_{Ellen Wright, October 20, 2011, NetPosse.com}

            This one puts a different twist to the term “joy riding”. Normally, when we think of that term, it is reserved for someone who “borrows” a car and drives it around for a while, but returns it (usually without the owner’s knowledge or permission). The car is usually fancy in some respect-tricked out, expensive, the latest & greatest, or just what suits the driver’s fancy at the moment. Problems erupt when the car is reported as being stolen, gets wrecked, is involved in some other malfeasance (e.g. bank robbery) and so on.

            But we don’t normally hear of HORSES involved with this practice. Down in Opelousas, Louisiana[1], somebody decided that seven horses were standing around at the local animal control shelter not doing anything, so they took the 8 foot tall chain link fences down and went riding. [2] These are the chain link fences that you are used to seeing-the ones with the barbed wire on top. These teenagers dismantled them-in spite of the fact that the place has active camera surveillance! To top everything off, they did this FOUR times!

            This has to win some sort of prize-we’re just not sure what it would be.

            Local law enforcement has found six of the seven horses and is looking for the remaining one. The horses were found at two residences in the area. One was an expensive, but retired barrel horse that had escaped and was being returned to his owner[3]. All of the horses have been returned to their rightful owners at this time.

            One juvenile was charged with seven counts of livestock theft, four counts of criminal trespass and one count of cruelty to animals. The second juvenile was charged with one count of livestock theft and once count of criminal trespassing, according to the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.[4] The cruelty charge stems from the poor care given to the barrel horse, who was found tied up, dehydrated, and obviously left uncared for.[5] 

[1] http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/news/2011/10/153.shtml

[2] http://www.dailyworld.com/article/20111019/NEWS01/110190310

[3] http://www.katc.com/news/deputies-investigating-stolen-horse/

[4].http://www.dailyworld.com/article/20111019/NEWS01/110190310

[5] http://www.katc.com/news/arrest-made-in-stolen-horse/