Avoiding Horse Theft

Your horse

• Keep a detailed description, including up to date photos of your horse all year around. Take close ups of any unique markings and scars and photograph your horse from all angles.
• Permanently mark your horse such as freeze branding or microchipping. Ensure the registration details are kept up to date.
• Know your horse, have they suddenly become wary or defensive? Are they staying in the corner? Are they lethargic or thirsty or showing other signs of being drugged?
• Check for unexplained injuries such as rope burns around the neck or legs.
• Don’t leave head collars on or hanging over gates.

Passport

• Keep your passport safe, whilst it is not proof of ownership, a horse cannot be legally sold without one.
• Establish a “proof of ownership file” including any receipts, insurance details, registration papers etc which can be easily found should your horse be stolen.

Location

• Avoid keeping horses in isolated yards. Theft is reduced if thieves have to pass a house to gain access.
• Lock your trailer's hitch. Thieves can hitch your trailer, load your horse and drive off.
• Lock away yard equipment, forks and shovels can be used as weapons and your wheelbarrow can be used to carry away your belongings.

Secure boundaries

• Check fencing carefully for any changes. Lock gates and reverse the top hinge on the gate to make it impossible to lift off.
• Consider fitting alarms, motion sensors or CCTV and display signs that advertise that your property has been security marked.
• Keep tack rooms locked and stables secure.
• Don’t keep trailers and lorries parked in the same place for long periods, move them regularly.
• Dogs may act as a deterrent but may also be subject to theft or harm.
• An “escaped” horse may be a sign of attempted theft, a difficult to load horse may be set free.

Be vigilant

• Check horses at least twice daily but vary visit times, liaise with other horse owners to ensure horses are monitored regularly throughout the day.
• Be aware of your surroundings so you quickly notice if things are wrong or missing
• Note potential livery enquiries or any interest expressed in your premises. Challenge strangers but don’t put yourself at risk.
• Foster good relations with your neighbours. Watch for unfamiliar lorries and trailers parked in gateways or laybys and keep details of registration numbers.
• Join your local Horsewatch Scheme or get together with other horse carers and start your own.

Social media

• Avoid announcing when you will be away from your horse or yard at competitions etc.
• Don’t share details of expensive tack or new transport online.
• Don’t share details of routines or complain about activities at a yard, much information can be gleaned from casual conversation.

Selling your horse

• Don’t publish your address and avoid websites which map your location automatically
• Advertisements may be scanned for potential theft and quick bargains or urgently needing sold may attract unwanted attention.
• If you yard is isolated or very rural, arrange for viewings at your local equestrian centre or livery yard.
• Avoid unaccompanied viewings where your attention on may be diverted whilst potential “buyers” check out the stables or other horses.

Avoid buying a stolen horse

• Generally stolen horses will not be sold through a sales ring but may be sold outside the ring perhaps from an unmarked lorry.
• If the horse is freeze marked, check the registration to ensure it hasn’t been stolen.
• Horses are often sold for only a fraction of their value, if it is too good to be true, it probably isn’t!
• Ensure the passport description matches the horse being sold.

If you have been a victim

• Write down the details of the incident immediately, your memory will fade and important details may be missed when you report to the police.
• Prepare details of your horse to circulate.
• Contact the freeze branding or microchip registration companies.
• Contact your insurance company.
• Add your details to our Stolen Horse Section
• Share the details on social media.
• Other helpful organisations include your local Horsewatch, horse sales, ferry ports, slaughter houses, charities and welfare organisations.

You can download this information in the attached document

Avoiding Horse Theft
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Last Updated: September 2013