Preventing Horses from Being Stolen

[Taliesan]

I am considering moving my horses to a field closer to home. This would be lovely as they would only be a five minute walk from my house with good access to hacking. That said it will most likely only be a temporary thing until I find another yard to move to.

Now, my big worry is that this field is in clear view and next to a busy-ish road. I am really concerned about the possibility of the horses being stolen.

Does anyone have their horses in a similar place? What sort of anti-theft measures can be taken?

The field is just outside of our village. Nobody overlooks this field so it would be easy for someone to come in unseen during the dead of night and take them.

 

[hairycob]

It's rare. Get them freezemarked.

 

[Taliesan]

It's rare. Get them freezemarked.

One is freezemarked on his shoulder. It isn't easy to see but it is there.

I was going to get them both microchipped as well and put a note by the gate saying this.

It is reassuring to know that theft is rare though, thank you.

 

[meleeka]

Very rare. I'd say if it's on a busy road they'll be safer. microchips are a good idea as are signs. Invest in a good padlock and chain for both ends of the gate and also paint postcode on rugs.

 

[cally6008]

Join your local horsewatch as well , they often will be able to give you advice about your area

 

[Taliesan]

Very rare. I'd say if it's on a busy road they'll be safer. microchips are a good idea as are signs. Invest in a good padlock and chain for both ends of the gate and also paint postcode on rugs.

Thank you for the suggestions. Postcode on rugs is a good one - I hadn't thought of that.

We will invest in a padlock and chain for both ends of the gate that are boltcutter proof. Hopefully that will be a good deterrent.

 

[Taliesan]

Join your local horsewatch as well , they often will be able to give you advice about your area

That is a really good idea. Thank you.

 

[hairycob]

Make sure the fences are good - at least half the "horse has been stolen" posts you see on Facebook are where the horses have just got out. Most of the rest will be disputes - relationship break down, revenge, disputed ownership etc. Just the rare few are "real" thefts.
One piece of advice from a horse watch talk was mark everything with your postcode, even cheap stuff like buckets. Stuff is far more likely to be stolen - I know one isolated yard that has been done 3 times and even nearly empty feed bags were taken- but if anybody is fussing the place out and spots marked items they are less likely to take the risk. The last thing a crook wants is to be caught with something that can be definitely tied back to a theft.

 

[sunnyone]

We never had any problems with the horses being stolen but somebody or somebodies took our big bale ring feeder! If you have one padlock both halves together and preferably stake to the ground too.

 

[ceva]

Very good ideas and tips, if you are using electric fencing be sure to hide your energiser units, my friend has had three taken over the years as they are so easy to remove, they also took the batteries.

 

[ycbm]

There's not much point padlocking the gate unless you also hang it with one set of hinges pointing downwards, so that it can't simply be lifted off its hinges. Also, metal gets stolen more more than wood ones round here, so use metal. I'd also splash them with a bright paint so that they can be very easily identified if sold for scrap or rehung somewhere else.

 

[eggs]

There's not much point padlocking the gate unless you also hang it with one set of hinges pointing downwards, so that it can't simply be lifted off its hinges. Also, metal gets stolen more more than wood ones round here, so use metal. I'd also splash them with a bright paint so that they can be very easily identified if sold for scrap or rehung somewhere else.

I had two polo ponies out at grass livery over winter in a field down the road which is reasonably busy. Gate padlocked and top hinge pointing downwards. Some-one tried to nick them by sawing (definitely sawn and not broken by the ponies) through the post and rail fence. We could follow the hoof prints where they had led the ponies through a gate onto a bridleway which is never used up to the parallel road whereby it looks as though they had parked a vehicle in the layby. Ponies had refused to load (presume it was a trailer as they had only ever been in a lorry) and they let them go. Fortunately they were found wandering on the road early in the morning and put into a field

 

[rara007]

Are they stallions? heavy hairy broodmares? Fast in a trotting gig? What use would someone of that persuasion be able to put them to... I don't think the 'normal' riding horse they have any interest in taking.

 

[Cobbytype]

CCTV cameras mounted somewhere out of reach... or dummy CCTV cameras might help deter thieves.

We have had bits and bobs stolen from our paddock over the years. The most bizarre theft was one of our plastic water troughs. It had been uncoupled and the water pipe neatly tied off with twine to prevent flooding. Our gate was padlocked so the thief had to carry the trough 100m up the field and over a 5 bar gate, then up a farm track. At the time the troughs were only £35 to buy new and ours had seen far better days, so it was an awful lot of effort for someone to go to for such a grotty trough.

