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The tack room

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

Original poster

night of worrying

31 replies

Eve · 04/09/2012 21:13

late this afternoon a large party of Irish travelers pulled up about 500m from where my horses and stables are.

..I don't care what the political correct lot on the forum say... when you have a field with a coloured pony and stables with rugs, feed, hay .... you worry!!!

friend doing late night checks tonight, I will be there early tomorrow morn, police already been out to see them.

OP posts:
Alameda · 04/09/2012 21:48

(we would worry too, about the coloured pony)

SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 04/09/2012 21:49

Oh shit! I know all about the PC 'don't stereotype' stuff, but I'd be worried sick. I'd be dOwn there sneakily taking down number plates, possibly even sneaky photos. if I could do it without being seen

Pixel · 04/09/2012 22:06

Oh dear, we've recently had some on the playing fields at the back of my house, couldn't believe it when I looked out of the window and saw caravans going past the bottom of my garden useless police stood and watched them drive up bridleway. Hate to tell you this but there is a field there with horses in and after a few days the owners were forced to take them away as the traveller kids were in there chasing them around and trying to ride them. That's without the worry about theft!

SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 04/09/2012 22:10

There's a gorgeous little livery yard near me, that is now empty. Because the council built a travellers site neaxt door but one!

Pixel · 04/09/2012 22:10

Do you know anyone who could set you up a webcam? Dh reckons it's possible to have one running on solar power, we were tempted after we had some rugs stolen and are thinking about it again now someone is playing silly beggars with our electric fencing (we have our suspicions).

SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 04/09/2012 22:11

Do you have electric fence? And metal gates? I'd be accidentally joining the two together. At least then anyone trying to get over the gate will get a lovely jolt! but do make sure you have an electric warning sign

Pixel · 04/09/2012 22:15

Make sure your gates can't be lifted off the hinges. Some people forget about that even though they have a lovely big chain and padlock on the other end. Also I'd be taking any rugs and tack home and cutting all the strings on the haybales, makes them harder to pinch/sell on!

Original poster
Eve · 04/09/2012 22:16

If they are not moved on by tomorrow will move ponies, thankfully have somewhere else to out them.

Web cam is a good idea... Unfortunately (great though it is 99% of the time). I'm in the new forest and my field borders open forest on 2 sides, tricky to film.

There presence is all over the local Facebook riding forums, so lots of people aware and watching carefully.

Who wants to bet they leave the forest in a clean and tidy state with no litter! According to a someone in a house next to where they are they are spinning wheels on the greens.

OP posts:
SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 04/09/2012 22:16

I really feel for you. I'm worried sick just thinking about it.

Pixel · 04/09/2012 22:27

Ah well I'm not taking that bet! Our playing field still looks like it's been ploughed from the kids belting around in trucks at all hours of the day and night. The council supplied loads of big bins but they didn't use them, left the field covered in used nappies etc and the adjacent footbath festooned with used toilet paper, lovely! The playing field is on the edge of farmland and National Trust (hence bridleway past my house) and the travellers dug a big hole in the farmer's field and left it filled with old building rubbish. I'm so glad they are gone!

Alameda · 04/09/2012 22:29

I'd move mine too. Don't know where could be safer than current field though. Hope nobody comes to shout at us for the prejudicial stance we have all adopted on this thread, but am from Tony shoot to kill Martin country.

Actually not sure I could shoot anyone in the back?

SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 04/09/2012 22:50

Im sorry about being prejudicial, but its very hard not to be. I think we are fairly safe from a flaming in here!

dappleton · 05/09/2012 09:55

I would move everything you have - ponies and equipment then padlock both ends of the gate. I think you have to be careful they don't enter your land as then their rights as 'squatters' outweigh your claim that they are trespassing as far as i've been told (but couldn't quote the law on that). Fortunately I don't have this problem where we are but my mother says it's a huge problem now in Suffolk and once they arrive they can stay for months. Hope they move on quickly and your ponies stay safe.

Original poster
Eve · 05/09/2012 09:55

Not prejudicial in my view, based on experience! I can introduce those who flame to some friends who lost shetlands only for them to be found with travellers. They found them on the road apparently!

(though I didnt use the traveller word in the title.. wasnt that brave)

All ok this morning, though the green area is an utter mess! Police hoping to move them on today, if not I'll move ponies this afternoon and we have a rota going on a the stables so someone is there all day.

OP posts:
DolomitesDonkey · 05/09/2012 17:53

Eve, what's your update? I hope you're ok.

SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 05/09/2012 22:29

Me too. How's it going?

SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 05/09/2012 22:31

I was talking to my friend about this today. She suggests making your gates secure and having an inner strand or two of electric tape. As she pointed out, ponies are virtually unsellable nowadays, but scrap metal, including galvanised gates are making very good money!

Wolfiefan · 05/09/2012 22:36

No flaming. You have a COLOURED! I think I might sleep in the field. Are there other horses there? Can you arrange with other owners to pop down at odd times?

fridakahlo · 05/09/2012 22:44

Whats a coloured pony? Why is it special?

SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 05/09/2012 22:53

Black and white or brown and white. Gypsy horses. They breed them. I wouldn't want my coloured cob anywhere near them.

thenightsky · 05/09/2012 22:58

Thinking of you OP.

No flaming here.

As someone else said... padlocks on both ends of the gate and run the electric through the lot.

Pixel · 06/09/2012 19:43

Arghh, going to join the worrying thread, one of the other liveries has rung to say there was someone taking photos of our horses earlier. When she came round the side of the shelter and he saw her he made himself scarce which seems suspicious to me. If he was just taking pics because he likes horses he surely would have waved or said hello? The footpath goes around the field and most dogwalkers etc stop to talk. Dhorse is gypsy cob.

Hope all is well with you today Eve and you get rid of your new neighbours soon!

Original poster
Eve · 06/09/2012 21:50

Busy few days with work and pony club lessons and moving things.

Visitors still there, about 20-30 vans/motorhomes. Police are making themselves very visible, there is always a car nearby, however there was a yard about 2 1/2 miles away done over last night. :-(

Police actually think it wasn't the travellers but someone hoping they get the blame.

Everything that can be moved from yard I have now at home , ponies still there but invested in some heavy duty motorcycle chains and alarm padlocks that can't be cut & go of if anyone's tries to break the alarm. Hay bales all cut

Luckily all gates are post and rail so no scrap value and I moved the fence energiser of the electric fence... As at £90 I don't want to replace that.

The local farmers are also being a very visible presence, lots of tractors moving around the roads & the local carparks/ village halls have blocked of their entrances.

OP posts:
SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 06/09/2012 22:50

Fingers crossed then. Its hard not to go with the stereotype, but when youve got experience of travellers...
With a bit of luck, and police presence, they may prove us all wrong.
I hope so.

QuietTiger · 07/09/2012 15:42

I've never met a decent pikey gypsy. They are the bane of farmers & anyone with horses.

Are your horses freeze-marked? They tend not to steal freeze-marked horses because they can be too easily identified. However, that won't stop them nicking anything else that's not nailed down.

May be worth camping with the horses over night if possible.

Fingers crossed that they move on shortly.