# What would you do?



## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

Put a sign up telling them to back off. Have you talked to any of the other boarders? Are any of them missing supplies?

For the straw, you can spray paint it(with some kind of non toxic of course) and then go around and see who's horse is sleeping in pink straw.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

First you need to let the yard owner know what's going on. If it was my barn and no one told me about some thievery going on, I'd be mad. It's also his obligation, regardless of age & health, to provide oversight. If he's going to run a business, he either needs to run it or hire someone who can. Can you put your hay and straw in a type of container that can be secured? Or put up a camera on your straw and hay so you can get the evidence you need? 

Moving is always an option, but if you're otherwise happy and satisfied with the yard and facilities, I'd try to fix the problem first.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Can you put up a camera? I would put up a sign to scare them off, and a camera just in case they don't stop.


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## Chaz80 (Sep 29, 2015)

ApuetsoT said:


> Put a sign up telling them to back off. Have you talked to any of the other boarders? Are any of them missing supplies?
> 
> For the straw, you can spray paint it(with some kind of non toxic of course) and then go around and see who's horse is sleeping in pink straw.


Hi Apuetso,we have a large white board and believe me I have made my thoughts very clear!! But it has made no difference the hay is still going.some of the others have reported their hay has been going but they seem to have decided that mine is better than anybody else's so they are going to take mine!!!
The straw is ok as I have moved it but I have nowhere else to move the hay to!
I thought maybe get some food colouring and water in a spray bottle and spray my hay but then I think wow am I really having to do this??
Haha my daughter wants to spray it pink!!!


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## Chaz80 (Sep 29, 2015)

_​_


Acadianartist said:


> Can you put up a camera? I would put up a sign to scare them off, and a camera just in case they don't stop.


The owner won't let us put up any cameras,hes old and stuck in his ways!!he says it uses his electric heck we can't even have hosepipes cos he says they waste water!!
I doubt a sign is going to deter them they don't even try to hide the fact that they have been at my hay!!


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## Chaz80 (Sep 29, 2015)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> First you need to let the yard owner know what's going on. If it was my barn and no one told me about some thievery going on, I'd be mad. It's also his obligation, regardless of age & health, to provide oversight. If he's going to run a business, he either needs to run it or hire someone who can. Can you put your hay and straw in a type of container that can be secured? Or put up a camera on your straw and hay so you can get the evidence you need?
> 
> Moving is always an option, but if you're otherwise happy and satisfied with the yard and facilities, I'd try to fix the problem first.


I am going to tell him this week when I pay my rent,and I thought of getting a shed but I do not have the means to collect one!!
I don't want to have to move again as lindy is settled and happy here.but I cannot afford to feed somebody else's horse!!


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Chaz80 said:


> _​_
> The owner won't let us put up any cameras,hes old and stuck in his ways!!he says it uses his electric heck we can't even have hosepipes cos he says they waste water!!
> I doubt a sign is going to deter them they don't even try to hide the fact that they have been at my hay!!


There are motion-sensing game cameras used by hunters that run on batteries. 

How about mousetraps under the tarp? Lots of them!!!

And I agree, you need to inform him this is going on. You can tell him you don't expect him to intervene, but that you thought he should know.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Chaz80 said:


> I am going to tell him this week when I pay my rent,and I thought of getting a shed but I do not have the means to collect one!!
> I don't want to have to move again as lindy is settled and happy here.but I cannot afford to feed somebody else's horse!!


Don't let him off the hook too easily. If he's going to charge you to keep your hose and supplies on his yard, then HE needs to take some steps to fix the problem. The fact that others have complained about hay loss tells me he's not doing it. So when you pay the rent, I'd tell him I expected the problem to be solved before the next month's rent is due or you're going to have to consider making other arrangements for the horse. This thief is not just costing you money, they're going to end up costing him money too. 

He won't allow cameras, he won't allow this or that or whatever, then he's taking responsibility for the problem and needs to fix it, IMO. So make him put up or shut up.


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

I would definitely speak to the owner. Regardless, he needs to help settle this problem. It's not fair to you, that your hay is being stolen. Luckily you moved your straw, but hay is still expensive too- you're losing money. Let him know what's up, tell him who you 'think' it might be, so he can keep a close watch on them. Something's gotta give!


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

I would be extremely careful in how you phrase your words to the yard owner or he may take it as a ultimatum, issue his own and tell you to "Get Lost".....

So, you don't know who is taking your hay or straw...
You can't spray "water" coloring on food that is going to be consumed...makes no sense.

You say you have no way to get a locker or shed to the barn...
If you *can* have something such as this...buy it, have it either delivered or constructed on site...
Buy yourself a padlock an lock it up...

A large storage locker or shed can be delivered to a address of choice...
_Garden Storage | Storage Boxes and Units | Shedstore
Plastic Sheds | Buy Sheds Direct
_ Something like that can hold enough hay and bedding for a month at a time or more...or less depending upon size allowed to have at the barn and what you can afford.
I checked....able to be shipped to the "United Kingdom" and other countries...
Delivery, installation and set-up included in the price...

