leaving stuff in horsebox at shows

WelshD

WelshD

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I used my horsebox for the first time at the weekend and being alone I had to leave it unattended with ramp down while I did my class.

It occurred to me that the hooks and boxes I carefully fitted to the inside of the horse area are useless as I didn't want to leave anything in there to be pinched. I put everything in the cab and locked it instead

None of it was particularly valuable but enough for me to be concerned about replacement costs - it all adds up

Is it a justified fear or do people find that their stuff gets left alone at shows?

There were other boxes with all sorts on display and left unattended
 
WelshD said:
I used my horsebox for the first time at the weekend and being alone I had to leave it unattended with ramp down while I did my class.

It occurred to me that the hooks and boxes I carefully fitted to the inside of the horse area are useless as I didn't want to leave anything in there to be pinched. I put everything in the cab and locked it instead

None of it was particularly valuable but enough for me to be concerned about replacement costs - it all adds up

Is it a justified fear or do people find that their stuff gets left alone at shows?

There were other boxes with all sorts on display and left unattended
Click to expand...

I leave the ramp down but shut the door into the living area where most stuff is except rugs they travel in/ summer sheets.
 
Yes generally don't tend to leave anything much on display in the horse part or by the lorry. As HGA-12 says there will probably be a couple of rugs but out of sight and the headcollar gets locked in the tack locker. Only had something taken at a show once - a box of brushes, grooming equipment etc years ago which I had left by the side of the ring as was on my own but I wouldn't leave anything unlocked. You often seen tack lockers left open with vast amounts of tack on display. I know the yard I used to have a horse with wouldn't lock their tack lockers as then any member of the team could run back for something without needing a key.
 
We leave the ramp down and lock the cab and door to the horse area. We lock the tacklocker but it is quite annoying when we take say 4-5 horses and there is only me and dad, if we forget something its a faf!
 
Anything of great value is locked in the cab (handbag, reg doc, spare tack etc).
The rest is shut in the living, generally I ask someone to keep an eye on the box for me if possible. Things left in view are irritating to lose, but are replaceable.
I do leave a serviceable webbing headcollar & a leadrope in grabbing distance, usually tied on end of partition, so I have something when I get back :)
 
Anything you leave on view is at risk. Pony Club Area Dressage (of all places) had a spate of thefts from lorries / trailers a couple of weeks ago. Like others we lock everything away except a cheap headcollar and leadrope tied to the outside for emergencies. And we've lost that a couple of times! A friend even had her hay nets lifted from the outside of a trailer whilst the horses were eating them - although possibly should not have left horses tied up and unattended....
 
Why not put the ramp up? I lock my horsebox all the way around. I feel it's a bit of a toss-up whether things are safer locked in the cab (but in view, as no place to hide) or in the back out of sight.
 
I always lock the living, the door between the horses and the living, and the cab. Hate leaving stuff in the cab because I feel it's still on display... Also have a cut through cab so don't want to tempt people to break in. Everything is in the living and I lock my skirt lockers. Even my headcollar is locked away, just haynets and water are left out.

Good luck to anyone breaking in to my lorry, I make quite a mess getting ready and struggle to find stuff myself!!
 
I event by myself almost all the time so it makes life difficult locking up everywhere. I usually put my handbag and purse in the cab and lock that, so they are safe throughout the day. But for the rest when I go off to dressage, sj or xc I tend to leave the doors closed so they appear to be locked but I understand I am taking a chance by doing this
 
such a shame that the horse world has become like the rest of life! We used to leave everything open & never had a problem. In fact, the old lorry I used to have use of didn't have a functional lock on any of the doors!

I wouldn't dream of doing that now :( All valuables locked in the cab, incl saddle if I'm leaving the lorry for any reason :( The rest is shut in groom area & locked.
 
