The next-door critter gives me the jitters

Rural lifestyles invade an urban neighborhood

Horse eye is watching you. Photo by Jez Timms on Unsplash

On a crisp spring morning, I stepped outside, and the fat ugly animal in my neighbor’s backyard startled me. It watched me as if it thought I was a personal chef.

Although I live in urban America, I’ve seen some rural-type happenings lately.

Horses aren’t permitted everywhere in Texas

I’m convinced families moving into our community don’t know the rules here. For example, contrary to popular belief, Texas doesn’t allow horses everywhere.

Recently, animal rescue services removed several horses grazing next to a church down the street — not once, but twice. It seems someone thinks it’s ok to take their horses to eat on private property. Besides, the land is fenceless and sits next to a six-lane thoroughfare.

A few weeks earlier, I saw a man in a pickup truck with two horses tied to it. One horse was tied to the driver’s side and the other to the passenger’s side. I don’t know if he was training the horses or taking them for a walk. They crept along a street. blocking traffic where the speed limit was 45mph.

Texas considers horses as non-motorized vehicles, like bicycles. They’re allowed on streets as long as they…