Need help desperately

[princess_ashton]

Hi!

I was directed here by some horsey friends and could really use some help.

I just bought about 87 acres from a woman who is an absentee landlord. We were supposed to take possession when the tenant's lease ran out next month. The "gentleman" who was living out there had five horses and a foal. I only met him once but he was "excercising" his horses rather roughly. Well, to be honest, so roughly that my husband had to physically hold me to keep me from pulling him down - punching, kicking, pulling hair out. Really harsh bits, spurs, the whole nine.

As it turns out, we get a call last night from the lady we bought the property from that we can go take possession. Turns out the man in question got picked up by the Feds and is going away for a long, long time.

Now we have, well, horses. The only shelter I could locate is full, and besides, I fell in love with them. I've ridden a lot, but I never had anything to do with care and feeding. The situation now is this:

No barn, but the land is wooded in places.
No feed/feeding area that I can see - pasture and hay, a water trough and spicket.
They're all getting a vet checkup, but not til next week. That's when he makes house calls and we don't have a horse trailer. We're having a farrier that he works with out the same day.

I plan on talking to the vet about what I should be doing. In the meantime, I've checked the fences and have just been keeping them fresh hay and fresh water going. Is there something else they need before the vet gets here? Is hay and pasture grass enough food for them? I don't want them going hungry.

Anything else I really really need to know? I'm going through the forums slowly but surely. Thanks so much!

[BornToRide]

Sounds like you have plenty of land to sustain those horses, if most of it is pasture :yes: And horses evolved to be outside. They have probably lived this way there for a while I suspect.

Safety is first, like fencing, etc., and it seems you have already checked that.

As long as they have access to fresh water and lots of pasture in a safe environment they will most likely be OK, so don't worry too much :)

[Watermark Farm]

You'll want to focus on getting their hooves trimmed, teeth floated, and getting them wormed. And make sure you are feeding them enough to handle winter. What part of the country are you in?

Your best bet is to find a local person who is very knowledgeable about care, who would serve as your mentor. Do you have any horsey friends? Look into joining a local horsemen's association, etc. That can be a great source of support. Horse people are wonderful about jumping in and helping.

Bless you for helping these horses! It sounds like they need you badly!

[msj]

You'll want to focus on getting their hooves trimmed, teeth floated, and getting them wormed. And make sure you are feeding them enough to handle winter. What part of the country are you in?

Your best bet is to find a local person who is very knowledgeable about care, who would serve as your mentor. Do you have any horsey friends? Look into joining a local horsemen's association, etc. That can be a great source of support. Horse people are wonderful about jumping in and helping.

Bless you for helping these horses! It sounds like they need you badly!

Ditto to all the above answers. Ask both the vet and farrier that are coming about a close by mentor. Good luck and ditto to the Bless you for helping these horses. :)

[Lori T]

First, thank you for taking care of these horses and for trying to do right by them. Besides talking to your vet and farrier, I would contact your local ag unit and ask them to come out and look at the property. They can give you alot of suggestions as to the grass needs, any poisonous plants on the property and so on. Where are you located? You really need to supplement the horses with grain and hay. Speak to the local feed store owner and pick his brain as to what types of feed and hay. Are you in a cold climate? Trees may provide some shelter, but you may need to blanket them...especially the foal. Do they have a good winter coat? Even here in Central Florida, we have been very cold this week, with day time highs in the low 60's and this morning I had one mare, who does have a winter coat, refuse to let me remove her blanket until it had warmed up some more! Which is my next question..if there is a foal, does that mean there is a stallion in the group? Because if so, you need to address that asap. If there is, you may have some pregnant mares in the group. Make sure they have plenty of hay and fresh water. Is it possible to make some type of run in shelter? Doesn't have to be fancy, just enough to give them protection from the weather. And find out your rights..if this man is indeed put away, you need to make sure that after you spend money on these horses, he cannot come back and claim them. You may want to speak with animal control about having them seize the horses and turn them over to you, that way he cannot claim the horses. I would also contact any local rescue group in your area to get more help. You could also contact a local District Commissioner of your local pony club for help...really, the more people you talk to for advice, the better off you and the horses will be. Starting with your vet and farrier are really good places to start. Good luck!