 

[PeterNatt]

Make sure that each of the horses is Freezemarked and Micro-chipped.
Take photos of each side of them and front and rear (Winter and Summer coats) and keep the photos in a safe place in the event of them being stolen.
Reverse all gate hinges and double fence the field with heavy duty poste and rail fencing with Equi-fencing on it.
The greatest danger is of people breaking in to the field and the horses getting out rather than them being stolen. Also cars going out of control and driving through the fence line.
Mares are more likely to be stolen for breeding purposes.
Get the telephone number of your local Horse watch representative so that you can contact them immediately if your horses get stolen.

 

[MagicMelon]

I would be more worried that nobody overlooked the field to keep an eye on them in case one got stuck or had an incident in the field when you weren't around.

 

[Taliesan]

Make sure the fences are good - at least half the "horse has been stolen" posts you see on Facebook are where the horses have just got out. Most of the rest will be disputes - relationship break down, revenge, disputed ownership etc. Just the rare few are "real" thefts.
One piece of advice from a horse watch talk was mark everything with your postcode, even cheap stuff like buckets. Stuff is far more likely to be stolen - I know one isolated yard that has been done 3 times and even nearly empty feed bags were taken- but if anybody is fussing the place out and spots marked items they are less likely to take the risk. The last thing a crook wants is to be caught with something that can be definitely tied back to a theft.

The fence is a bit dodgy around the gate. The field has had horses in before but not for a good while and they put up some electric tape to keep the horses away from the fence. Since then it has had sheep in it and, although the fence is bad, it is good enough to keep sheep in.

Thank you. I will definitely be marking absolutely everything with our postcode. We are going to have to use electric fence to keep the horses away from the dodgy post and rail and stop people feeding them by creating a gap between the actual fence and the electric tape.

We never had any problems with the horses being stolen but somebody or somebodies took our big bale ring feeder! If you have one padlock both halves together and preferably stake to the ground too.

There is a big bale ring feeder in the field but it is stuck halfway in the hedge and good luck to them if they can get it out! There is quite a bit of stuff in that field that has been left by the previous tenants and the farmer who owns the land.

Very good ideas and tips, if you are using electric fencing be sure to hide your energiser units, my friend has had three taken over the years as they are so easy to remove, they also took the batteries.

I hadn't even thought of people wanting to take the battery for the fence. I can definitely see that being stolen. There is a rather large pile of discarded wood from the dodgy post and rail fence in a corner of the field, so I can always bury the battery under that so it isn't in clear view.

There's not much point padlocking the gate unless you also hang it with one set of hinges pointing downwards, so that it can't simply be lifted off its hinges. Also, metal gets stolen more more than wood ones round here, so use metal. I'd also splash them with a bright paint so that they can be very easily identified if sold for scrap or rehung somewhere else.

That is a good idea, I could certainly give it a go. The gate itself has never been stolen and it has been on that field for well over 15 years. So hopefully that will remain. I will have a good look at it though to see if spinning one of the hinges around would be possible.

I had two polo ponies out at grass livery over winter in a field down the road which is reasonably busy. Gate padlocked and top hinge pointing downwards. Some-one tried to nick them by sawing (definitely sawn and not broken by the ponies) through the post and rail fence. We could follow the hoof prints where they had led the ponies through a gate onto a bridleway which is never used up to the parallel road whereby it looks as though they had parked a vehicle in the layby. Ponies had refused to load (presume it was a trailer as they had only ever been in a lorry) and they let them go. Fortunately they were found wandering on the road early in the morning and put into a field

Oh no! That is awful. I am so glad that your ponies didn't go into the trailer and were found safe in the morning. I suppose if someone is utterly desperate to steal some horses there isn't much you can do to stop them...

Are they stallions? heavy hairy broodmares? Fast in a trotting gig? What use would someone of that persuasion be able to put them to... I don't think the 'normal' riding horse they have any interest in taking.

One is an elderly gelding that has that old horse look. he is also wary of new people and it is doubtful he would let anyone catch him. The other is a native cross (fluffy, but moulting at the moment) who looks lovely when he moves but has had issues with lameness in the past. So he is essentially worthless as he requires continuous management to keep him happy and sound, although people wouldn't necessarily know this just from looking at him. He probably would let himself be caught by people but may be difficult if they start pushing and pulling him about. He doesn't take kindly to that. I am not sure if he would load into a trailer. He used to travel in one happily ages before I got him but he hasn't been in one for nearly 4 years now.

