# HOW MANY HORSES ARE STOLEN EACH YEAR???



## armywag (1 July 2009)

Does anyone know how many horses get stolen each year? Does anyone recored it???


----------



## Cuffey (1 July 2009)

Check the Stolen Horse Register
www.stolenhorseregister.com
All stolen horses which are reported to Horsewatch with a Crime Number are recorded-- as are those which are found (found may mean dead sadly)


----------



## DebbieCG (2 July 2009)

My horse was stolen in 1981.  We were devastated. Back then it wasn't really heard of, especially in Hertfordshire.  

During our search for our horse we learnt that some horses were being stolen in northern parts of England at that time.

With all the communication systems we have now (internet etc) and Horsewatch there seems to be alot more awareness.  It seems there has been a steady increase in horse theft since the late 80s and 90s.

I recently watched an old Channel 4 Cutting Edge documentary from 1994 called The Horse Dectectives, which shows 3 owners' very painful experience when their horses had been stolen and the searches for them.  It certainly brought back very painful memories of our own experience, how desperate and helpless you feel, I can only liken it to losing a member of your family and not knowing what has happened to them.  The documentary also showed the initial people who were setting up Horsewatch at that time in the 90s.

We were never able to find our horse and I still have no closure or peace of mind, even after 'all these years'.  I hope to put my old horse's details on the forum shortly to show what he looked like and just in the small hope someone may recognise him from the past. We have a post on Intelligent Horsemanship about him.  He would be too old to be alive today, as he was a TB aged 12 when he was stolen in 1981, but it's possible in theory he could have lived to the late 1990s.

He is on the stolen horse register in chronological order of the date he was stolen, so is at the beginning of the register.

I have the details of the documentary makers if anyone were interested in contacting them to make a follow-up documentary about the fact that horses are still being stolen almost every week in Britain.
Perhaps it would bring about more awareness, especially to the Government.


----------



## armywag (2 July 2009)

Thanks for the info guys,  
	
	
		
		
	


	





Debsam - I cant imagine how you must have felt (and still feel) , how can people be so cruel?
I hope one day someone recognises one of your pictures and you can put your mind at rest  -  what was your horse called?

I think it would be a great idea to make another documentary..it would definitely raise more awareness.


----------



## DebbieCG (2 July 2009)

Thanks for your kind message EquineMad.

We were absolutely devastated and heartbroken when our horse was stolen.  He was the whole world to us.  

My horse's name was Ballymoss.  We called him Mossy for short.  He was a 16.2hh, full T/B chestnut gelding with a wonderful gentle nature.  We adored him.  After he was stolen of course his name would have been changed.

It is such a cruel and terrible thing to happen.  The 'people' that do this have no conscience about the effect it has on the owners.  Of course our main concern though was for the wellfare of our horse.  The not knowing what has happened to them, or whether they are alive or not, is the worst.  You are left in limbo and therefore cannot even grieve properly, because you don't know if they are still alive or not.

I cannot speak for other owners who never find their horses but for us the passing of time is not a healer.  It remains an open chapter. 

Someone kindly said to me recently that at least I knew my horse would be at peace now, as he would be too old to be alive.  But unfortunately that does not bring peace or closure.  For that you need to know what happened to them and then you can grieve properly.  Without knowing you have too many scenerios to anguish about what may or may not have happened.  I don't even know if he survived or what time he left this earth.

Thanks also for your encouragement about the documentary.  I drafted an email to the makers a few months ago so hopefully will send that soon.  

If anyone from Horsewatch or others are interested in contributing anything/suggestions or getting involved please pm me or leave ideas on this post perhaps.  It's definitely the awareness aspect that would be good to cover on national television and about the inconsistencies in the passport system, which is not preventing all thefts.


----------



## DebbieCG (2 July 2009)

Hope it's ok but thought it was an idea to post a photo of Ballymoss here.  He had distinctive markings of a star and snip and two white hind socks.  He was also pin fired on his front legs, which was more noticeable in summer.  

As mentioned, I hope to put a post up soon about him being stolen in 1981, in case someone somewhere may recognise him from the past.

Thanks.


----------



## DebbieCG (2 July 2009)

Ballymoss was clipped in this photo which was taken about 2 weeks before he was stolen.


