Stop horse theft / equipment theft
This is our biggest fear of our beloved equines or their equipment being stolen, below are some things you can do to prevent theft.
Be vigilant join your local Horsewatch write down vehicle numbers then description of the vehicle, also unusual facial features, people can change clothes, get pictures if you can without putting yourself in danger! Report any sightings to the police/horsewatch look out for your neighbour’s property and get them to look out for yours.
TACK and RUGS
Postcode it!
Yes even the posh new rugs, they are going to get muddy anyway! You can pay out for kits or slap a bit of paint on there.
Get together with friends and you local police/horsewatch and organise a tack marking session. (When you sell the tack on give the buyer a receipt)
Saddles – Postcode and or microchip them take pictures as well it paints 1000 words!!!
Try not to keep valuables on a poorly protected yard and in tack rooms that are easy to break into, your insurance may not be valid if you do check the small print.
Check and see if car insurance covers your tack.
The tack room is often a target for thieves. Therefore the tack room needs to be strongly constructed and the access door needs to be strong and secured with a study lock. There are many products on the market to improve the security of the tack room these include door grills, intruder alarms, security lighting, security cameras etc… The yard needs to adopt a security code of practice of locking the door when not in use. In side the tack room you can secure your belongings inside locked tack boxes / tack safes that are bolted to the walls, there are several designs on the market. There are cheaper alternatives e.g. saddle racks with built in locks. There are security identification kits available for marking your property. Keep an inventory of your equipment and keep it at home. The display of signs advising that security measures are in place can also act as deterrent. Tools and equipment should be stored where they cannot be used to force entry.
Safe guard your saddle :
Postcode it!
Yes even the posh new rugs, they are going to get muddy anyway! You can pay out for kits or slap a bit of paint on there.
Get together with friends and you local police/horsewatch and organise a tack marking session. (When you sell the tack on give the buyer a receipt)
Saddles – Postcode and or microchip them take pictures as well it paints 1000 words!!!
Try not to keep valuables on a poorly protected yard and in tack rooms that are easy to break into, your insurance may not be valid if you do check the small print.
Check and see if car insurance covers your tack.
The tack room is often a target for thieves. Therefore the tack room needs to be strongly constructed and the access door needs to be strong and secured with a study lock. There are many products on the market to improve the security of the tack room these include door grills, intruder alarms, security lighting, security cameras etc… The yard needs to adopt a security code of practice of locking the door when not in use. In side the tack room you can secure your belongings inside locked tack boxes / tack safes that are bolted to the walls, there are several designs on the market. There are cheaper alternatives e.g. saddle racks with built in locks. There are security identification kits available for marking your property. Keep an inventory of your equipment and keep it at home. The display of signs advising that security measures are in place can also act as deterrent. Tools and equipment should be stored where they cannot be used to force entry.
Safe guard your saddle :
- Buy a boltable saddle rack
- Organize the police to do tack marking (usually free)
- Ttake photographs of the saddle from every angle
- Engrave your postcode into the stirrup bars
- Keep the serial number stored away safely
- Take the saddle home and store it in the garage not an obvious place for tack thieves
- Get you local Horse Watch to stamp it with their unique ink stamp
- Uv markers can be used with your name under a hidden area and wont be seen to naked eye till scanned ( can faid due to absorption)
- Tagging - an electronic tack hidden within the saddle
- Contact Farmkey who offer Microtack
- Secure boundaries to your field and yard - strong secure fencing / mature strong hedges.
- All gates padlocked and chained both ends.
- Stable yards should be fitted with security lighting and intruder alarms.
- Do not leave horses grazing with head collars on.
- Store head collars and lead-ropes away from paddocks gates and stable doors.
- Note down all details of all unknown visitors to the yard – take the persons name and number plate of vehicle. Share this information with the yard manager and other people on the yard.
- Vary the times you go to the yard.
- Have your horse freeze branded and or micro chipped. Freeze marking and micro chipping are a safe and humane way of protecting your horse from theft.
- Mark your rugs with the horse’s freeze brand or your post code.
- You could have your horse’s hooves identification branded.
- Ask a local crime prevention officer to evaluate the yard.
- Keep a guard dog or geese.
- Get to know your neighbours, exchange contact details as they can also help report any unusual goings on.
- A photographic record of your horse / pony of all sides can help in its’ recovery.
- always report Any suspicious activity around yards or areas where horses are and inform the police of the sale of any horses or equipment that you believe may be stolen. Remember all equines m
- Microchip its about £20 odd get a group together and negotiate a call out free vet visit!
- Freeze brand get a group session (you can paint this on your rugs it’s a unique number)
- Hoof Brand – though this grows out
- keep passports safe
- make sure horses are checked regularly in the day and nite checks
- Place warning signs on the yard gate that horses are marked/chipped
- Take pictures of your horse in summer and winter coat just in case
- Make sure the yard gate has a good quality chain and padlock on it.
- Put up CCTV warnings and dummy or real cameras, systems are much cheaper these days.
- don't announce too much when your going on holiday or wont be around tell only those who need to know
- have a book on the yard with all the livery registration numbers so you can spot an unwanted vehicle more easily
- have good relationship with neighbours
- walk perimeter daily to spot any fencing being tampered with or un usual things appearing in the fields etc
- horses must be sold with a valid passport - this includes donkeys and mules. Remain alert to the activity in your neighbourhood.
You can take steps to help prevent your horse and your belongings from being stolen. On this page you will find will highlighted a few simple steps you or livery yard can take. It will also be useful for you to check these out when selecting a livery yard to keep your horse.
Gateways
Gateways
- One of the first things is make sure you have a good strong gate, make sure the padlock is good and strong also .
- make sure the gate cannot be lifted up and off its hinges. You can achieve this by placing another padlock around the lower part and the gate post.
- The bottom hinge should be reversed. to secure the gate more.