yard depending on who has space or facilities. then when the owner is found it is an automatic ticket that is mandatory court appearance. the law reads that it is a 0-1yr in jail or 0-1k fine or both. I knew a guy once who had to go threw this and actually spent a night in jail over his sow being loose. yes he got cuffed and hauled off to jail over a loose pig. The city of lake stevens was where his pigs crime took place, she tore up city hall lawn rooting and generally just being a big fat friendly pig. yes he had to pay for the damage, plus jail, plus a fine. Your neighbors should thank you for saving them time and money and a huge head ache! but most people get snippy about their animals being caught by some one else.

[kriss10]

The appy looks like he may have been looking for a meal...

I don't think I have any animal that has not escaped at some point. Most of the time it is because we have not properly latched a gate. We recently had a steer get out and that was a three hour ordeal to get him back in his pasture. The horses have figured out how to unlatch the chains on the gates, so they have to be locked. But we have also have a couple jumpers and they think nothing of going over a 4 foot fence. The good thing about the horses is, if only one gets out they tend to stick close to the herd. If they all get out, all bets are off As a kid I had a horse who could unlatch the gates and would often wander down to a neighbors house - they kept their dog food on the car port, and she really liked it...

Several years ago a neighbor had a horse get out onto the highway. The little Arab was hit by a 19 year old who was driving an estimated 95 mph, and had a blood alcohol level of 1.2. The way the car impacted the horse it took off one of his legs. The kid was hurt pretty bad. The owners of the horse were liable for all his medical bills...

[Joan Deutsch]

Kriss, Thanks for the post. I sent you a PM.

[Joan Deutsch]

Cassy, How did you get the tech problems fixed so you could log on as Cassyopia again? Did it have anything to do with Internet Explorer? We seem to have lots of problems with that browser on this forum.

[drafthand]

This is irony at it's best. I just spent most of the afternoon doing preventive maintenace on one of the main fences so the critters are much less likely to escape. The last escape was due to someone tresspassing and removing several feet of hot tape. The charger was on at the time. We recieved a call once at dawn--a neighbor was kind enough to inform us that the herd was cruising down the trail. We got there right away--and the herd was waiting inside the fence to be fed! They were looking very innocent. Turns out that a small tree fell on the fence and the herd found the hole and would go exploring but they would be back at feeding time.

[horsepeople2001]

Cassy, How did you get the tech problems fixed so you could log on as Cassyopia again? Did it have anything to do with Internet Explorer? We seem to have lots of problems with that browser on this forum.

it just stared working again but now I am so used to the other one I keep using it instead.

[horsepeople2001]

This is irony at it's best. I just spent most of the afternoon doing preventive maintenace on one of the main fences so the critters are much less likely to escape. The last escape was due to someone tresspassing and removing several feet of hot tape. The charger was on at the time. We recieved a call once at dawn--a neighbor was kind enough to inform us that the herd was cruising down the trail. We got there right away--and the herd was waiting inside the fence to be fed! They were looking very innocent. Turns out that a small tree fell on the fence and the herd found the hole and would go exploring but they would be back at feeding time.

trees are hard on fences, I check mine all the time for downed limbs or broken hot tape/wire. biggest issue is my large standard donkey has figured out which parts are hot and which parts are not! he is a smart cookie! plus if he chooses he is able to jump any fence up to 5 feet in height from a stand still. donkeys jump like deer do. my mammoth if she was taught could probably clear a 6 foot fence with out issue. the mini has been taught to jump he clear 2-3 feet with out issue in hand from a stand still,funny to watch him do it. his fence is 4 feet high to keep him in.

[4HMom]

We've met many a neighbor due to our or their horses getting loose and helping with the roundup.

[Real time]

I agree with Kriss on everything! That appy was probably looking for food. Amazes me how one can be so thin yet the others look fat.

Ours get out more often than I'd like to admit. Sometimes it is because I forget to lock the gate, other times people have let the horses out - yes - and it always happens when I'm at work. Thankfully it hasn't happened at all this year (yet). Unfortunately my neighbor's yard looks like a golf course and is absolutely immaculate, and that is the first place the horses go to destroy. Usually one of them will be easy to catch and rest of them will follow back home. When a tree falls on the fence the horses stay away from the hole and have never gotten out. However, they do listen for the fence charger, and if it isn't on the naughty one will make a quick run for it. The other horses will start screaming and tattle-tale. LOL

On another note, a friend of mine works rural law enforcement. He always keeps a halter or rope in his trunk along with a paper bag. He says if you walk around crinkling the bag a loose horse will almost always walk right up to you because he thinks you have food. Seems pretty simple!