Security on yard a few miles from home

[n180]

Hi everyone,

I'm sure this has been discussed a few times before here, and I have read a few threads on security, but I just wanted a few things clarified.

I'm looking to get some land soon to keep a couple of horses (I don't want to go down the livery route, and there is enough experience and training of horses in my family). Maybe around 3-5 acres. However as I live right in the middle of the city, the land will be literally miles away, I don't think I will be getting it any less than about a half hour drive away.

So my question is about security. Realistically there is no security a determined thief cannot get through, so what security measures do horse owners take to stop theft when they don't actually live on site? I am mainly talking about security against theft, that is my biggest concern for keeping horses miles away without anyone there overnight. Surely most places that do not have people overnight will get broken into as easy targets, and horses going missing from these sites must be common?

Thanks for any advice in advance.

 

[hnmisty]

Put your gates on so they can't be lifted off (one hinge in normal position ie facing up and the other facing down, if that makes sense!). Try to get somewhere that's not right on the road. Solid fencing- a hedge will be harder to get through than a wire fence which can be cut through in no time). Mark EVERYTHING, and get some signs saying everything is marked. No harm in getting some CCTV signs. It probably wouldn't deter the very determined, but it might put novice thieves off! Don't leave expensive equipment/machinery lying around, keep it locked in a barn. Big padlock on the yard gate and take tack home with you.

I'm sure there's a load else I haven't thought of

And welcome!

 

[Mince Pie]

A dog? Our yard has 3 including a massive GSD x (he's a mahoosive softy though but looks scary!) which tend to put people off

 

[n180]

Thanks guys. I was just worried in case I was doing something very stupid by leaving horses in a field out in the middle of nowhere without any humans around overnight, perfect for being stolen. So long as people do it with good security measures, at least I know it is normal and I'm not doing something daft.

 

[hnmisty]

Thanks guys. I was just worried in case I was doing something very stupid by leaving horses in a field out in the middle of nowhere without any humans around overnight, perfect for being stolen. So long as people do it with good security measures, at least I know it is normal and I'm not doing something daft.

Just to say- I never have. I kept at home down a dead end road 20m from my house, then at a livery. I was just remembering stuff from other threads

 

[Rosesandhorses]

I keep my retired horses in a rented field from a farmer and have had the same concerns. They have been there just short of 2 years and (touch wood) so far so good. The farmer has a lot of land and I make sure my horses stay land locked- as in they are never next to the road and anyone wanting to get to them would need to get through another field first. I have had them all micro chipped and have put signs up saying this. I have made friends with the locals around the area and know they would contact me if they had any concerns and I go out of my way to help out any other owners that rent fields adjacent. I try and visit at different times of day as much as possible so that anyone keeping tabs couldn't find a routine. I keep all my spare rugs etc in a portacabin which has a locked weather proof box inside. I also keep my haylage fenced off. Over time you will get your head around what works for you. Good luck!

 

[CazD]

I keep mine a about a mile from home. We have post & rail fencing/hedging round the field, gate hinges turned upside down and all gates chained and padlocked, everything marked, horses freezemarked, absolutely nothing of value left at the yard (ie saddles, tack), smartwater and freeze mark signs, my phone number and address on a dog tag on the gate in case anyone walking by notices problems, haystore padlocked, electric fence energiser chained and padlocked in a metal box, In thirteen years I've had the electric fence energiser nicked (before I started chaining it up) and one break-in where my generator was nicked, but nothing else (now I rely on a head torch and didn't bother replacing the generator).