lots of stuff stolen at AMHR Nationals?

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Sanny

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leave for home?!?!

I was just curious if anyone knew more about it. This was so sad to hear and I don't think it was any actual mini people or anyone that worked on the grounds but was a major problem for the first time. I heard bits and pieces and heard 4 or 5 bumper pull trailers were just hitched up and pulled out (stolen) including some that were already all loaded with carts and gear on the last couple of days of the show. I don't know what we would have done if it had happened to us and beyond losing a lot of valuable tack and equipment, how did they manage to get their horses back home? I was at the office waiting my turn for something and a trainer was reporting his trailer stolen and then the last day (Saturday) there were several announcements through the day to watch your stuff and keep things locked up because stuff was disappearing left and right - carts, tack, purses, misc. items here and there. I know a barn neighbor just an aisle away from us left to go in a stakes class Saturday and came back and harnesses had been stolen out of his tack stall. They had several horses to show in stakes and were in a hurry and didn't lock the tack stall but still....they were not gone THAT long and this was in the middle of the day, broad daylight with people coming and going.

Regarding the stolen trailers, someone mentioned that in Oklahoma horse trailers don't need to be licensed or have titles so more tend to be stolen. We have a goose neck and will be going this week to get a special anti theft thing that locks on to the hitch part that only costs $40 or $50 to prevent such a thing from happening.

Lots of people were talking about this on Saturday, but I heard bits and pieces and was wondering if anyone had more details or accurate information. All of us that talked about it agreed that the grounds should have some sort of security process when trailers are leaving....people were hitching up and pulling out of the parking lots all day long, I wouldn't have known if someone was pulling a trailer that didn't belong to them.
 
That is so sad that something like happens.. But in Wisc. we don't have to have trailers licensed either if Total weight is Under 3,000#'s So a small mini trailer hauling a few minis even in Wisc. does not have to have a license on.. I know I don't have even a title or license on mine as it is a Home Made one~~! And is just a single axle, and in no way do I even get close to that 3,000# limit And mine is mostly covered by Aluminum for lighter weight anyway.. But when I do haul and go to shows I have a Padlock that Locks the Hitch~! I even have it locked here in my yard as if I go away for a time.. Those padlocks are very cheap and easy to use to stop somebody from just backing up and hauling it away...
 
Padlocks don't work- a thief can have them off in ten seconds flat. I have a thingey that actually fits into and is locked into place in the socket itself. The real beauty of this is it cannot be seen so, without actually fiddling with the trailer, no-one would know it was there. If you couple this with a wheel clamp, they spend their time getting the wheel clamp off and then find they still cannot hitch up. Thieves of this kind are opportunists so they go in and out. Once their time is up they will abandon the project and move on. I had someone try to steal mine out of the field, whilst I was sleeping there foaling a mare!! I had put it there the night before, just an overnighter, and they took three others the same night. My Doberdog went to the fence and pointed out the futility of their situation and they left!!! Another brilliant idea is to paint your Zip Code on top of the trailer in Dayglo!! A traffic helicopter will pick it up in a moment and, if that is on the "stolen" list- BINGO- Yes I know a few people who have got trailers back that way. A friend went a little further- she painted the whole trailer Dayglo Yellow- it was HIDEOUS. Someone stole it- and they brought it back
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Left it at the top of the drive
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Well, I would not have wanted it and it sure stood out in a snowstorm.
 
Well that is true A Lock only Prevents the Honest person from stealing anything But at least if there is a lock A thief just might go and look for an easier target that is all... And this also goes for locking ones doors at hoome... Only locks prevent honest people from breaking in
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Yes someone next to us a aisle over had there trailer stolen and had to go buy a new one to get home. we went and pulled ours up nearthe barns the first nite they told us. I think they should be parked t here personally not in the back like they were. Heard from a officer that the locks reallydont do much good they can and do get them off pretty quick. We had someone sleeping in our barn and that seemed to help since there was always someone there.
 
I know Bruce Abbots cargo/horse trailer was stolen. I guess he was loading stuff on it, came back to put more things on it and it was gone! I do not know if this was Sat or Sunday. But I was told he bought a used stock trailer to get horses home. When Lyn j gets back to VA I am sure she will have all the details.