[jdeboer01]

Definitely pick you vet's brain. He/she will be able to give you an idea as to each horse's body condition, and what supplemental feed they may need.

I don't know how much knowledge you have, horsewise, so I won't assume anything. "Worming" a horse is simply buying a tube of deworming paste at your local equine supply store and squirting it into the horses mouth. I'd advise you to ask your vet to help you with this when he comes out, as there are several different types of dewormer, and it can be tricky to get the horse to accept it.

"Floating" a horse's teeth is better described as "filing" the molars. Because they chew side to side, the molars can wear in "points" and "hooks" which can either make it difficult for them to chew, or cause cuts inside the cheeks.

Are these horses wearing shoes? Or are they barefoot? If you will not be riding them, and they are wearing shoes, they might be able to go barefoot. The vet and farrier will be able to help you with that decision.

One big question is where the foal came from. Are these horses mares? Geldings? (castrated male), Is there a stallion? If there's a stallion, or if the youngster is a colt, you will definitely want to them gelded ASAP! Your vet can advise you on this.

You are very kind to help these horses! Bless you!:)

[pintopiaffe]

One big question is where the foal came from. Are these horses mares? Geldings? (castrated male), Is there a stallion?

This was my first thought. How did the foal 'happen.'

My second was, you need to speak with a lawyer, and get these horses released to you, if they are not already. In time they will be considered abandoned property... But I'd hate to see you unload a couple hundred (thousand) bucks into vets and farrier etc., only to have bad guy's lawyer saunter up, grab them and send them to auction or sell them.

Unless you've left out parts of the story for brevity's sake... they are not YOURS yet. That is a big, ugly legal mess, most especially where livestock is concerned.

The rest of the advice above is great.

Ask the vet about deworming advice. My inclination would be to start with something more mild, then build up to say an Ivermectin or EquiMax, and/or a Power Pack. I'm guessing they haven't had proper deworming in awhile. You DON'T want to hit them with something like Quest right away (IMO-ever, I've lost a horse to Quest, but I digress) you need to address it in stages, as they become strong enough and healthy enough to deal with the stress of dieoff.

Good luck. Goodon'ya for taking them into your care. Just protect yourself. ;)

[Cherry]

Wow! I wish everyone was as magnanimous as you are! Thanks for taking on these horses and trying to do right by them!

I would say one of the most important things you can do for these horses is the deworming!!!! It sounds as if you are doing all the right things....

What I would do though is look into acquiring these horses in a legal manner so that when this fellow gets out of jail he doesn't come looking for these horses that you are taking such good care of--unless you don't mind him getting them back. Personally I think I would have a problem with that.... So, talk to a lawyer and see what you have to do to get him to relinquish the rights to these horses; offer to take them off his hands permanently in exchange for giving them a caring home.
That is a big, ugly legal mess, most especially where livestock is concerned.
It doesn't have to be.... When I adopted a pony (no money exchanged hands) my lawyer advised me to get the owner to sign a paper which stated the owner relinquished any and all rights to the pony (I had to fill in a description of him) and any property that came with him (came with pieces of a harness and a metal cart). The paper had to be signed and dated in the presence of a witness, and that was it! You may need to do more though and I'm sure a lawyer could see to it that someone delivered an agreement to the inmate and waited for a signature.... It may be that he'll want money for them so be prepared for that inevitability. I would guess the money would have to be held in escrow until he gets out of prison, eh??? A lawyer would know better....

