Ex has stolen my horse

[Handerson653]

I don't know how much more reassurance you want. If a rapist gets seven years and a shoplifter a caution, do you think the police are going to be interested in a cut and replaced padlock? Have you checked if the gate can be lifted off its hinges? There would be no crime at all if it can. Take photos of the gate before and after. Take a beefy man with you.

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Yes I have considered this all overnight.....and I think you are right....I just didn’t want to be rash....and wanted to take a considered approach....he’s safe right now which is my priority so next step is getting him out - thanks

 

[MissTyc]

Good luck. When animals get caught up in broken relationships, it's always tricky and I know there must be a lot of conflicting emotions and anxieties swirling around your mind.

I echo everyone who has said get the horse back asap, even if you need to break him. Just make sure you replace anything you physically have to damage - padlock, gate, fence, etc ...

Also, very importantly, where are you going to put your horse? Is there any risk of your ex coming back to steal him back? Make sure that people know the situation and will stand with you and your horse. x

 

[Handerson653]

Good luck. When animals get caught up in broken relationships, it's always tricky and I know there must be a lot of conflicting emotions and anxieties swirling around your mind.

I echo everyone who has said get the horse back asap, even if you need to break him. Just make sure you replace anything you physically have to damage - padlock, gate, fence, etc ...

Also, very importantly, where are you going to put your horse? Is there any risk of your ex coming back to steal him back? Make sure that people know the situation and will stand with you and your horse. x

Everyone knows the horse and that I am the owner....I’ve just secured a new yard which he does not know and there are only 2 close friends that know about this all.....so it’s not likely that he will try to get him back

 

[D66]

Is the horse microchipped and registered to you? If not get it done as soon as you have him back.

 

[neddy man]

First of all report the theft to the police. Cut the chain mid length remove horse fasten with a new cheap padlock they can still open the gate with their key .

 

[neddy man]

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[cobgoblin]

First of all report the theft to the police. Cut the chain mid length remove horse fasten with a new cheap padlock they can still open the gate with their key .

Good idea.. They end up with two padlocks on the chain.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Just be aware that should you accept a police caution, you are admitting guilt and so would have a criminal record, if it should come to that. However, I would follow neddyman's advice and get the horse back asap, with as little damage as possible to the field owner's property..

 

[Parrotperson]

how do you prove the horse is yours? Passport isn't proof of ownership much like the V5 isn't proof of ownership of a car. You need to be able to prove its yours so if you have the original receipt from purchase you'll be in ab better position legally.

It could just end up with him saying the horse is his and you saying otherwise. I'd phone the BHS legal line too. worth joining just to get access to it in this situation.

 

[Dusty 123]

You need to to get the horse out there quickly . If he is moving the horse around he could move the horse to a location that the horse cannot be found or even worse sale the horse so you couldn’t find the horse. I would cut the gate, get the horse and just tie it back if the police got called you just need to explain what happened.

 

[neddy man]

Hopefully you have a receipt of purchase if not did you buy from the last named person on the passport if so contact them for a receipt, dont say why.

 

[PSD]

Criminal damage - they may give you a telling off/ slap on the wrists but they won’t be locking you up and throwing away the key. You say you are concerned for the horses welfare and yet the horse is still in the field. Please, go and get your horse.

 

[cremedemonthe]

As others have said, go and get him, stop delaying. He might sell your horse, have you thought of that then he's gone for good.
Personally, I would cut the chain and just cable tie the chain back, wouldn't waste money or time in replacing anything as police are not interested "civll matter" seems to cover everything these days and I am sick of hearing it. If you take some large mates with you, it is a deterrent if he turns up, if not let him have it, sounds like he deserves a lesson in manners and respect.
Oz

 

[cremedemonthe]

As others have said, go and get him, stop delaying. He might sell your horse, have you thought of that then he's gone for good.
Personally, I would cut the chain and just cable tie the chain back, wouldn't waste money or time in replacing anything as police are not interested "civll matter" seems to cover everything these days and I am sick of hearing it. If you take some large mates with you, it is a deterrent if he turns up, if not let him have it, sounds like he deserves a lesson in manners and respect.
Oz

Adding on: I have witnessed travellers cutting open gates with bolt cutters to gain access to a field for their caravans, twice , reported it both times. The police did nothing, NOT interested

 

[Red-1]

Going against the grain, I would not commit criminal damage to get the horse back. Future employers may not think it is a minor an offence as other posters on here do.

If I could take the gate off the hinges, I would do. If the field was accessible in another way, such as taking down wire and replacing, I would do. But cut the chain or padlock? No.

Do you have proof of ownership? Is it a husband or partner?

If the horse was secure, I would contact a solicitor.

 

[ycbm]

Is there a any realistic chance it would ever be investigated?

.

 

[bonny]

Going against the grain, I would not commit criminal damage to get the horse back. Future employers may not think it is a minor an offence as other posters on here do.

If I could take the gate off the hinges, I would do. If the field was accessible in another way, such as taking down wire and replacing, I would do. But cut the chain or padlock? No.

Do you have proof of ownership? Is it a husband or partner?

If the horse was secure, I would contact a solicitor.

There’s every chance that you couldn’t cut the chain or padlock anyway. A few people have said cut the padlock off like it’s easy .....they are used for a reason ! There will be much easier ways of getting the horse out. Has the OP disappeared anyway ?

 

[luckyoldme]

Is the ex disputing ownership or has he just taken the horse to be nasty?

