When exactly the world filled up with assholes I’m not sure, but it happened. Claire is out of town for a couple of days, so I’m here on the farm by my lonesome. Since I don’t have to sling hay everyday it isn’t a huge deal. —and you just knoew this was coming— BUT! Someone, probably the same person as last time, noticed that we were both gone simultaneously, me out to dinner with my parents, she up at the cabin. For the third time some asshole let our horses out.

The firs time they cut the hot wire on the far back paddock. The second time they opened a gate, lowered the hot wire gap and released the horses from the middle paddock. Around the same time gasoline was being stolen from our storage buildings and cars. At that point we began to routinely lock the perimeter gate, and all the out buildings. Annoying and inconvienient but obviously a neccesary precaution.

Tonight there was, in my opinion, a very dangerous escalation. Again, someone made entry onto our property although the perimeter gate was locked, lowered the electric fence gap and unlatched a paddock gate releasing the three horses and the donkey. They also shot out or security light with a slingshot, pellet gun, BB gun or small caliber firearm. When it is daylight I will determine the tool used, but it was a projectile firing weapon.

Just to be clear, if I come upon a trespasser that is armed things will get very exciting in a hurry. Thus, I see this as a very dangerous escalation.

I have returned the animals to their field, a task that was easier than I had anticipated because they are well conditioned. I have photographed the gate latches and gaps to demonstrate that they cannot be unintentionally released. I have also photographed the light that was destroyed and rigged a temporary replacement. To help establish a pattern of vandalism I have filed a police report, and will continue to do so if there are additional incidents.

The temptation to lay a trap is strong, but I will first install the video cameras I have purchased and add more motion detector lighting along the out buildings. There are already “No Trespassing” signs at every perimeter entrance, but I may augment those with a more strident version.

We genuinely try to be nice people, yet we have pissed off all of our neighbors by expecting them to be law abiding and respectful of our property and livestock. If these trashy fuckers think we are assholes because we object to them burning mountains of rubber tires or allowing their dogs to attack our livestock they have yet to experience real strife.