I agree it's so sad. When I had my first son my husband bought me a beautiful leather headcollar with my horse's name on an engraved plate as a 'well done for getting back out eventing' present.
I left it under the ramp of the Horsebox & it got stolen. I was absolutely heartbroken...in terms of monetary value it wasn't a huge amount but it had been such a thoughtful gift (husband isn't horsey) & as it was personalised I cannot see how it could've been something worth stealing.
Nowadays I lock the door between living & horse area, door to living & cab. I also hide my phone/purse etc
always just use cheapy day to day headcollars at shows now as well!
 
So where does everyone out their keys once they've locked up. I always find this a problem as don't want to put in jacket pocket and impossible if going x-country.
 
I lock the main keys in a tack locker and just the tack locker key in my pocket if I'm on my own. If it's xc then tack locker key handed to secretary or a steward
 
If I lock up, I usually put the keys in a hiding place. Most recently at Barbury I put the keys underneath the passenger front tyre as there was good grass cover there :-) Or I put them in one of the lockers with my grooming kit, and leave that door unlocked.
 
I judge it by the show- most driving shows are very safe as we're such a small community and everything is left unlocked all weekend- including keys in quad bikes etc! Some of our local shows are very safe too, others I lock up, don't leave horse unattended and put wheel clamp on! At the average size BD I have to admit it feels pretty safe. The larger shows I lock up for.
 
dixie said:
So where does everyone out their keys once they've locked up. I always find this a problem as don't want to put in jacket pocket and impossible if going x-country.
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If having to totally lock up while off with horse, I leave all keys locked inside the lorry living, in a empty fag packet usually kicked under the head end of horse where hay has been dropped ;)
I have a duplicate small key for living door, which goes inside my breeches zipped pocket (if competing) or onto a clip inside a thin jogging belt-bag if hacking/pleasure rides, as also I stuff my phone in that too then :)
 
I discovered a wonderful gismo for keys when my hubby used to do a lot of windsurfing (there are no pockets in his wetsuit that would keep the electric car key safe!) so we bought a 'keypod'.
It looks like a big key code padlock but the bottom section has a storage section you can lock your keys in. I clip it onto a tie ring and hey presto, keys are safe and secure until my return. I only have a trailer so anything of value goes in the car but I do leave all travel gear, headcollars, etc in the trailer with the ramps up but obviously anyne could drop them if they wanted to.
 
abbijay said:
I discovered a wonderful gismo for keys when my hubby used to do a lot of windsurfing (there are no pockets in his wetsuit that would keep the electric car key safe!) so we bought a 'keypod'.
It looks like a big key code padlock but the bottom section has a storage section you can lock your keys in. I clip it onto a tie ring and hey presto, keys are safe and secure until my return. I only have a trailer so anything of value goes in the car but I do leave all travel gear, headcollars, etc in the trailer with the ramps up but obviously anyne could drop them if they wanted to.
Click to expand...

Linky please :)
 
I got my little lorry built with a combination lock on the door between the horse are and living (shamelessly nicked from a Kevin Parker lorry I saw) which is very handy at larger shows - leave the ramp down but still have easy access when you get back without a key and a helper can be told the code. I also usually pop the small key for the external living door in my pocket and lock the vehicle keys inside the living.
 
Please don't buy a keypod! They're a total waste of money and take about 30 seconds to get open/off without the combination. If someone steals your keys from the keypod and then steals tack/equipment/the whole lorry your insurers probably won't pay out as they'll deem that you didn't put the keys somewhere safe.

There have a been a spate of thefts around beaches (surfers etc) involving those pods recently with more than a few vans stolen with no insurance payout afterwards.
 
sidewaysonacob said:
I got my little lorry built with a combination lock on the door between the horse are and living (shamelessly nicked from a Kevin Parker lorry I saw) which is very handy at larger shows - leave the ramp down but still have easy access when you get back without a key and a helper can be told the code.
Click to expand...

This. Our KP lorry has a combi lock on the jockey door so we can leave the ramp down. Lockers, living and cab get locked and then helpers carry keys while I'm riding.
 
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