I just googled "storage shed in United Kingdom"....
Not sure where you live but referring to your barn as a "yard" I know you aren't in the USA...
Just some ideas that can work easily for you.
Worst is if you move you pay someone to move the shed or leave it behind, possibly "selling" it to another boarder to secure their food stuffs.

Good luck.
:runninghorse2:...


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I've been in situations like this and its a nightmare.
If the owner is anything like some of the elderly people I know he's as likely to tell you to clear off as he is to try to sort anything out to help you so you need to have a back up plan (somewhere to move too) if it goes pear shaped
I asked a friend who keeps her ponies on shared DIY how she stores anything that would be likely to get stolen and she has a couple of plastic storage boxes from B&Q - she sent me the link so passing it on as they look like they might work and be lighter and easier to move around than a shed
Garden Storage | Garden Buildings


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## Chaz80 (Sep 29, 2015)

Hi jaydee,to be honest the old guy isn't that bad but you never know!
I do not have anywhere to go all yards are full.
The boxes you showed me are unfortunately no good,i buy a round bale of hay that is 6ft by 4ft!!! Spose I could buy square bales but they work out much dearer.
I have seen these tents on eBay..they are toilet tents with 2 zips so I can put a small lock on them,they are 120 by 120 by 210 cm which is just big enough to get my round bale in(I hope) and they are much cheaper than a box or shed which I cannot afford at the moment.


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## tim62988 (Aug 30, 2012)

any way to build a box out of plywood that you can shove your hay/straw into then lock it, or if it's in a stall tell the owner stuff is being stolen i'm putting a lock on the door.

otherwise I would say trail camera (they are cheap and battery powered and could hang it up high where it's a real pain to get it and delete your face from it)

i would go one step farther than the person that said mouse traps and go to rat traps as it could be rats or more than likely "rats" stealing your hay/straw


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I think most farmers are going into round bales or haylage now so even if you wanted small bales it might not be too easy to get them - but the big ones do save you money
I wonder if you could wrap something around the bake and then fasten a chain around that and padlock it?
The tent idea could work though - it would certainly make them think a bit. 
Is there some way to spray the zip with something that would stain their hands I wonder? If they tried to fiddle with it and then got their hands marked it would expose them for sure


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

Is your hay stored in an area that you could fence off ? Using chain link ? The tent looking thing could be an option, but they could just slit it open and take feed.
Do you have a pic of the area you put your hay ? Who feeds mornings and night ?


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## Chaz80 (Sep 29, 2015)

stevenson said:


> Is your hay stored in an area that you could fence off ? Using chain link ? The tent looking thing could be an option, but they could just slit it open and take feed.
> Do you have a pic of the area you put your hay ? Who feeds mornings and night ?


Hi yeah I thought of fencing it off,we all keep our hay in a big barn,and the reason it's so easy for us to see our hay is going is because she is out 24/7 at the moment so if we use any hay it's to give her a net when she comes in to be groomed/ridden etc so there is no way we would have used the amount that has gone it's nearly half a bale...I think I am going to have to build a big box!!good job I'm handy with a hammer... don't give me ideas lol...
Just beyond belief to me that this is what I have to do to keep my stuff safe it's disgusting how somebody thinks it's ok to use it all and not even hide the fact that it's gone!!


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

I have had the same thing happen with my bags of alfalfa cubes. Every once in a while they would seem to go fast. I started putting a little black mark on my bags where no one would even notice. Sure enough, one of my bags ended up in someone else's stack so I just took it back. I will keep on doing that as long as it works. If they figure out some other way to take my stuff, then I will figure out some other way to stop it. It hasn't happened in a while though, so maybe they got the hint. I have to be creative and shop around for best prices to keep my feed bill within budget so I definitely cannot afford to feed more horses than my own either.

I think that you are lucky that they are not even trying to hide it. At least you became aware sooner rather than later. I would just try to find a way to lock up your stuff, or figure out a way to find out who the culprit is. The best way would probably be to use a battery powered camera where no one can really see it or reach it. Get the culprit on camera and play it back for them the next time you see them or better yet, hold a barn meeting and replay the video for the whole audience.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Well, since you don't have the funds to buy a shed or storage container....

Can you get used pallets?
Wood or plastic but large ones?
Create a box,....top,bottom and sides using them.
Purchase some large hinges so they flex and open/close easily around that round bale.
Design a box, staple some inexpensive wire across the inside of the structure so "hands/fingers" can not easily fit and grab your hay out...
Now, assemble your box around your bale and put a lock and hasp on the front section...unlock the padlock as needed to feed your hay to your horse....re-lock the opening shut.
Do not share the key or combination with anyone or you may be back to thievery.

