Strange man at the gate

[BAILEY67]

Hi All,

We went to get our horses last night and there was a man leaning over the field gate on his mobile phone, when he saw us he acted very strangely in that he seemed to become nervy ended the phone call immediately & couldn't look us in the eye.

Now our field is next to a playground and so when we initially thought that perhaps he was with his family but talking about it back at the yard his behaviour was just too strange, he just looked out of place and acted so odd.

Now, we have a couple of cobs in our field one is mine the other the girl who i went down to the field with and now we are worried, both the horses are microchipped but not freezemarked and there is no padlock on the field, i think it might be time we invested in one to be honest.

What would people do in this situation, my gut is telling me something is not right.

 

[sadiedeb]

1. Padlock gates
2. Phone non emergency police number and horsewatch just to make them aware
3. If any local yards around or local houses just pop in and explain and maybe give them your number in case see anything suspicious

 

[BAILEY67]

Hi Guys,

No horses have been stolen in the area that i know of but not all of the local yards are out for summer yet so theres still time.
One of the girls on the yard has a locksmith for a other half so can get a lock no worries.
There is a row of houses which back directly on to the field but they cannot see into the field due to large conifers, so they can't really keep an eye.
Can you tell me where i can get the telecon numbers for horsewatch and/or non emergency police in my area? the police station in our village is unmanned or i'd pop in there.

My stomach is churning at the thought that something has been going on

 

[Tinseltoes]

You need to report it to the police and horsewatch.Someone let my two out in nov and the police go up and check to see theyre still there,so its worth reporting it.
Try not to worry.Pretend to take a pic of the man next time,that will scare him lol

 

[Blue Rider]

Pretend to take a pic of the man next time,that will scare him lol

And also put you in great danger!
Don't EVER attempt to photograph someone you suspect to be lurking, especially when at your yard.

 

[Cuffey]

Links for your area here

http://www.tracingequines.co.uk/horses/forum/58-north-west-region

 

[CatStew]

Something similar has been happening at the diy yard where we keep our horse. Its very worrying!

We've spotted people lurking on the road outside the yard and it seems like they are seeing what times people come and go. Even more worrying, one of my friends brought her gelding in from the field and notice he had a plait in his mane. The YO lives on site and has been letting his dogs (alsatians) loose on the premises at night and walks round with his shot gun when he does his late checks in the eve. Nothing more has happened since, but it's still unnerving! We are in the northants area and there were recently reports of stolen horses about 20 miles from us!

 

[Tnavas]

Padlock the gate and don't forget to padlock the hinge side as well so the gate can't be lifted off it's hinges.

 

[Lydz13]

To be fair, he might have been having a row with his OH and he didn't want anyone to overhear, and he might have just stopped to watch the horses... Padlocks wouldn't hurt though..

 

[Hoofprints in the Snow]

Report to the police as you mentioned it was near a playground also so could be more worrying for locals with children.

 

[Supertrooper]

In October last year my friend and I where at her field getting ready to go out riding, a scrap truck pulled into the gateway and the guy asked directions to Northampton (we're not really on a direct route to there) as he had come from the horse fair that was being held in kenilworth, as soon as he said that we knew he was a you no what (prob not allowed to say on here). We didn't get number plate so didn't think it was worth reporting to police.

Three weeks later my friend was up at field on her own, she had just gone to shut up and two lads ran in, grabbed her keys and jumped in her Nissan truck and drove off. The police said that if she had the keys on her they would of attacked her to get them so thank god they where on the side in building but insurance where being a nightmare about it all!! To cut along story short, the police found her car, in Northampton - what a suprise!!! It was fine, just parked up at side of road.

The police said it would of been marked for stealing the day of that visit but they arn't really interested in the horses.

Anyway, definately report it, we do with anything suspicious. Tell any neighbours. Go up at different times of the day. Freezemark your horses. Chain your gates on both sides and lock them behind you when you're there. Put up CCTV (even if it's the false ones) with signs advertising it. And join rural watch/farm watch.

Hopefully it's nothing but you can never be too careful!