A large amount of tack and rugs has been stolen from a private yard near Hawkhurst, Kent, belonging to small tour international rider Emily Hamblin.
The theft happened during the early hours of Tuesday 13 September.
Items that were taken included a hand made Weisenberger dressage saddle, an Amerigo dressage saddles, two double bridles, four rolled saddle bridles and numerous rugs, bits, lunging equipment and headcollars.
None of the items are marked although Emily’s mother, Alisa Hamblin, who owns the yard, believes the Weisenberger saddle may be the only one in the country.
Mrs Hamblin believes that a four-year-old who was stabled next to the tack room was hit during the break-in. He is uninjured, but his stable door was closed during the break-in and he is now refusing to go near men.
She said: “We are half a mile away from the road surrounded by tall hedges, there is no way you can know that we are here. Perhaps Google Earth should be banned.
“This could not have been an opportunist crime.
“They came across a neighbours cow field, used wire cutters and broke the post and rail fencing before using wheelbarrows to cart our property over the fields,” she said.
“We are completely devastated, my daughter only had her baby four weeks ago and now this, it is one hell of a kick in the teeth.
“The most scary thing is that the two men – there were two sets of footprints in the arena – must have cased the joint out.”
Anyone with information should contact Kent police tactical crime investigation unit on 01622 604243 quoting crime reference number BY/12657/11.