Good luck and thank you for looking out for these poor horses!!!! :) :yes:

[Skeezix]

What everyone else said . . . and I want to add that with your obvious big heart, I think YOU ROCK :)

[saultgirl]

Wow, that's a total legal nightmare. In your purchase agreement, did the vendor agree to provide vacant possession of the property upon the deal closing? If so, it would be her responsibilty to ensure the premises are vacant. She would then need to recoop any costs from the tenant.

I wouldn't get too attached to these horses, if I were you.

The legal aspects of this need to be dealt with immediately. Make sure your own butt is covered before even touching the horses.

If you have not already taken possession of the property -- DO NOT DO IT -- until everything has been removed.

Just because the vendor (landlord) said the guy is "going away for a long time" DOES NOT MAKE IT TRUE!! He could be back by Monday, and you DO NOT want to be in the middle of this mess!

[Cherry]

With all due respect, folks, these horses need at least the basics of hay and water otherwise someone is going to end up with very skinny and possibly sick horses.... ;) I have no problem with the original poster supplying decent hay and fresh water....

On the other hand, the horses probably should not be seen by a vet until this ownership thing is straightened out....

On Monday I would call a lawyer before doing anything else! He/she would have access to the information you need (about the current owner of the horses) and would be able to advise you better about what to do next to obtain possession, if that is what you want to do.... :yes:

[princess_ashton]

Well, we went out there to check on them . . . and they seem to have vanished. The landlord we bought the place from is my husband's mother - one of the mares was hers, and it was "accidentally" bred - more than once. We think the only reason the colt is still there and not sold is because it is lame.

They took an armored vehicle in to get the guy and knocked down the fences. We think they just got out.

Thanks for the advice, and if they come home (crosses fingers) we'll make sure to aqcuire them legally. I just couldn't stand the way they were being treated and eating this nasty moldy hay couldn't be good for them. I didn't want them to starve in my front yard while the guy was in jail.

Thank you thank you thank you! Do horses come home if they get lost? We have nowhere to put up signs or anything - we're in the country out there. They're definitely NOT on the property.

[AKB]

If you are nervous about worming the horses with a paste wormer, they may eat a pelleted wormer like fenbendazole. Then, after you feel comfortable with them in a few weeks, you can give them a more complete worming with Equimax. Talk with the vet and see what he/she recommends. You want to get the important vaccines like tetanus and rabies ASAP. The others can probably wait a few weeks until you have everything more under control. You don't want to take a chance on one of the horses coming down with rabies.

Lots of hay and clean water are probably the most important need right now. Shelter is also important. You can get run in sheds delivered to your farm for a reasonable price in most locations. Where are you located?

Talk with a lawyer on Monday so you can get the legal status of the horses cleared up. Animal control through the county government may be able to help you. They may be able to take control of the horses and then let you adopt them, if you don't already own them because they were left behind on your property.

Good luck. You are certainly doing a good deed for these poor horses.

[Bank of Dad]

Notify your local animal shelter and the local state police that the horses are missing. Make sure they know they are not yours legally, or you could be liable for any damage that happens, to the horses or to someone or something.

[cloudyandcallie]

EEEk they are loose? Call animal control, call the sheriff or cops and get them back for their safety.

And no grain, gradually introduce that to them.

Hmmm is there an updated edition of Practical Horseman's Book of Horsekeeping? That used to be one of the Bibles for us back in the old days.

[Posting Trot]

If they're gone, you need to find out what happened. If the fence is down in a place, you'll at least have a starting point. But if there's no fence down, is it possible that the previous tenant somehow got some buddy of his to take the horses? Any way to find out?

I agree with the above poster that you need to notify Animal Control if you can't find the horses more or less right away.

If you've taken possession of the land and the horses have broken out and then commit some kind of damage to someone else's property, you *might* be liable.

Good luck.