So, some quick figuring...
A 900- 1000 pound round bale by me would need...
4 pallets each side, 2 across 2 high x 4 sides = 16 pallets
Then 1 or 2 pallets for the hay round to sit on and 1 or 2 pallets for a "top" to fully enclose it...
So all told 20 pallets, a few hinges, some wire fencing, a couple of metal fence posts, a locking hasp and padlock...
All told I could make a "container" for my hay roll that would cost no more than that tent thing you showed and last a lot longer...
Pallets by me are free or $1.00 a piece from several stores....they toss them in the garbage so happy to give them away...
Depending upon your bale sizes would make the determination of materials needed...
I found these sites with ideas that might better give you what I was referring to...
_http://www.suburbanhomesteading.com/5-useful-farm-projects-made-from-used-shipping-pallets/barn
How to Make a Pallet Barn - The Free Range Life
_The ideas are simple to do, minimal purchased materials...just some sweat equity and a little "tweaking" to make it fit what you need.

Hopefully, some ideas that are as economical in your area as by me...
_Good luck._
:runninghorse2:...
_
_


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## Chaz80 (Sep 29, 2015)

Horselovinguy yep I think that's what I am going to do,there are loads of places near me to get free pallets,i love making things so I should be ok with it,i am going to the yard tomorrow so will figure it out,time is limited for me at the moment as we only go to the yard a few days a week(hence again why it's so easy for them to steal my hay) as she is on 24 he turnout until the weather gets bad then she's in pretty much 24/7 and that's when I will need ALL my hay!!!


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## HeroAndGunner (Jul 25, 2016)

I'm sorry I wish people didn't steal.


I'm so paranoid. I have my horses on my own property and I lock everything up. I even lock up the front pasture gates that are by the road. I know someone could still come and cut the chain but it makes me feel a bit better.. LOL


My tack room has pad locks on it as well, I haven't had anything suspicious happen on my property but I'll rather be safe then sorry..


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## Kaifyre (Jun 16, 2016)

Yep. I don't know why people feel the need to steal everybody else's stuff. I keep all my horse's feed, his halter, fly spray etc in a steel trunk in front of his stall that I keep locked at all times. I keep my tack in my trailer tack room (again, locked at all times). My barn has a college rodeo team that swarms the place every year from September to November and they're HORRIBLE. Those college brats will steal ANYTHING. Loose hay, feed, poop rakes, halters, fly spray, you name it, they're going to make it theirs. I found a bottle of fly spray completely empty 2 days after I bought it, my horse's halter was on another horse, and one of the guys boarding there had his horse MOVED out of her stall and the stall was filled with 3 other horses. He enlisted my help in finding a padlock and we locked those other horses in the stall with a note that read "Oh I'm sorry .... you must have forgotten where these horses actually belong. Since you moved them into this stall I guess they can stay there indefinitely." lol The little college rodeo diva was all bent outta shape that someone DARED lock her precious steeds away. We got the BO involved and she is no longer welcome at that barn.

-- Kai


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## Chaz80 (Sep 29, 2015)

HeroAndGunner said:


> I'm sorry I wish people didn't steal.
> 
> 
> I'm so paranoid. I have my horses on my own property and I lock everything up. I even lock up the front pasture gates that are by the road. I know someone could still come and cut the chain but it makes me feel a bit better.. LOL
> ...


Hi,we actually just moved to this yard two months ago as our last yard was burgled,all our tack was stolen they even stole my bag of carrots!!! Thankfully we were lucky and the police recovered it all about two weeks later.
So now we moved from one yard incase they came back....now I'm on another yard with theives that are resident!!!!
Some people have no shame.
But when I get to the yard today EVERYBODY will know I'm not a happy bunny lol!!!!!


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## horsegirl2016 (Sep 17, 2016)

I would either move yard or somehow set up a camera to try to catch the person who's taking it. That's truly a horrible thing for them to do and I know myself both straw and hay are expensive.
Good luck!


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## Chaz80 (Sep 29, 2015)

So..made progress today at last...
I told the yard owner and anybody who would listen about my hay going,he said he is aware of the problem but is finding it hard to find out who it is due to his health etc he has been poorly recently so I cut him some slack!!
He said I was more than welcome to use whatever I could find on the yard to build a box...so I went looking.
Just as I found what I needed another lady from the yard said oh tell you what you can have the shed that the yard owner gave her as she no longer needed it she's moving soon!!!!
Happy days but now I need to move it from one field to another lol...so hopefully problem solved and I will have no problems from now on..well when I move the shed that is haha.
Thanks guys for all your suggestions and support you are all great😊


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## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

Acadianartist said:


> There are motion-sensing game cameras used by hunters that run on batteries.


Exactly. That's a good way to go. These cameras are relatively inexpensive, take decent pictures, have night vision and can be set up for motion-sensing. They even take video with still photos.

Someone else mentioned putting up a sign mentioning the camera. I would only do that if you have NO camera (a bluff). If the person knows there is a camera, he can look for it and steal that too. Game cameras use an internal storage card - if the camera is gone, so it the evidence.  Install it at a time when no one can see the install, put it in a location that is not easy to see (near the ceiling in a stall - people tend not to look up), and tell no one that you placed it.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Glad that's sorted. I'd say they'd knife a tent to get to the hay so you'd be out there to money wise. Best is a camera hidden and no mention. The game cameras are great and they are easy to use.


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