Safety tips for horse riding enthusiasts ahead of equestrian season - according to the North Yorkshire Police

With spring getting closer and evenings getting lighter, we’re heading towards the optimal equestrian season.

The North Yorkshire Police published a Facebook post with 10 top tips on how to keep your horses and tack safe and secure from ‘opportunistic thieves’.

Number 1

Keep all tack and equipment in a secure, locked tack room and keep maintaining as rusty or falling hinges and rotten wood may be noticed.

Number 2

Invest in good quality padlocks and chains for your gates and doors. Ideally padlocks with a heavy hasp and staple on barn and outbuilding doors, fitted directly to the door, with two similarly spaced locks from the top to bottom.

Number 3

If you can, fit bars on tack room windows as these are usually a key entry point for thieves.

Number 4

Get your tack and equipment property marked, North Yorkshire Police offers regular property marking events at your local retailers, so look out for posters and social media posts about these.

Number 5

Install CCTV. Whilst it can be expensive, there are cheaper alternatives available in markets all the time and it can be a key source in both prevention of theft and catching thieves.

Number 6

Make sure your yard is well lit as this is a key deterrent for intruders.

Number 7

All horses, donkeys and mules must be microchipped by law and you should update your Passport Issuing Organisation (PIO) with the microchip number so this can be uploaded to the Central Equine Database. The database allows you to quickly report your horse is missing and check if a horse is legally for sale.

Number 8

Be vigilant for any strangers visiting your yard and if it is a shared premises, try to make everyone aware of any known visitors.

Number 9

Keep a regular check of all fences and field boundaries for any weak spots which would let horses out or allow thieves in.

Number 10

Put padlocks on both ends of your gates so that they cannot be lifted off the hinges.