We won't be leaving any headcollars on the gate (these will come home with us) and there will be a sign up saying there is CCTV in the field, both horses are microchipped and leaving my contact details. I am hoping this will be enough of a deterrent for people not to bother.

CCTV cameras mounted somewhere out of reach... or dummy CCTV cameras might help deter thieves.

We have had bits and bobs stolen from our paddock over the years. The most bizarre theft was one of our plastic water troughs. It had been uncoupled and the water pipe neatly tied off with twine to prevent flooding. Our gate was padlocked so the thief had to carry the trough 100m up the field and over a 5 bar gate, then up a farm track. At the time the troughs were only £35 to buy new and ours had seen far better days, so it was an awful lot of effort for someone to go to for such a grotty trough.

I was thinking of perhaps getting some remote sensor cameras that I can hide near the battery for the fence or the gate. On the sign that I'll put up I was thinking of mentioning that the field has CCTV. A dummy camera to deter from the actual ones is a very good idea.

That is mad that someone would go to all that effort for a grotty old trough. There are quite a few bits and bobs that have been left in this field and nobody has bothered to steal them for all the years they have been there.

Make sure that each of the horses is Freezemarked and Micro-chipped.
Take photos of each side of them and front and rear (Winter and Summer coats) and keep the photos in a safe place in the event of them being stolen.
Reverse all gate hinges and double fence the field with heavy duty poste and rail fencing with Equi-fencing on it.
The greatest danger is of people breaking in to the field and the horses getting out rather than them being stolen. Also cars going out of control and driving through the fence line.
Mares are more likely to be stolen for breeding purposes.
Get the telephone number of your local Horse watch representative so that you can contact them immediately if your horses get stolen.

I will definitely take the photos, thank you for the suggestion. One of them is fairly distinctive and the other is pretty plain with no distinguishing markings. I'll make sure I get the plain one's feet in the pictures as they, thankfully, have stripes on them.

This field is only a temporary measure until a space at another livery yard comes up. I am on the waiting list for the new place but circumstances mean that I have to leave my current yard soon, which is unfortunate. The costs of putting in extra post and rail would most likely be prohibitive and I am not sure the landlord would want an extra set of fencing in his field.

Luckily the placing of the field means that it is highly unlikely that a car would veer out of control and go through the fence. It is right by a set of traffic lights so most people are going fairly slowly at that point.

I would be more worried that nobody overlooked the field to keep an eye on them in case one got stuck or had an incident in the field when you weren't around.

I am planning on putting up a clear sign with my contact telephone number on it. Enough people drive past the field daily and dog walkers use the other side of the road as well. I can also almost see this field from the top of my house, so it is no trouble just to nip down and check them.

Before I move the horses in there though I will be going round with a fine tooth comb to make sure that there is nothing that they can get themselves stuck in or hurt themselves with.

My main plan is, as the field is quite small, to provide them both with constant access to hay. Then they will hopefully be too busy eating to get themselves into any trouble.




Thank you all for your suggestions and advice. I am feeling much more confident about moving the horses to this field now. It isn't an ideal situation (although it will be lovely to have them so close to home and the hacking by where I live is rather good) but it is only a temporary fix until a space comes up at this other livery yard.

I am pretty confident after reading through this thread that the horses won't be stolen, but you have certainly made me more aware about all the other sundry items potentially being nicked instead! Horses were kept in this field about a year or two ago for about a year. I never saw any issues with them but, then again, I don't know if they had issues with thefts that weren't obvious to the outside world.

 

[Damnation]

CCTV in operation signs are usually a good call - most thieves won't risk it.

Padlock the gate if you can and point the hinges downwards.

You can get 4 dummy camera's off Amazon quite cheaply, they are battery powered but have a little red light on them, they are startlingly real looking!

 

[Taliesan]

CCTV in operation signs are usually a good call - most thieves won't risk it.

Padlock the gate if you can and point the hinges downwards.

You can get 4 dummy camera's off Amazon quite cheaply, they are battery powered but have a little red light on them, they are startlingly real looking!

I will have a look at the gate this week to see if I can spin one of the hinges around. I don't know how easy it will be but you lose nothing by having a look and giving something a go.

