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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsA Romney supporter stole from me this past weekend and I think the two things are directly related.
I think I told you guys awhile back that we have found a new farm to lease that is a much better, nicer place than the one we are at and in a location that is much better for us. We gave all of our boarder's the 30 day notice and all but one decided to move with us. We will be into our new place on November 1st and cannot wait.
The woman who decided not to move came out some time between Friday night and early Saturday morning and removed all of her tack, etc, from the barn and left me a bizarre note...and stole my saddle.
Yes, she stole my saddle.
Eighteen months ago, she had the saddle for sale because it did not fit any of her horses. It fits my big TB gelding perfectly, so I exchanged two months pasture board on one of her ponies for the saddle. That was over $600. It was a good deal on the saddle, but she is the one that set the price. Then, last September, she came to me and said she wanted to help out. Her father was a retired plumber and he was coming to stay with them for a couple of weeks and she thought it would be good for him to get out and work around the farm, so she was going to have him put in a bathroom. Well, that was going to cost a fortune and I felt uncomfortable having her spend roughly $2500, so I told her thanks anyway. So, she said, "Well, surely there is something he can do!" My husband and I talked about it and decided to have him add some spigots out near our pastures so we wouldn't have to run a hose out there. It was a big help and we thanked her sincerely.
The relationship started to go south last spring when she went out and bought a pony off of Craigslist without consulting me first, then expected me to fix it up for her six year old daughter. The problem being that this thing is 10 hands of pure evil, they never sat on it before they bought it and it bites, kicks, bucks and rears. I have told her repeatedly that it is dangerous and she needs to just unload it and buy something safe. She loves the pony and thinks I am mean. Whatever.
Anyway, she came out and took all her stuff and the saddle and left me a note saying she felt entitled to the saddle because she would never have put in the water lines if she had known I was going to leave 'so soon'. Thirteen months. BTW, her husband was the CEO of a local drug company and making $1.25 million dollars a year until recently. It is a publicly traded company, so his salary and bonus package was listed on the internet. When his board booted him out, she told me that I didn't understand the stress that they were going through. Me. I didn't understand. My husband is a construction worker and I run a small horse farm. We struggle every month just to keep our house. At the end of the note, she said she would pray for me and my family. She is hyper religious, BTW.
But it all goes back to her politics in that she is wealthy and feels entitled. She feels like I owe her something because...well, I am not even sure why. She feels entitled to my property because she is upset that we are moving further away from her house than she wants to drive. She is upset with me because the decision she made (buying the pony) was a poor one and I pointed it out to her. She is a Republican down to her toes and it all goes back to her personality.
LondonReign2
(5,213 posts)there is a minimum cost to file and you don't need legal represnetation, so no additional costs
renie408
(9,854 posts)I immediately called the sheriff's department and a deputy sheriff went to her house. She freely admitted to him that she had taken the saddle, that I had paid her for it over a year ago and that the water lines and the saddle were totally unrelated. He called a local judge and explained the whole thing to him. The judge said that my best bet was to file in small claims court because we had exchanged services for the saddle instead of an outright cash sale. But the sheriff told me right then I could have her arrested for taking the saddle, only I had a better chance of actually getting it back if I went through small claims court. I called the magistrate's office about an hour ago to find out what I need to take with me to file. They were at lunch, so I will call back after 2. The whole thing just makes me feel sick.
My husband wants me to have her arrested, but I really don't want all the hoopla of that. We are trying to get our new farm off the ground and I just don't feel like I need all that drama floating around. The horse business is a small world.
DollarBillHines
(1,922 posts)too many times.
These days, I get everything in writing - even deals and barters I make with friends.
Just in case.
I'm with you (not your husband) on this. The horse world is small, indeed, and you should try to keep this as low to the horizon as possible.
If you have her arrested, she will scream to high heaven.
Beat her in Small Claims Court and she will slink away.
Good luck.
DBH
renie408
(9,854 posts)For $80, which they say I will get back, I can file. I am going tomorrow after I get back from taking my son back to school.
I have this fantasy that when I drive up to the barn this afternoon, the saddle will be there on the gate or something. I really, REALLY don't want to do this.
yourout
(7,532 posts)can be proved wrong 6 ways to Sunday and still know they are right and you are wrong.
EC
(12,287 posts)that saddle was never yours.
renie408
(9,854 posts)Barack_America
(28,876 posts)Hard work being foreign to her.
wildeyed
(11,243 posts)Typical Republican. Sorry you have to go through this.