How common are horse thefts thes

[Jambarissa]

Sorry, error posting.

Are thefts that common these days with social media and passports?

 

[Jambarissa]

And then posted too soon..

Haven't seen any 'real' stolen horses for ages, lots of Facebook spats over who owns horses that have been loaned/abandoned but none where the horse is actually missing.

The only ones of mine I worry for are the chunky mares, I could see them being put in a muddy field in the back of beyond and bred from for the rest of their lives, but otherwise anything you'd want to sell on would be very difficult?

 

[lizziebell]

Nope, I don’t think they are common at all. I think social media makes more people aware of ”stolen” horses than ever before. Years ago you’d only hear of a stolen horse in your area, and that was usually by word of mouth only, or occasionally in local paper if they had nothing better to write about. People seem to like to air their dirty laundry on social media too, so you get lots of “stolen” horses that are actually involved in a loan dispute. A small number that get found quickly, because they haven’t been stolen at all, but managed to escape field, or been let out accidentally by walkers on footpaths. I certainly don’t think horse theft has or is a major issue and with anything, you take necessary precautions to secure your property (horse).

 

[ycbm]

With all that's available to steal these days why would anyone steal something difficult to hide, difficult to sell, that needs feeding?

 

[Jambarissa]

I'm asking because I'm considering moving said chunky mares to a different field which is less secure than current one, as in its opposite the house rather than past the house.

I'm more bothered that it makes them more visible. I've had drivers stop to tell me how lovely my horses are, ask if its a mare and where I keep them - I am highly suspicious! I always say its a gelding (too much hair and too short for them to see) , and obvs never say where or just lie.

 

[Carrottom]

I'm asking because I'm considering moving said chunky mares to a different field which is less secure than current one, as in its opposite the house rather than past the house.

I'm more bothered that it makes them more visible. I've had drivers stop to tell me how lovely my horses are, ask if its a mare and where I keep them - I am highly suspicious! I always say its a gelding (too much hair and too short for them to see) , and obvs never say where or just lie.

On occasions when someone has asked about one of my horses I tell them they are getting old and were never much good.

 

[cobgoblin]

I've only heard about horses being dumped lately.

 

[Jambarissa]

On occasions when someone has asked about one of my horses I tell them they are getting old and were never much good.

Ha yes, if anyone asks about mine they're older geldings with lami and sweet itch and all sorts of behavioral issues

 

[PeterNatt]

You shoud ensure that the micro-chip data details of your home contact details are kept up to date and that you also have your horses freezemarked as they are far easier for anyone to identify them. Also take photos of your horse from each side so that in the event of theft you can circulate pictures immediately.

 

[jessykai]

My horse was stolen from a field in 2021.
I believe her field mate was targeted and she was taken at the same time, it wasn’t my regular field, luckily I got her back! I think the only reason I ever saw her again was because presumably she wouldn’t load for them and they couldn’t walk them as far as they could have taken them if she’d loaded. We have ring doorbell footage of them being walked down a residential area about 4 miles away from where they were taken from.

Took her straight back to her regular field (not near the one she was taken from) with houses that overlook it and keep an eye out, got sheep marking spray and sprayed my postcode all over her incase they came back for her!

So it does still happen, but I think it is usually more targeted and not random

 

[scruffyponies]

There was the little donkey foal recently.
Other than that I can't remember one that didn't turn out to be a loan dispute or an escapee.

 

[Snowfilly]

The last couple of thefts I’ve heard of have turned out to be nasty relationship things, done by ex’s to hurt the horse’s owner.

I haven’t heard of a genuine theft, not idiots letting them or moving them for kicks, for a long while.

 

[jofwigby]

Very rare anything stolen - most are straying, dead in a ditch or ownership dispute.

 

[Ratface]

Anyone who tried to nick ours would be sorry. They're fiends to catch if they don't know the person and the huge guard dogs, who run loose in the stable yard at night would flatten them and probably drag them off to gnaw their bones!

 

[Tiddlypom]

There was a therapy pony stolen locally a couple of years ago. Appeals for her safe return were plastered all over Facebook, and the residents of a posh residential estate spotted her on a nearby illegal traveller site. The police retrieved her and a Ifor Wiiliams HBX trailer which had been stolen from a separate location.

 

[Jambarissa]

I'm seeing a fair few stolen horse posts now. Don't look like the loan agreement gone wrong type.

Exclusively gypsy cob breeding stock. Some are thefts from travellers which is exceedingly rare.

 

[ycbm]

I'm seeing a fair few stolen horse posts now. Don't look like the loan agreement gone wrong type.

Exclusively gypsy cob breeding stock. Some are thefts from travellers which is exceedingly rare.

Where are you seeing these posts? Can you point to them? You should post them on the lost section of the forum to get as much publicity as possible. Coloured horses are pretty easy to identify by their coat patterns, and a brood mare won't be hidden away, she'll be standing in a field somewhere.

 

[Irish Sally]

You'd get the odd horse stolen at a horse fair here in Ireland. It's normally horses that aren't worth a lot though. The latest one was a cob yearling and before that a Shetland.

 

[stangs]

Where are you seeing these posts? Can you point to them? You should post them on the lost section of the forum to get as much publicity as possible. Coloured horses are pretty easy to identify by their coat patterns, and a brood mare won't be hidden away, she'll be standing in a field somewhere.

Several on DD and more on FB. All cobs, especially blagdon ones or mini cobs, which I presume are easier to snatch. Some might have just gone missing, some clearly stolen. E.g., https://www.dragondriving.co.uk/horseforsale-206877.html .

I’ll make a thread on it when I get home unless Jambarissa would rather do it.

 

[Jambarissa]

Several on DD and more on FB. All cobs, especially blagdon ones or mini cobs, which I presume are easier to snatch. Some might have just gone missing, some clearly stolen. E.g., https://www.dragondriving.co.uk/horseforsale-206877.html .

I’ll make a thread on it when I get home unless Jambarissa would rather do it.

10k reward offered for the one above.

There's a heartbreaking video of a mare after her week old foal was stolen. And today another coloured mare.

I'll see if I can round them up and add to the posts.

 

[Jambarissa]

I started this thread because I was concerned about moving my 2 SD gypsy mares to a more visible field. Think I'll keep them in the back field....

 

[ycbm]

Several on DD and more on FB. All cobs, especially blagdon ones or mini cobs, which I presume are easier to snatch. Some might have just gone missing, some clearly stolen. E.g., https://www.dragondriving.co.uk/horseforsale-206877.html .

I’ll make a thread on it when I get home unless Jambarissa would rather do it.

Only one on Dragon Driving on a search of "stolen" in the title.

That fellow looks stolen to order as he's a stallion. I would guess he's already abroad by now, he's worth a fortune in some countries.

It does seem that the only horses being stolen these days, apart from the rare fools stealing cute foals, are the really classy hairy coloureds. J, I would freeze mark your mares.
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