The police/sheriffs in Texas are a little strange when you complain about stuff they don’t see a problem with!!
I am guessing you are in an unincorporated area of the state?.. make your reports to the Texas Department of Public safety who help sheriffs in unincorporated areas of the state
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I cannot imagine a rural sheriff not seeing the importance of keeping livestock safe…
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Something to noodle over 
Most/all sheriff’s are elected officials (police chiefs are usually appointed as well as, most likely, the head of your state’s department of public safety (you’d have to check this one).
When your local sheriff’s office starts to annoy you, remind them that you are a voter (and you have a choice who you vote for). Telling deputies/sheriff that you pay their paycheck or that you are a taxpayer isn’t near as effective. Everyone (in theory) has to pay taxes. Voters get to choose. Carries more weight to remind deputies/on up that you vote
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I prefer to NOT piss off the local sheriff over something so petty. The electric fence will work fine when/if it ever stops raining!
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Why would you not be pissed off at this under other circumstances? There is no excuse for anyone doing this to your fences, your property and your horses. I think you’ve had a lot of great advice. The first thing you should do, very inexpensively, is put hot wire along the top, inside, so the horses don’t lean over the fence.
That way, the horses don’t eat anything offered, and the woman can’t pet or ‘groom’ your horses.
If you don’t write a letter explaining that they are tresspassing and have to stop, then its your responsibility if they continue. And yes, she will go after YOUR insurance company if she gets bit, kicked or hurt in any way on or by your property.
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Here in suburban CT, the issue of people trespassing and feeding horses treats is unfortunately common. And the best response is usually signs and electric fencing. Only in the worst situations (like the kids in the middle of the field throwing rocks at the horses) would authorities be involved.
So I agree with electric wire to keep the horses and people from reaching over. Signs need to include no trespassing and warnings of electric fence. It is safest if the electric is on the horse side of the fence. (separate line or standoffs).
I would not escalate. If there is more trouble and the sheriff, etc is involved, you want your actions and words to be obviously reasonable to keep you in the best light. If you do see them doing something like reaching over the fence, document! Take pictures or video. Email it to yourself to document the date.
As far as the shooting. Not just a Texas thing. Here in CT people can shoot as long as they obey the rules about distance from houses, etc. The barn has a neighbor with acreage who shoots. A lot. At any time you may hear lots of shots as I suspect they have somewhere in the back suitable for target practice. They go through a lot of ammo! It does desensitize the horses. The repeated shooting is actually easier than the sudden unexpected Boom. The guy is a jerk, but the shooting is not something the neighbors can complain about. Of course he is not shooting at living things (though I wonder if your guy is more doing the juvenile thing of shooting toward the cattle to see them run but not hitting them. Still wrong, but you have done what you could) Good idea to check your land for birdshot if you think he is shooting towards your property - preferably with a witness to document. (Now our jerk waits until somebody is riding in the outdoor ring and then starts up a chainsaw next to the privacy fence adjacent to the ring. Several accidents but really hard to prove his intent)
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Ummmm… asking the sheriff’s office to deal with a trespasser is pissing them off? They should be doing their job which is what you’re asking for IMO.
Pissing them off is calling to complain about your neighbor’s rooster crowing at 6:00am on Sunday :lol:
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Last year our new, EXPENSIVE mailbox was bashed in twice…probably with a baseball bat…we fixed it once and replaced it once. I called the post office just to report the assault and they told me to call the sheriff’s office. I did, and they sent two deputies out to see the damage. I told them the PO told me to contact them…just for the record (ps. I noticed several other boxes smashed within miles of our place. The sheriff asked me what we wanted them to do…“set up a stakeout with a car and officer?” …in a very snotty manner!! I said no, I was just reporting it as per Post Office orders! The third time a neighbor’s bull torn down THEIR fence and got into OUR pasture, I called the Sheriff’s office again ( about 4 mo. after the mailbox issue). When the sheriff showed up his comment was…“oh, we’ve been out here before…what is YOUR problem now?” Very sarcastically!! I’m sure as H*LL not calling for horse petting!! I may really need them at some point and I obviously annoy them!!!
OP - If I was in your situation - I’d have a very direct conversation with the neighbor. If that didn’t work - I would likely install a hot wire. Course, you could show up at their place with a bowl of awful table scraps and tell them you’re returning the favor and are going to feed their dogs. I only said that to give you a laugh.
There are certainly law officers that are snotty and need a refresher course in customer service. I wouldn’t remind a snot nose that I vote. Why? The officer isn’t running for office. Here, an officer might go talk with the neighbor. They will do that if they see a problem escalating. I’d think about going to your local station and asking them if there is anything they can do. They might be willing to talk to the neighbor.
