Horses let out last night

[hairycob]

Got up to the yard before 7 this morning & there were no horses in the field. Couldn't believe it until I realised that the gate at the top of the property was wide open. That gate is padlocked & never used as it was sold & accessed elsewhere now. The field the other side was cut for hay about a month ago & the grass has grown up a lot since so I ran up there expecting to find them absolutely stuffed but there was no sign of them. Rang YO, police (the words chocolate & fireguard come to mind), local friends & put missing horses posts on facebook.
Luckily they were found within an hour a couple of miles away, were easy to catch & we walked them home ok with help from friends in the village.
Then we had a chance to look properly. When I phoned the police I told them it looked like the gate post had been knocked down from outside the field & when we looked properly we could see quad tracks to the broken post & around the hay field. There were signs of the horses galloping around, including back into the field. It looks like some little charmers thought it would be good fun to chase them round.
Really feel for YO - her animals are her life & this quiet, tucked away little yard her have. She kindly offered us a place of safety when HP had atypical myopathy & is the last person to deserve any hassle. We are moving to a "proper" livery yard in a few weeks so we can replace Jason & then she will be by herself where she doesn't feel secure right now.

 

[Red-1]

What a horrible morning, I bet you were beside yourself with worry, and if it were me I would be in tears now your horse is safe again.

I think you are right to move to supervised turnout, I know I only feel safe when mine is within sight of a residence. Some horrid people out there.

 

[hairycob]

Absolutely shattered. There are so many chains on the gates now it looks like a bondage scene. Our move was already planned & timed to be after YOs holiday. I beginning to think this year is jinxed. So far in the last 3 months both my horses have had atypical myopathy with only 1 surviving, I have had a horse upside down in a ditch & now this!

 

[bakewell]

http://www.xenasecurity.com/
We stick these on our gates, they do a warning bit for casual disturbance but seriously let rip for prolonged attention.
The hayfields which are a bit away we filled two dustbins with cement and fed a chain into the side before it dried, then attached both sides of the gate to it. Cheap, very effective.

 

[Mongoose11]

I shared on FB as soon as I saw the post and genuinely said out loud 'oh God, not HP' when I read it. So relieved to hear that they were located not too long after. I would have been frantic as I am sure you all were. I really hope the next half of this year is far more kind to you!

 

[cally6008]

Have you let Beds Horsewatch know ?

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Glad all safe and sound now. This morning must have been horrendous for you all.

 

[hairycob]

Good point about horsewatch. Have also made a note to put Freezemark number in my phone. Police finally got back to me at 8 last night. Looking forward to 2015 it can't be as bad as this year!
So far in 2014:
Jason died of atypical myopathy.
HP survived AM.
Vets car complete with follow up blood sample stolen from sleepy hamlet.
Walking out HP with YO & her elderly mare, mare tries to kick HP who jumps out of way & falls into ditch on his back. Thankfully only grazes.
Horses let out of field.