[Lady Counselor]

I don't know where you are located, but they need some sort of rudimentary shelter. Tractor Supply has the run in sheds made of fabric, the hoop style small buildings measuring 12 x 24 for under $400. At least that gives them a place out of the rain. I would also drape a tarp across the back to break the wind.
Best of luck. People suck sometimes, and it's refreshing to hear when someone does the right thing.

edited to add - just read the post where you say they are gone...:( Good luck. I feel bad for those guys.

[princess_ashton]

We called animal control. No one's seen them. HOWEVER a lady that runs the corner store/feed store/post office/gas station/grocery store/bait and tackle/pizza parlor said she saw one of the guys the man came in with all the time riding a horse and had four more and a baby tied in a row behind him. (I didn't even know you could do that!) They sound like the ones that went missing.

So we called, and are doing all we can. Just hope they're okay. Thanks for the fabric shelter tip, with moving we'll be short on cash for a bit and that is a great option. We're in oklahoma so it shouldn't be too cold, they just need a windbreak/dry place, I think. They've been living outside up til now, so . . . Just hope we can get em taken care of.

[equinelaw]

Sounds like the owner made arrangements for them and sent someone to get them. But now that you have accepted the idea of owning 5 horses, we can find you a few starter horses that need good homes as soon as you can get some fence back up and start reading horse care books!

There are thousands of horses in your area that need good homes:)

Doesn't one of the horses belong to your MIL?

[princess_ashton]

Doesn't one of the horses belong to your MIL?

Yep, that's the problem. The guy seen taking them is one of his drug dealer friends and also a total junkie. We're praying they haven't been sold for drug money. He'd have known they'd be there all alone. I really doubt the owner made arrangements for them. Apparently 20 men in an armored vehicle swarmed the place - we have to replace six windows from flash grenades. Not to mention all the needles and burnt down structures we keep finding all over in the wooded parts.

On the bright side, I am learning lots about horses and feeling better about being able to take care of them if they come back or adopt some later down the line. I made a lot of good contacts in my last couple days of "Panic! They're gonna starve!"

We're just doing all we can and prepping and hoping for the day they come home, even if we can only legally get ours back.

[equinelaw]

Did MIL try calling the police with this new info? Since the police knocked down he fence, they do have huge legal responsibility if these horses got out and were not stolen.

Usually the police wont or can't help, but this is actually sort of their fault and they are liable for the loose horses. You may want to call them again and gently explain that to them? I mean really GENTLY, but stolen horses often go to a bad place where you do not get them back.

[allpurpose]

I'm sorry, but I find this story a bit far-fetched. IF it's true, OK, but hmmm....flash grenades? Needles all over the place? From a Greenie poster, this sounds a bit, ummm, over the top!

[saultgirl]

Yeah... OP, maybe you forgot that you said you checked the fences in your original post.....

[fivehorses]

I think someone needs to contact an attorney...like your mil who owns one of the horses.
Also, to get in touch with the owner to see if in his heart he could sign over his horses to you.
When I first read this, I am sorry, but I smelled troll.
This is not a situation of ho hum. These are living breathing animals that desperately need an advocate.

[equinelaw]

It may or may not be true, but OP seems to have learned so much about horses in a few days its worth the benefit of the doubt to see her become a possible horse owner. She uses all the correct terminology.

She has asked for help and its not going to harm us to help her.

Plus, nobody over on TOB is sniggering about it so its not one of them:)

[princess_ashton]

Erm, wow.

We checked the fences when we went out for prelim lookover a week or so ago and the fences were fine then. (We were planning on keeping a pair of llamas.)

When we went back out today obviously it was a different story, and a lot had changed since then. A couple girls on another forum I am on refferred me here. They said you guys were friendly.

And, well, not to be indelicate, but the man was making and selling enough crank to supply a small army. The fact that we have armored vehicle tracks in our front yard says a lot about how, erm, interested the Feds are in him.

I appreciate the genuine help that was given, after this I suppose I'll go to my local 4-H. Thanks though.

http://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/local/local_story_322102809.html

[murphyluv]

Good response.

