Firstly, I am sorry that this is going to be so long. I have tried talking this through with those around me, but no one has indicated that this is unusual, and I’m starting to lose it a little bit.
I have been in what I feel is a very hostile situation with my neighbors for the last ~2 years, to the point where I am worried for my four horses and my own safety and really need to move, but I am finding it very difficult and am looking for any advice as to how to proceed.
To start, they blame me for some panels they lost; I didn’t take anything – they had their gate open and I can only assume someone snuck into their yard to steal them – we live across from a park with a very high homeless population and in an area known for drug deals, theft, vandalism, and organized crime so it is very common to be stolen from (has happened to me several times).
They have borderline stalked me (sat in car outside my front yard, had their friends do the same), come outside anytime I exit the house and follow me along the fenceline, broken into my yard repeatedly, continually attempt to harm my animals, throw large rocks (7-9 inch diameter) at my animals, shoot fireworks 5 feet from the fenceline, get beligerantly drunk and then drive their atvs along the fenceline (whilst wasted) to scare my animals at 2-3 am, try to call my dog over, yell at my animals through the fenceline, and have called animal control 4 times (I have a rescue horse who was abandoned and neglected; he is in recovery, but still skinny. Nothing has ever happened because the animals are visibly well-cared for), etc.
When they started harassing the horses (going up too the fence, yelling, banging on the fence) I installed video cameras fixed on the horses, and put additional fencing and shade-cloth up. The neighbors were upset and told me to remove the cameras and fencing, and tried to get the city involved in removal of the shade cloth (claiming their cat might climb the fence and be injured) all unsuccessfully. They then cut the fence with wirecutters to break in (first break-in). I called the police, and put my horses on board at a nearby stable to protect them.
After a month and a half on board, one of the main aggressors moved out of the house, so I brought my horses back and things were okay for a while. The neighbors stilled stalked me a bit, but the animals were okay.
Then, the agressor moved back in and climbed the fence to break in to one of my horses paddocks. I saw him and recorded the incident, and he jumped back over when I started going out to him. Police came again, gave him a verbal warning for trespassing.
I moved the horses to stalls and decided on no turn out to keep them away from the fence line at all costs.
Then out of the blue two of my horses nearly had to be put down due to injuries I suspect were caused by the neighors. I heard them talking about the mechanisms of injury very loudly following the incidents (both very, very unsual, close together, and occured at 2-3 a.m). I also saw someone in the yard both nights, but cannot legally prove it was them. Police have gotten involved (repeatedly) but say there is nothing they can do despite pictures/videos/some admissions by neighors.
They have also repeatedly expressed interest in taking my horses, and recently have parked a new horse trailer near a gate they have usen to break in previously, despite having no animals other than a cat, and no set-up for horses. I am now extremely paranoid that they will attempt to steal my horses.
Now, my emergency funds are nearly drained. I had to pay board + feed at another stable for 4 horses, two emergency vet calls (one on a holiday weekend a 4:00 a.m. while my vet had the flu), plus 5-6 medications, and supplies for a 3.5 month recovery for one horse and a 5 month recovery for the other (which included casts), materials for fencing, cameras, motion lights, having stalls re-done (to move them further from the fenceline), and around 9 vet check-ups during recovery (I admit I was a bit overzelous/ paranoid about the healing process). Not to mention dealing with animal control, the police, and not being able to sleep at night due to stress on top of a full-time job, school, and life in general.
The neighborhood is also just awful in general, I have seen drug deals, police helicopters chasing a murderer down the street, guns being pulled, mafia activity, being yelled at and threatened by homeless men, theft, and other sketchy things in this neighborhood and I just can’t take it anymore. All I can think about everyday is that I have to get my horses out of here. I feel like every day is going to be the day I just lose it, and I feel like every day they are here is another day I am failing them. I would prefer to move out of the area rather than just downgrading to an appartment and boarding, but I will do what I have to.
The problem is, I am also in college and set to go across the country for one semester this August, then back to CA for spring semester, and then I plan to transfer colleges, so I don’t know where I will be. I feel like I have to go across country because it is a beyond incredible (life-changing) career opportunity, but I don’t think I could afford to take my animals across country to the D.C. area for 5 months, and then move two more times. I only have a few thousand saved for them right now, although I am getting another job soon.
Currently, I plan to let rescue horse go to a family friend who adores him to make sure I can afford my other three, and to board my three near my family while I am in D.C. and at school in spring and then move them with me wherever I end up transferring. Although I do not want to put their training on hold, I feel that their safety and health must come first, and I worry about the cost and stress of such frequent, far moves.
Unfortunately, no one in my family supports this, and says keep them here. My mother, who has had horses her entire life, along with several family friends with horses are calling me crazy for considering moving over this, and some do not believe the severity of the situation. My mother in particular has seen the severity of the situation firsthand, but maintains that I should suck it up to stay close to family and save money. My trainer also has said, “well it’s less than ideal but it is what it is.”
I just need some advice as to how to move forward. Do I say forget the career opportunity and transferring and just board them nearby while I get an appartment? Or do I stick with my original plan? Do I commit to moving them across country three times within 12 months? Is there reasonable board in the metro area? Any advice or perspective would be appreciated; my trainer and family and making me feel like I’m making a big deal about something typical, but when I write out what has happened, I can’t help but feel amazed something else hasn’t happened already. TIA
