Try for a moment to understand how Weld County rancher Trenton Parker's love of his 24 horses could motivate him to threaten to have gunmen slaughter them. That's right, love. Parker's threat now appears to have been a misplaced cry for help that was lost in the ire of his rambling, but graphic ultimatum. In recent days, Parker has said he never really wanted any sharpshooters to answer the fliers he posted, which invited anyone who would help in the execution to his ranch this weekend. He doesn't want anyone to hang his horses either. As he acknowledged recently to 7News, he sort of blew his top and in the process became "probably the most hated man in Colorado, if not the nation." Parker must report to jail on Tuesday for a 90-day sentence stemming from his refusal to clean up land that is filled with old trailers, school buses, and other junk. (He says he doesn't own the property and claims that the owners can't clean it up.) And while he's in jail, Parker reasoned, nobody would be available to care for the horses, so he considered killing them. Parker's remorse, however, did not convince authorities, who are in the process of seizing the animals this morning, according to 9News. While horse rescuers stood ready to step in and take care of Parker's animals, Weld County sheriff's deputies apparently did not want to take any chances.