Thank you for the tip about the cameras on Amazon. I will have a look later and pick up some dummy ones as well as some real remote sensor ones.

If the field is plastered in CCTV signs and cameras, is that likely to have the reverse effect of making thieves think the horses are more valuable than they are?

 

[honetpot]

Looking on FB, the ones that appear to be actually stolen are small, pretty coloured shetlandsx type ponies or small foals, which they can sell on quickly for the arh factor. A big horse needs feeding and somewhere to put it, while a small pony can be kept in a garden shed.
They are more likely to steal metal gates, your field shelter or the rugs off your horses back. I used to have a paddock next to a byway, I made sure everything was old a clapped out, the only thing I ever got stolen was a solar panel, and a sack of fertiliser in 10 years. My yard now has a cultivated untidy, shabby look and a big dog that barks a lot.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

If people want to feed them, they will either get between fences, under the fence or lob stuff in (ask me how I know!). As long as its not grass cuttings or anything bad to a certain extent, you have to let it go as you can't be there all the time. Otherwise as people sad, poor fencing is more of a worry than actual theft-although some may find it funny to make mischief. I've rented all sorts of grazing in all sorts of places and never had any real bother but then I am very rural and people are used to livestock being about and wouldnt interfrere. My gates are padlocked-mostly to prevent anyone leaving them open/undone if they go in for a visit. I don't keep anything up at the field other than a well hidden wheelbarrow and fork.

Very visible 'danger electric fence' signs seem to help (there's a company called signomatic who are quite good) and I had plastic signs cable tied to gates with a contact number and saying that the ponies should not be fed (one paddock was next to a primary school). The ponies got used to screaming kids, football matches and fete's so it was quite useful!

 

[Taliesan]

Looking on FB, the ones that appear to be actually stolen are small, pretty coloured shetlandsx type ponies or small foals, which they can sell on quickly for the arh factor. A big horse needs feeding and somewhere to put it, while a small pony can be kept in a garden shed.
They are more likely to steal metal gates, your field shelter or the rugs off your horses back. I used to have a paddock next to a byway, I made sure everything was old a clapped out, the only thing I ever got stolen was a solar panel, and a sack of fertiliser in 10 years. My yard now has a cultivated untidy, shabby look and a big dog that barks a lot.

Both of mine are fairly sizeable chaps! Not the sort that you could shove in a garden shed. Nor would they take too kindly to that as one gets anxious in stables and the other has never been stabled in his life so would most likely get very distressed.

Luckily neither of mine are rugged through the summer so there is no risk of rugs being stolen.

The metal gate that is on the field at the moment has been there for many, many years. Even when there were horses and sheep in the field previously. I am hoping that, as it hasn't been stolen before, people won't think about stealing it in the near future.

If people want to feed them, they will either get between fences, under the fence or lob stuff in (ask me how I know!). As long as its not grass cuttings or anything bad to a certain extent, you have to let it go as you can't be there all the time. Otherwise as people sad, poor fencing is more of a worry than actual theft-although some may find it funny to make mischief. I've rented all sorts of grazing in all sorts of places and never had any real bother but then I am very rural and people are used to livestock being about and wouldnt interfrere. My gates are padlocked-mostly to prevent anyone leaving them open/undone if they go in for a visit. I don't keep anything up at the field other than a well hidden wheelbarrow and fork.

Very visible 'danger electric fence' signs seem to help (there's a company called signomatic who are quite good) and I had plastic signs cable tied to gates with a contact number and saying that the ponies should not be fed (one paddock was next to a primary school). The ponies got used to screaming kids, football matches and fete's so it was quite useful!

One of them would be fine with being fed and is gentle, but the other has no manners and would take people's hands off along with the food. He is fine with me as I have spent a long time training him but I would never trust him with anyone else or someone who doesn't know what they are doing. Perhaps sticking a sign up saying that one of the horses is prone to biting may help deter people.

The one who bites is also prone to laminitis. I doubt the odd polo would hurt him but if people continuously threw in sugary snacks it wouldn't be good.

The field isn't near any gardens at all, so there would be no danger of grass cuttings as they would have to walk them about 5 minutes down the road to the field.

Luckily where I live is a fairly quiet, rural village that doesn't really suffer from theft or mischievous youths. It is more full of families with young kids or retired couples.

Thank you for the sign company suggestion. I will have a look and perhaps order one to stick on the electric fencing.