I really, really, hope that you can find those horses. Please tell us you've called the police about them, especially since one is your MIL's. God bless you for taking them in, and yes, local help is good. And if they get to be yours, legally, nip any testicles. :)

[equinelaw]

Half of us are always friendly. The next day its the other halfs turn. This is a perfectly normal turn of events. Almost all new posters with uncommon stories get doubt by page 2 or 3.

Then OP gets defensive, more facts are revieled and doubters grudgingly believe or hope for the worst.

If you want to look more credible as a new poster you need to leave out all paragraph breaks and call things by the wrong names.:)

Probably not really a good idea to try and get the horses back yourself from murderers. I really, really think the police should be doing this and I have never said that before. This is not a civil matter and no matter who the horses belong to the police should not have left them there with no fence.

[Posting Trot]

What equinelaw said.

I hope you'll be able to track down the horses. You might call some local barns to see if they've been stashed somewhere. But on the whole I think equinelaw is right that you personally probably don't want to be the one taking the horse back. You'll want assistance from the police.

Good luck.

[vickienme]

I took on 2 out of 5 resuces a couple of friends of mine and I came across.
Their hair coats were dry and brittle, horribly nutrition deficient feet and
untrimmed of course, sad depressed and hungry eyes....
We put them on,

MY FAVORITE SPECIAL FEED MIX:
I feed this mix once daily. If I have a horse that
needs supplements twice daily I'll hold out one dog food scoop (1qt)
full for next morning feeding.

Per Horse - 1 to 2 cups dry measured BP pellets without molasses,
Hydrate Beet Pulp with 1 to 2 qts hot water, (adjust as needed, fluffy not soppy)
1 ounce or so (up to 2 cups) apple cider vinegar,
from 1 teaspoon up to 3 Tablespoons garlic powder/granulated
per horse, 1/3 cup up to 2/3 cup whole flax seed per horse, 1/2 cup corn oil.

If your horse is not insulin resistant you can add 1 to 2 cups whole oats to the hydration mix and if an oldie you can also add some alfalfa pellets.

Mix into the hydrated mix when ready to feed, 1 cup stabilized rice bran (Satin Finish) per horse,
Prozyme with BG or Sr Prozyme with BG, ABC's Selenium/Vit E, (be sure to check with
your local county extension office to find out if your area is high or low in selenium)
We also have a natural Vit E supplement if your area/hay is high in selenium)
Humic Shale Ore.

Feed 2 to 4 dog food (1 qt) scoops per horse, in my case as much as needed to
help horse regain some wt if they lost alot. Very safe feed mix. Slow metabolizing
so is great in the winter too, keeps them satisfied and warm.

You can top dress with ABC PLUS and ABC HOOF for anyone needing extra.

I'm mixing for 9 to 11 horses usually.
So I'm guessing for one horse. About 2 qts hot water to 1 to 2 cups dry
Measured beet pulp per horse. 1 oz apple cider vinegar, up to
3 T garlic powder/granulated per horse. The garlic and applecider vinegar
will do wonders for their skin health and prevent fly sores, repels knats.

My mixing is in a 5 gal bucket. 2 gallons hot water with
About 1 1/2 to 2 inches in the bottom of 1 gallon jug of
Apple cider vinegar. In the other gallon I put 1 teaspoon per
Horse up to 3 Tablespoons per horse of the garlic and fill
With hot water and shake to dissolve. I use 3 T per horse
Year round of the garlic.