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hi during a recent break up my ex has stolen my horse. He has no interest and I know that the horse isn’t in good condition. I have asked him to return him. I knew where he was but I couldn’t access him. I called animal welfare and my ex has moved the horse thankfully now to a field. I have spent the past few days looking for the horse and I have now found him. Does anyone know where I stand regards just removing the horse from the field! He is on grass livery and the gate is padlocked. Tia

I lost my pony a few years back to colic, she was only 5, I purchased her from a friend, ( all above board), I had her 1 week and she colicked, rushed to RVC, returned 6 weeks later colic , this time it all went south and we could not save her, turned out to be
Mesenteric rent entrapment

I was devastated, my friend said she would give me my ponies son but during the 6 weeks things went sour with her, and her bf disappeared with 6 of her horses, He did not want them just being a barsteward. She found our where the went, and the state of them was awful, bad feed bad bodily condition. ( I have pictures included my ponies son)

I horse WHW involved and trading standards, I even offered to buy the pony and he said no. and threatened me with coming back to take my pony ( she was already dead by this time ) Nothing worked I never got anywhere , and his whereabouts is still a mystery.



The boyfriend even got a second passport, which you cannot do but he did, even though friends was original, and the vaccines were dated long before the split

The boyfriend registed him as Billy born 2nd June grey NF pony.



Had I had this time again, I would have got someone to go get him and hide him for me. Love to know where Billy is now.




Good luck

 

[fredflop]

Personally I’d take legal advice before doing anything.

the general consensus on here for any problem is “just take the horse it’s yours”.

whilst this may be easier in this scenario as it’s just a field.... there’s not many YO’s that will welcome a stranger onto their yard, and point them in the direction of the horse person has come to take away

 

[JennBags]

The other point to consider by taking the horse is that you'd be leaving the other horse alone in the field and he could injury himself if he is not used to it, I've seen horses turn themselves inside out at being left alone.

 

[Clodagh]

The other point to consider by taking the horse is that you'd be leaving the other horse alone in the field and he could injury himself if he is not used to it, I've seen horses turn themselves inside out at being left alone.

I was going to say that. Also never accept a caution (unless you really must!) as it is with you forever.

I don’t know how much money you have but there are companies that would help you. Bailiff type people who get flygrazers moved. I can’t see the police turning up without a major incident tbh.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

The other point to consider by taking the horse is that you'd be leaving the other horse alone in the field and he could injury himself if he is not used to it, I've seen horses turn themselves inside out at being left alone.

That isn't actually OP's responsibility, although most of us would not want a horse to injure itself following our actions. If OP's story is correct and she is the sole owner of this horse which has been removed illegally from her care, it would appear that the YO is complicit in the theft. If this was anything but a horse, it would be classed as 'receiving stolen goods'. As it's a horse for some reason the law doesn't seem to apply.

 

[DabDab]

I hope the OP has gone and retrieved her horse now.
I certainly would have done, one way or another (I'd probably have replaced the padlock with an identical version,maybe they just forgot the combination...). Horse ownership isn't particularly easy for the law to sort out, nor are they particularly interested in doing so. Ultimately the person who has possession usually ends up keeping the horse, and maybe they are made to pay half back to the other person.

 

[Bob notacob]

Breaking and entering is for property, not for a field. It would be criminal damage to cut the padlock. If they report it, you'll probably be asked to apologise and at absolute worst case given a caution, which is not a criminal record. If you leave a replacement, it's unlikely anything will happen. Put a combination lock back on and text them the combination. You have to tell them that you have the horse anyway, otherwise they may report it as stolen.

If the horse was mine and I knew where it was, it would be back in my care by now.

Cutting a palock is not criminal intent or damage ,if the intent is not perceived by the first party , as criminal . See "sweet versus parsloe" Mens rea must apply. Taking ones horse back does not necessarily involve criminal damage ,even if it involves damage . For criminal damage there must be criminal intent.Ps mens rea means guilty intent.

 

[Bob notacob]

Cutting a palock is not criminal intent or damage ,if the intent is not perceived by the first party , as criminal . See "sweet versus parsloe" Mens rea must apply. Taking ones horse back does not necessarily involve criminal damage ,even if it involves damage . For criminal damage there must be criminal intent.Ps mens rea means guilty intent.

Incidentally I have used sweet versus parsloe to great effect . Rather like Doc Holidays shotgun at the OK coral.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Go get your horse. I wouldn’t be long in getting a padlock off by hook or crook. Buy a new one and lock the gate again and leave the keys then once horse is on route to new home text land owner. Police have more on their plate right now than attending for a horse retrieval

 

[DabDab]

Cutting a palock is not criminal intent or damage ,if the intent is not perceived by the first party , as criminal . See "sweet versus parsloe" Mens rea must apply. Taking ones horse back does not necessarily involve criminal damage ,even if it involves damage . For criminal damage there must be criminal intent.Ps mens rea means guilty intent.

Do you mean Sweet vs Parsley? I'm pretty sure that if someone intends to cut a padlock and then does in fact cut a padlock, they can be said to have suitable mens rea.

 

[ycbm]

Cutting a palock is not criminal intent or damage ,if the intent is not perceived by the first party , as criminal . See "sweet versus parsloe" Mens rea must apply. Taking ones horse back does not necessarily involve criminal damage ,even if it involves damage . For criminal damage there must be criminal intent.Ps mens rea means guilty intent.

Sorry Bob, cutting a chain or padlock rather than using the law to retrieve your horse when it is safe, healthy, fed and watered, would be criminal damage. But I'd eat a few hats if the police were remotely interested. And I can say for a certainty that if that horse was mine it wouldn't have been in that field twelve hours after I had found it.

.

 

[ycbm]

Is the ex disputing ownership or has he just taken the horse to be nasty?

This is the one we need an answer to! OP has disappeared faster than the horse did.

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