Theft in the area

[Challaborough Christmas Tree]

There have been a lot of break ins on yards in my area over the last few days either tack being stolen etc or rugs being taken off horses backs in the field and being sold. I'm not worried about the rugs they're wearing as fly will kick them if they try and take his off and tipsy won't let strangers near him.
I am worried about the tack room though as we have no alarm system or anything, only a padlock with a not very well hidden key. Tonight I'm going to put the rugs on my stable door away so that they're slightly harder to get to but is there anything else I can do?

 

[Quantock-cob]

Put your tack in your car and take it home. This is what I did when I moved to a new yard a few years ago that didn't have a lock on the tack room door. After we all complained they eventually fixed it.

Also, include your tack on your insurance. Just in case anything is stolen.

 

[SaharaS]

think secure and if it means taking it all home, so be it. you can get those zip up laundry bags now in funky colours or black to keep things in so you don't have to do 100 trips per day...and if they are black & less noticable if you do leave them in your car..they are not as apparently obvious.

Horrible to do I know, but paint your name/postcode over rugs in & out so they will loose sale value on ebay & easily be visible. mark anything possible with invisble markers-ask police or horsewatch for your area -they show up in uv light so it would prove they were yours. if poss, take pics of anything too as proof should you ever need to claim...I had a big break in & they came back & cleared me out again 10 days later when i'd replaced it all..insurance wanted proof as couldn't believe how much clobber they all have....if you are ever unlucky & interrupt a raid...get away & let them take what they want, even disturbing them is not worth the risk to your safety - this is rare but not uncommon. have fun with the paint instead xx

 

[Tinseltoes]

I have a few of those pens here. Got mine from the police few years back.

 

[cambrica]

We were broken into a couple of weeks ago. Stole all our horse feed. Never touched the rugs as I have gloss painted my postcode on. Anything of value I take home.

 

[WelshD]

I bought s storage box roughly the same size as a bale of hay and have put spare rugs in there and have slotted it in to the stack of hay in my store so it can't be seen

 

[MissChaos]

Also, include your tack on your insurance. Just in case anything is stolen.

Good idea but check your policy wording first to ensure it would be valid. Adding my tack to my policy would be pointless as the tack room's secured appropriately etc. but there are more than five horses on the yard and my policy wouldn't cover this. Fair dos - more horses, higher attraction. Check your home contents insurance - you may have cover extended under this but frankly if there was any tangible risk, I'd be taking it home with me anyway. You'd kick yourself silly if the worst happened.

And WelshD, I'm a paranoid one but I wouldn't be surprised if more hay than usual went walkies this year.

*Skips off to go and doom-monger elsewhere, full of the joys of bloody winter*

 

[PeterNatt]

Make sure that your horses are Freezemarked (on a part of body that can be seen when ridden) as anyone can read a freezemark.
Ensure rugs are marked with your postcode.
Ensure all tack etc are tack marked.
Postcode the roof's of trailers and lorries in large lettering
Ensure hinges on all gates are reversed and gates are locked with the lock in a metal box to make it more difficult to angle grind them off.

 

[niagaraduval]

I am paranoid too as my stables are not really secure at all. I have however bought chains and padlocks for my saddle racks I chain and padlock my saddle to the rack every single time with a saddle cover on and TBH only takes a couple of seconds, the worst thing though is when you go to ride and forget the key to your saddle.

My horses also have padlocks on their stable doors, these are padlocked every night at feeding time and opened every morning at feeding time too, I have a key on my house keys, a key hidden outside (but just next door and easily accessible if you knew where it was), OH has a key and numerous people I trust also have access. - I would never ever use combination locks though, they are useful but you can't ever trust anyone 100%, also in case of a fire I wouldn't have the time to type in each code for each door, all the doors have the same key. Some people don't agree with this, but in any case the horses wouldn't be able to get out of the door unless they jumped so if there is a padlock or not it doesn't change anything for them, and I never sleep at night if I haven't locked their doors. I like to know they are safe but I could get to them in seconds if there was a problem.

I have a large storage area in my boys stable he doesn't go near anything so don't have a problem with him eating his stuff or throwing it on the floor, I only leave a large box with a lid on under said saddle rack with a headcollar & rope and stable bandages/pads/brushes in. The rest comes indoors.

This makes me remember I need to get another chain and lock for my yard tools, CCTV signs etc. are on the list as is a securty light that comes on when it senses someone, although am in two minds about this as on the one hand this could help the theives..