If you are just starting out, go with
1 Teaspoon and build up to 3 Tablespoons over a little time
Allowing the horse to get used to it. Mine love it. Smells
Like Doritos and they lick the buckets clean. You want
The beet pulp after hydrated to be fluffy and damp. Not
Soggy and fully hydrated. No little hard pieces preferably.
I just pour in some Corn Oil and stir it all around and put
the lid on and allow it to hydrate for 4 hours or more. I mix
this in the morning and feed at evening feeding and same some
for next morning when I have horses getting supplements
twice daily. During summer you can up the amt of garlic as needed
up to 3 Tablespoons daily to get your best results. Twice daily is
best during the summer as our bodies use up what we feed it
every 12 hours. During the winter, one time daily is enough and you
can reduce the amt to 1/2 the summer dose if you want to.

During the winter I feed more than I do in the summer, still
Mostly one time per day at dinner to keep them warm through
The nite and not cold or massively hungry in the morning.
I can easily feed as late as noon and not have anyone colicy
Or massively hungry and mad at me. During the summer the
Garlic and applecider vinegar really help with the insects and
I always give them their supplements daily anyway.

NOTE: Never feed this beet pulp dry. It plumps up fast and
Sticks in their throat and they choke. This requires
An ACE shot in the muscle from your vet to allow them
To relax their throat enough for it to go down. (I've
Done this 3 different times so "don't do it", they will
Eventually choke on it and get very distressed and anxious)

The Satin Finish bag says, two and 3 yr old 1# to 1 /2#'S per day
Mature horses based on 1000#'S - 2#'S heavy use down to 1#/day
Not in use horse. Extreme use cases endurance racing, eventing etc.
Custom programs available 1-800-742-3272 Satin Finsh Wilcott Farms, Inc.
P.O. Box 5, Willows, CA 95988

This will bring any horse up to speed condition wise and for an easy
keeper just feed 2 scoops daily of they hydrated mix.

My rescues put on wt and rounded out nicely since we got them mid
July and haircoats nice soft and silky, still working on the feet and
manes and tails still growing out. But they look a whole bunch better
plus are calmer and happy now. One is a stallion and the other his pg
mare. The offspring are all doing so much better too. Don't even look
like the same scrawny stunted horses we picked up.

Find a good trimmer, I keep ABC Probi on hand for any gas colic
in the medicine cupboard, is liquid gold to me. I recommend using
a natural wormer rather than chemicals. Chemicals can really tax
an already taxed immune system and so can vaccines. I recommend
using nosodes for immunizing instead. I have access to ABC NOMS fed daily
to deter gut parasites, use the Parasite tonic to clean out any blood parasites. You can use an herbal wormer 5 days a month on the full moon
as the other option. Chemicals can dump alot of dead worms into their gut
if they are really wormy and that can potentially plug them up. So be
careful whatever method you choose. These are just my recommendations,
alternative methods that have been working for me and mine.

I love hearing of other's taking on the burden of loving and caring for
unwanted/abandonded horses, animals in general. Many Blessings
to you and yours!

[vickienme]

I pray you do find your horses and the others too and get them for horse stealin!

[Thomas_1]

You might want to change the title of your post or edit the first posting to update that the horses are now missing/away.

You then won't continue to get a load of advice about how to manage horses you don't have ;)

I'd suggest you just let the authorities know what happened and leave it up to them to sort out. I wouldn't recommend you do any more than that for fear of getting tangled with some real dodgey low life.

If you really feel the urge to own a horse, then get your place cleaned up of debris, get some good fencing and field shelters sorted, do some learning and get involved with someone who can provide you with all the advice and support you need and if you're of the same mind, then go buy yourself a really nice horse from a really nice person.

[Moderator 1]

princess_ashton, we've had some instances of folks joining the board to spin fantastic tales and/or start controvery-laden threads for their own entertainment, so sometimes other posters can view new members with a little suspicion if their first contribution is unusual like yours.

If you're still interested in learning more about horse care, please stick around--the forum is a great place to do that!

For the record, there's nothing overtly "suspect" about the OP behind the scenes to give us cause for concern, so other users can continue to post or not, bearing that in mind.