----------



## DebbieCG (2 July 2009)

This photo shows Ballymoss's fine T/B profile, but his distinctive face markings of star and snip cannot be seen clearly.  He was also clipped here.

We believe he was spotted at a Shrewsbury sale a few months after he was stolen in 1981 and then after that we had an anonomous call to say he had been looked after by someone and then moved on so we believed he could have been in Oxfordshire in around 1984.

I would confirm that we have never sought to place blame if anyone had him after us, as they would have had him unwittingly - he could have been sold on several times so new owners would not have known he had been stolen.


----------



## Cuffey (2 July 2009)

Sure there are a number of people who would jump at the chance to further publicise their horses disappearance
eg Toby's and Molly's owners
I have emailed this H&amp;H thread link to Horsewatch people--hopefully it may get into next bulletin


----------



## LynnWalker (5 July 2009)

Debsam I feel for you , I really do - I know exactly how you feel, time doesnt really help, its not knowing and imagining all sorts of scenarios - they go round and round in your mind.
My Toby was stolen 3 years ago, I look for him all the time, pics on the forums, horse sites, in fields, on telly - its an obsession I cant stop. I can only offer sympathy for you.xxxx

I havent heard of the programme you mention, I have contacted the BBC and ITV to see if they could cover stolen horses and HW, but all I get is 'sorry's' etc - so Im interested to hear more about who made the programme please.x

Cuffey, thankyou - all publicity is good.xxx


----------



## stormhorse (5 July 2009)

I know I had a copy on video of the program but it was some time ago.  info has been passed onto thames valley horseatch to see if it might be a good ideea to look into another programme in the future. Will try to remember to bring it up at the national meeting in September.

Deb


----------



## Rollin (5 July 2009)

What a sad story.  No one with a horse they love to bits could fail to empathise with your story.  It is obvious you have never got over your loss the 'not knowing' is so traumatic.  So sorry - although sorry never does it.

On a practical note - now that we have horse passports - I think any horse offered for sale without a passport, or all recent passport applications for horses other than foals should be tagged by the BED and trading standards should follow up.

There should be rigorous checking of passports by vets, at channel ports and at local shows and spot checks of horses on transport. Only then will horse thieves have a deterant.


----------



## GarryPorter (6 July 2009)

Horsewatch would be pleased to help highlight lost and stolen horses in anyway on TV provided the correct message is put over.  We often talk to the smaller channels but money is always the thing that stops it going forward.  If anyone can help or has contacts please let us know via the HW website.
I would encourage everyone to make use of NED and log your freezbrand and/or microchip numbers on the database.  If we had a full record of every horse then selling a stolen one would become nearly impossible.
NED will continue to improve and develop so please sign up and make good use of it.    Regards  Garry.  National HW Alliance.


----------



## DebbieCG (7 July 2009)

Just to say I have now emailed the production company who made the documentary, but have not had a response as yet.  Don't know if the same people will still be there though. 

I will keep this H&amp;H post informed either way.  I was hoping that if there was a positive response/interest from the company then I could obviously put the people who have pm'd and left messages above, in contact too with the company.  But of course just waiting at the moment to see what type of response will be received back. Also the economic climate at the moment may be a factor if they didn't want to take this further at the moment.

Garry - The first documentary was a very well made programme and certainly put across the right message from the Horsewatch campaigners involved at that time. 

Tubbytoby - will send pm to you (I always keep a lookout for Toby in my area (hope you remember me from the IH site)).

rollin - thanks.  Agree totally with you, there should definitely be vigorous checking at ports etc.  I've always felt there should be changes at Government level.


----------



## Quadro (7 July 2009)

my thoughts to you all i have never had to go through this and hope i never will, but i think the documentary is a super idea and will be more than happy to add my name to any email or letter


----------



## DebbieCG (18 October 2009)

Just upping this post.

I have called the production company a couple times and although they are extremely busy they have shown interest in this matter.  

I will be trying to contact them again shortly.


----------



## Cuffey (18 October 2009)

The SNP Gov in Scotland are now talking about reducing security at Stranraer port--really helpful--NOT
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/8307275.stm

However Horsewatch Scotland is being rolled out through Strathclyde so hopefully some good lobbying will be done by Scottish Police forces and others
So this may be a good time to try again with news item/programme


----------

