Fields gates being opened mysteriously?

Illusion100

Illusion100

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On at least 5 separate occasions within the last few months, horses have been mysteriously getting out of their respective fields.

There has only been one gate opened on each occasion, so either one horse or a pair of fieldmates escaping during the late evening/night.

The horses have not had any sort of mark/plait on them that would identify them as a potential theft target.

The YO's are currently on holiday and the barrier gate is being closed at 9pm by their housesitter. The barrier means that liveries can park on the front of the property after 9pm, rather than the carpark and would not have the ability to remove a horsebox/lorry unless specifically arranged. The barrier gate also prevents horses (in the event of escape) from being able to exit the yard onto the road.

The latest incident occurred last night.

This is happening on the livery yard where I keep my horse.

Your views?????
 
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Heavy duty chains & alarm padlocks. CCTV in use signs & if there is a pattern i.e particular nights then camp out & catch the shits in the act!!!
 
Not necessarily - could be kids, disgruntled neighbours - who knows? But whoever is doing it, is guaranteed the shock of their lives when they see you shining a torch in their eyes & shouting profanities at them at 2 in the morning.
 
I had exactly the same happen to me this week, and had it 2 other times this year. You can get wild life cameras set up from ebay to film whats going on. I've not had anything taken but my dread is they leave the feedshed open one night, but if I padlock it they will get in some how.
 
My horse is a dab hand at opening certain types of gates (the latch style) and needs s specific lock.

Hope you get to the bottom of this very quickly x
 
My old yard had a horse who liked to open the fields of all his friends so they could go and play with him (but he left the horse he didn't like in his field) and after chains were put onto the gates so they were bolted and then chained up, there were no horsey break-outs.

If you can find a camera that can go up near the gate, you might be able to catch the culprit - equine or not.
Do check that the camera has night vision/infra red though!
 
Apache Warlord said:
My horse is a dab hand at opening certain types of gates (the latch style) and needs s specific lock.

Hope you get to the bottom of this very quickly x
Click to expand...

Mine is defo human person I use a spring bolt then tie with a rope around it plus there is only a little shetland in the area at night. But I know what you mean about horses opening gates and stables we had one which let himself and his neighbour out one night they both had a hose into there stomach by the vet and was a bit touch and go as they has scoffed quite a bit of food until they were found. Clips were put on the doors that day.
 
I would think most likely kids messing about or someone a bit disgruntled with livery yard. V unlikely to be associated with theft. I would be padlocking field gates immediately. Keep us posted.
 
This has happened where I keep my horse and the farmer thinks it might be poachers. If I was you I would padlock it if you can. I can't with mine as people need access through the gate.
 
Ditto the wild life camera, marlin have small ones quite reasonably priced.
Plus, a combination padlock.
With a combination one,you obviously only tell those who need to know the combination, but it aplan be reset easily if you need to.
 
Padlock the gates. Now!

They don't have to be marked to be targets.

Narrowly escaped myself last year. They took the battery off fencing, thought just kids. Was advised by other half to move him to his other field out of sight which I could easily, as could not lock gate. In meantime found out he would of been gone the next day!!!

But if happened few times now, maybe on? Would not take chance though personally.
 
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As others have said buy a sleeved heavy gauge chain and a combination padlock today only £20 but peace of mind. I have cctv and floods and still have chains as it all delays and disrupts.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions and Gentle_Warrior, what a close call!

I can't padlock mine as it's electric. :(

Suspicions are that it is a certain family who livery their horses at the yard are behind it all. They've fallen out with nearly everyone/rubbed them up the wrong way at some point (over 25 liveries on yard) and the most recent horse that 'escaped' belongs to a livery that they've recently fallen out with, badly. The two escapees before that both belong to other liveries that had argued with the 'certain family'.

There is only one way off the yard and at night a huge metal barrier is closed over. Unless thieves wanted to try jumping the horses over it or get them to limbo under it, there is no way out for horse or vehicle. The YO's house is right next to the barrier (4 ft away) and between their ears and that of their dogs, they'd be alerted to any sort of commotion.

The yard is relatively out in the sticks for the area, so if it's not a 'fellow' livery it must be poachers and the horses that escaped just pure co-incidence.

Is there anyway to padlock electric fencing?
 
this happened a few times at my old yard, unfortunately we didn't have any gates at our yard that would stop the horses get out onto the main road, we where very close to the m3 motorway and the a33 dual carriage way! one morning two of the liveries were turning into our lane to find our 3 horses galloping up the lane toward the main road!

we have no idea how this happened, their field was behind the house and the family would have been up at that time! the gate was difficult to open, you had to put your foot on it, to push it down to get it to open, so unlikely that the horses could have done it! but the yard was in the middle of no where, with no foot paths near by! so no idea how it happened! but it did a few times! ever since that event I've always made sure I have chains and padlocks on my gates! esp now as I have a public footpath that runs in front of my field!
 
I have had this problem - not helped by the fact I have a public footpath running through the fields. High quality and heavy duty chains and padlocks - no more gates being left opened. I would instigate asap.
 
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