Whatever the however you decide to proceed I would put that neighbor on notice. She might start throwing her treats over the hot wire. Good luck!
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Since the husband and wife are both dense, and refuse to listen to anything you say, I would have the cease-and-desist letter served on them as soon as possible. I wouldn’t go on their property, and if they come over to discuss it, tell them to stay off your property, no more nice guy, and no contact.
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I’d consider moving. That’s ridiculous.
It’s not a petty matter. In the bad ole days this is the kind of thing people loaded their shotguns over.
Back before empathy, political correctness and liability, many a property owner maintained that a light load of buckshot in the hinder parts of a human being did no real harm, although they might be picking out pellets for awhile. This was for stuff that included trespassing, of course (mostly). Being the collecting object of such a load was generally considered an item of amusement among one’s friends & family (not me ever, though).
Folks who were of a more kindly nature used rock salt instead of shot, especially with rambunctious teenagers. Lots of folks about my age could tell you what that felt like (not me though! :winkgrin: )
Now it’s the sheriff’s job to to keep things civilized. Even in “we don’t call 911” country.
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@crosscreeksh Le Sigh…
Around here they call it Mailbox Baseball & people get creative protecting the boxes.
I’ve seen them enclosed in chain link, mounted on heavy springs…
One guy had his on a pole a good 20’ in the air.
Jokingly, I’m sure, as no postman could get to it either. But it sent a message.
I wonder why your P.O. suggested calling PD?
The LEO might have been lacking in his People Skills, but really, what can they do?
Hope you’ve gotten through to the Petter/Feeder & her mate the Cow Shooter. Electrically. 
Some people… :rolleyes:
Why call LE? Because smashing mailboxes is breaking the law. Depends on state/local laws but where I came from it was classed as Criminal Mischief. Severity of crime would depend on the dollar value of destruction. Heck, egging your car or TPing your house is illegal in most jurisdictions; most people just don’t report it.
Right, it’s “just a mailbox”. :rolleyes:
I would expect LE to create a case report (I’d ask for the number). What do I expect them to do? Track incidents of mailbox/et al smashing for a pattern of behavior. They should have a crime analyst that does that. If there becomes a pattern of behavior, having all the case reports of smashed mailboxes helps build that pattern of behavior to identify suspect (usually juvenile but not always) and gives some teeth if any type of prosecution (or even talking to parents) is attempted. Often, there is some limited evidence left… what bashed the mailbox? (side view mirror, bat, car leaving paint color)…
Oh, loose livestock… it may be your duty to fence livestock off your property (don’t know where you live to know if it is in a free range area). The livestock owner (usually not the landowner) also has a duty to contain their livestock. If a call for service is created for loose livestock every single time that livestock gets out and someone is subsequently injured or killed when hitting said livestock with their vehicle, those calls for service can become evidence in a civil suit to demonstrate that the livestock owner didn’t do a good job of restraining their livestock.
I detest “lazy” LE. Case Reports are a PITA. Calls for service happen if (and they should) dispatch creates that call for service. Calls for service and case reports can be public record. Maybe time to start up the supervisory chain for an informal chat about your concerns.
Voting… you may not vote for the deputy but you do get to vote for his/her boss
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You can always add high wood slats or metal sheets to make a solid fence where neither the horses inside or whoever is outside can see each other or interact.
THANK YOU!! I did not…and stated to the officer that I did not expect the LE to “DO” anything…just following PO advice and reporting it…several other boxes were smashed on our road…this is VERY rural Tx. Catching them is not likely…but it IS a crime!! Closest neighbor to the north is almost a mile away. Vandals are either driving or 4 wheeling…not walking! As far as the cows/bull…those neighbors don’t even live there and don’t speak English and I have no way to contact them or communicate. The cows/bull are tearing down our interior cross fencing and the perimeter fence as they leave. I don’t want our horses out in the road. Neither of these issues is important…I was just shocked at the Tx. sheriffs reaction!! Sheriffs in Oklahoma where GREAT…and friendly…and helpful!! And yes…on another subject… we are listing our “Dream”, retirement horse farm and moving back East!! To civilization!!
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Mailbox vandalism is a federal offense.
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It IS…but not a priority in most cases!!
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There is no place that is trouble free.
When moving, one set of problems are just traded for another set of problems.
That is life, there is no paradise, just some places fit us better than others.
We make do with what does fit and endure what does not.
Wishing your next place may be great for you and your horses.
Life is too short to put up with what we can’t do anything about that annoys.
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