Post by maxicob on Jan 4, 2010 10:55:41 GMT 1
On Saturday, a large gang of travellers and dogs descended on our yard - we have had problems in the past with them coming onto the land to rabbit, but usually there were only 3-4 of them and they stayed away from the buildings, they have never marched brazenly up to the yard and then they entered the field that our girls are turned out in.
Needless to say, there was chaos - people and dogs everywhere, the staff and clients trying to get the mares in, who were freaking out being chased by dogs.
Then tragedy struck - Heidi collapsed and died of a heart attack. She was an elderly lady who had limited sight, but enjoyed her life and was a yard favourite.
I was riding in the school at the time, so was unaware of the events in the field, however, when two men and four dogs burst through the undergrowth to the side of the school and I hit the deck (luckily I wasn't hurt, just shaken)! Poor Gus was totally freaked - he's not good with dogs at the best of times. When I got up and caught him and calmed him down, I went out the the front of the yard to tell the Yard Owner that the travellers were in the school/boys field - and saw poor Heidi.
We phoned the Police and they turned up about 15-20 minutes after the call. They were very good - and quite shocked to see Heidi, and actually caught a group of people a bit later in the day. Some were arrested (there had been a shooting incident with an air rifle at another farm close by, so they were already being looked for), others were interviewed and released.
The problem is that these people show no remorse - the fact that their actions directly contributed to the death of a horse, the overwhelming grief of the owner, and upset to the whole yard (she was loved by everyone) will not affect them one bit.
We just don't know what to do about these people - the law doesn't seem to be able to touch them, and if we confront them, then we are probably going to be the ones in trouble.
Has anyone had any similar experiences and how did you handle it? Any advice would be appreciated, particularly if it could stop this happening again.
Many thanks.
Needless to say, there was chaos - people and dogs everywhere, the staff and clients trying to get the mares in, who were freaking out being chased by dogs.
Then tragedy struck - Heidi collapsed and died of a heart attack. She was an elderly lady who had limited sight, but enjoyed her life and was a yard favourite.
I was riding in the school at the time, so was unaware of the events in the field, however, when two men and four dogs burst through the undergrowth to the side of the school and I hit the deck (luckily I wasn't hurt, just shaken)! Poor Gus was totally freaked - he's not good with dogs at the best of times. When I got up and caught him and calmed him down, I went out the the front of the yard to tell the Yard Owner that the travellers were in the school/boys field - and saw poor Heidi.
We phoned the Police and they turned up about 15-20 minutes after the call. They were very good - and quite shocked to see Heidi, and actually caught a group of people a bit later in the day. Some were arrested (there had been a shooting incident with an air rifle at another farm close by, so they were already being looked for), others were interviewed and released.
The problem is that these people show no remorse - the fact that their actions directly contributed to the death of a horse, the overwhelming grief of the owner, and upset to the whole yard (she was loved by everyone) will not affect them one bit.
We just don't know what to do about these people - the law doesn't seem to be able to touch them, and if we confront them, then we are probably going to be the ones in trouble.
Has anyone had any similar experiences and how did you handle it? Any advice would be appreciated, particularly if it could stop this happening again.
Many thanks.
