tack identification question!

lukeylou

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29 September 2009
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hi everyone,

i've just bought myself two new saddles, and although the yard tack room is alarmed etc, i still want my saddles to be marked in some way so they can be recognised incase they are stolen.

what options are there for marking tack in a subtle way? i've heard something about microdots? can they be put onto tack?

thanks!
 
Smart Water!
Google it, and contact your local police station to see if they sell it.

It's similar to clear, or lightly tinted nail varnish, and it has a unique DNA. You paint a small line underneath the pommel. In the event that your tack is ever stolen and recovered by Police, anywhere in the country, they will see the smart water and be able to read the DNA and reunite you with your saddle.
 
Smart water. Yeah, right. Pardon my cynical mood but based on my experience of theft, the likelihood of the police ever recovering stolen tack, never mind tracing you through DNA (???) is about zero. Or possibly less. 5 yrs ago I had my 6 month old, burglar alarmed car stolen off my flipping driveway at about 10.30 at night. I rang the police and they suggested I drive round the locality, visiting the known areas where stolen cars get dumped. 1) I thought this was THEIR job 2) I have no idea where stolen cars are dumped 3) even if I did, would it be wise to go there???? If it was me, I'd take expensive tack home every night. Smart water and marker pens are not much more use than Dumbo's "magic" feather, ie it's nice to think it's doing something but it isn't. Again, pardon my cynicism. Not a dig at the police either - how can they possibly do a first rate job if not funded and staffed adequately? {{Wanders off to end of garden to eat worms}}
 
I think the smart water thing is a good idea, but it's better to mark your tack (or anything else for that matter) with something so blindingly obvious that thieves would be put off from stealing it in the first place
- like my friend bought a new saddle (stubben, which now have a tag on the back) and had the tag/stud thing on the cantle engraved with her name (not really for the security aspect, but it was a plus).

Maybe something fluorescent (hidden though so that it can't be seen when in use) would help - but taking the tack home is probably the most secure thing (I rarely do this though because I get so cold, my house always has to be warm - which dries out tack, last time I did this I had to drown my bridle in oil :))

Just to be on the safe side though, why don't you smart water/microdot AND scare the burglars away :D Anyway good luck, and I'm sure that nothing will happen.
 
I had my tack stolen about a year ago from my yard, so when we replaced it we spoke to the police and they come out and mark our saddle with a number on the underneth with a number then they gave us posters to put up around the yard saying that the tack can be identified if stolen.
 
Your best chances of recovering stolen tack is if it can be identified by a visible mark.
A lot of stolen tack is recovered each year but because it is not marked the owner(s) can not be identified.
Get it tack marked with your home post code. Your local rural police officer may well have a tack marking kit alternatively you can buy one for about £10.00 from shops such as Halfords. The Rolson quality tools 38 piece automatic number and letter stamp set is ideal for tack marking.
You are always best to keep your tack at home rather than in a tack room as they are particularly vunerable. There have been incidents where they have simply knocked through the roof, doors or windows to gain entry and remove tack.
 
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