Thanks!
Mod 1

[CJBean]

Princess Ashton, you seem to have a very kind heart that you were able to step up to the plate to take on these horses, but I just wanted to tell you to be ware of the costs involved with properly taking care of a horse.

You said that because of purchasing this land you are strapped for cash. Please just be careful with taking on this huge responsibility.

Many posters recommended to worm the horses, call a vet, float their teeth, get the farrier out. Yes these are all things that NEED to be done, but please keep in mind that these are VERY costly things. This doesn't even include the cost of their feed yet.

I would hate for you to take on these horses or any other horses and not truly know how much they cost.

I would definitely get in contact with your local police dept and an attorney as I would hate for you to pay for all these things which could easily be thousands of dollars and the horses aren't even yours.

Also I would contact the police dept to inform them that the horses are missing. They can then determine who has legal right to posses these horses.

Good luck to you, just be careful with what you take on.

[silver2]

I'm sorry, but I find this story a bit far-fetched. IF it's true, OK, but hmmm....flash grenades? Needles all over the place? From a Greenie poster, this sounds a bit, ummm, over the top!
Not at all. We are in meth-central here in CA, and this story is all too familiar.

To the OP- it sounds like you've done what you can, unfortunately the loss of your mil's horse is likely to be deemed a civil affair by the police and you're unlikely to get restitution from a jailed drug dealer. Sorry about that. Your best bet, if you want the horse back, is to call local auctions and feedlots and stop by with a photo of the horse. You can also post the info on a website called "Net Posse" which is specifically for stolen horses.

If you do get the horses back and want to keep them I'd recommend making friends with a local horse owner so you have someone to go to for advice when the unexpected happens (as it always does with horses). You can offer to trade some labor at their place (stacking hay or house sitting) for their time spent helping you get your place set up. Despite some of the posts here most horse people are happy to help a newbie out. I would get personal recommendations from 4-H, Pony Club or a local instructor that you know.

btw, if the guy was making drugs in your house you are probably going to want to basically gut it. At the very least remove everything that could have absorbed any residue like drywall,exposed timber, carpets, underflooring etc. Have your septic pumped and warn them first. Be careful poking around outbuildings in case they stored chemicals there. Be really careful cleaning up illegal dumps and don't put the stuff in the regular trash because it's hazardous waste. You might be able to get some money from the state or county to help you clean it up btw, call and ask if they have any grants or funds available. Try the EPA too, especially if you have dump sites near a waterway or aquifer.

What a pita these guys are- good luck getting it all fixed up!

[pegasus209]

Welcome you to the board :)
Unfortunately I have seen this type of scenario around here more than once myself. It's really scary/sad when there are animals involved.
The advice you've gotten is spot on, first, contact the local law enforcement and clue them in, your MIL needs to let them know asap that her horse is now missing-- then go about the legal steps if the horses have not already been sold and go from there. Poor horses! Life seems to have given them a really crummy hand to deal with. :(
Best of luck with the situation! I hope they return safe and sound, and you find yourself on your way to becoming a 'horse-addicted' mommy! ;)

[philosoraptor]

You need to talk to a lawyer. If the law in your state would determine these are now your horses (since they're private propertly left at time of settlement), if they're wandering the countryside YOU will be responsible when one of them causes a car accident. I don't mean to scare you, but if one is hit, the drive can sue you for medical bills which can amount to tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Do file a police report.

Do resolve ownership.

And if you find the horses, think hard before you decide to keep them. Estimate $2000+ per horse per year in feed/vet expenses and extra if one gets sick or injured. Add in dental, farrier, etc. It's not a cheap proposition.

[cloudyandcallie]

The story is believable, the feds always overreact.:lol:

Local cops go in, arrest drug dealers, and seize the place.

The feds invade.:D

The drug dealer's horses can be seized and sold by the feds or by the local cops. The feds in Atlanta seized and sold exotic birds, horses, and rotties from a big drug dealer in the 80s. One of the def. lawyers got a rottie puppy.