THE equestrian world seems to be blighted by thieves stealing tack, horses, horse boxes and trailers.

The chances of retrieving anything stolen from your yard or home, even if it is micro-chipped, freeze-marked or etched, is very slim as it is easy to sell over the internet, often below the market price.

There have been several property break-ins and thefts from horse boxes and towing vehicles parked at shows around the Malton area.

Thieves recently broke into a tack room and stole a large amount of tack and rugs.

The thieves gained access not by approaching up the drive, but by travelling across fields and through several gates, which were closed but not locked, barring the gate that accessed the road, which was padlocked and cut off by the thieves.

The owners of the property were not even aware of anything amiss until they went to unlock the tack room’s padlock and to discovered that it had been cut and put back to seem like nothing had happened and to find that four saddles, numerous bridles and rugs had been stolen.

Shows are an easy target for the thieves who walk about among the competitors going back and forth to their wagons, watching for the unsuspecting competitor to leave a vehicle unlocked and in they go, taking wallets, handbags and anything they can carry.

We can certainly try to make it more difficult for them by being aware of weak spots around the stable yard.

Thieves will generally watch the yard for a couple of days before striking, so it may be a good idea to vary your timetable on a regular basis.

Always be alert for strange vehicles driving slowly around or parked nearby, making a note of the registration plate, type of vehicle and colour too, because in all probability it will have a stolen number plate.

Horses and ponies have been known to have been stolen from turn-out fields, so we can ensure that fencing is secure and gates are chained and padlocked with a close shackled variety, which help protect against bolt cutters, at all times on both ends so that it cannot be just lifted off its hinges.

Yards should have good security lighting that comes on when people approach at night, and having signs dotted around the yard stating that there is a security system in place.

Putting all valuable items such as tack and rugs in a locked tack room, preferably with an outer metal door that has a combination entry system in place. Any wheelbarrows, which all of us have in our yards, should be put away out of sight to stop the thief from being able to carrying multiple items away.

All windows should have iron bars across them and doors with bolts and padlocks to make entry for the burglar that little bit harder, better still, take your tack home and leave it in the house.

Horse boxes should be stored away under cover and locked up, with an immobiliser and alarm fitted.

Trailers need to be clamped on the wheels, hitch lock in the locked position.

It may be wise to have your postcode etched on to your trailer, and again like the horse box, stored under cover and hidden away when not in use.

If you have got your horse box out or trailer hitched up and ready to use, do not leave them unattended with the keys in or running the engine to warm up, because you may be being watched and it could be gone in the blink of an eye.

It may seem like we are making more work for ourselves by being cautious and having to lock everything up every time we use it, but it takes the hardened thief two seconds to strike.

We may not stop them but we can make it more difficult for them by being alert and making it harder and more time consuming for them to get in, which could give us valuable seconds to be alerted that we are being burgled.