I left on Friday morning and I am glad!

HEIDI
 
Oh my GOSH! This is terrible to hear about!!!!! I can only imagine how I'd feel if someone stole my trailer at a show, with my gear, and my horses needing to get home and living 1/2 a country away...
 
Holy crap! That's scary.....and I think we will be a lot more careful at our shows--we hook up at the trailer, and occassionally we don't have time to 'close everything up' when driving the horses, so everything's there for the taking...yikes...

We do, however, usually have the truck parked(and locked) in front of the trailer hitch(gooseneck), so not easy to steal.
 
One of the trailers belonged to one of Patty Cloke's clients. It was a customized aluminum bumper pull trailer with 6 stalls. She was devastated. All her show tack, harnesses, cart, grooming supplies--she was up all night trying to list everything that was in it. The police told her she'd never see it again--and they weren't going to look for it because "it happens all the time". This was a custom MINI trailer--Hart--that she just got this year. She asked them how hard would it be to put out an APB since it's so distinctive????

It was the third trailer stolen from the lower lot--they made all of us move our trailers from the lot next to the barn so there was more vehicle parking. Up to that point there was NO mention that trailer theft was a problem--not until the fourth one was taken.
 
Dr. Pam said:
One of the trailers belonged to one of Patty Cloke's clients.  It was a customized aluminum bumper pull trailer with 6 stalls.  She was devastated.  All her show tack, harnesses, cart, grooming supplies--she was up all night trying to list everything that was in it.  The police told her she'd never see it again--and they weren't going to look for it because "it happens all the time".  This was a custom MINI trailer--Hart--that she just got this year.  She asked them how hard would it be to put out an APB since it's so distinctive????
It was the third trailer stolen from the lower lot--they made all of us move our trailers from the lot next to the barn so there was more vehicle parking.  Up to that point there was NO mention that trailer theft was a problem--not until the fourth one was taken.

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What a nightmare!!! "I" know, and so do lots of us, what it takes to get that equipment and that trailer. I am so sorry for Patty's client. And the police say it happens all the time??? Really makes me think twice about hauling my horses and equipment to Tulsa.
 
As terrible as this is, I am surprised it doesn't happen more often. All the years I went

to Hunter/Jumper shows with my daughter, I was always amazed at how people left

their thousands of dollars worth of riding gear just laying around or in unlocked tackrooms. People always said, "Oh, horse people are all honest" but it wasn't horse people I was worried about. We always took my daughter's saddle, bridle and riding boots to the hotel with us. I would not be able to just run out and buy new ones if they got stolen so it was worth it to me. Like rabbit, I also had a lock on my trailer that couldn't be removed. Its sad that we have to be prepared for theft but in this world it's better safe than sorry.
 
Someone needs to watch ebay for miniature horse stuff to show up......................... Dirty rotten crooks !
 
As was mentioned earlier, so many trailers there, more coming and going all the time. If you were to watch a trailer for a few hours it would be an easy matter to hook on to it either during an event, at a meal time etc and be down the road. Many states are so lax it might not need a title or a serial number. A fresh coat of paint and its ready to sell, swap, trade or whatever. Here in Ontario you can register any trailer as a homebuilt. All you ned to do is weight the trailer on a commercial scale and go get a plate for it. Its never questioned and used trailers without registrations are sold everyday. Maybe many of them are stolen units. We have a friend who used to race snowmobiles. He had a battery powered wrench and took the lug nuts off the two left side tires when they stopped overnight at motels and events. Over the years that saved him three times that he knew about. The trailer had been moved but not far. It truly is tragic that some people feel the need for crime rather than work as a way of life.
 
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Man, that is a HORRENDOUS thing to have happen!
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I wish the people who had them stollen will post photos of the trailers so we can keep an eye out for them. This just sucks!
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Cathy_H said:
Someone needs to watch ebay for miniature horse stuff to show up......................... Dirty rotten crooks !
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THAT is a good idea!

Last season was the first I really went to shows, and Priscilla kept telling me I didn't need to worry about my purse or camera and nothing was stolen but I can tell you in other walks of life, I have dealt with plenty "horse people" who are not the most honest... Plus, shows attract non-horse people, obviously... Harvey feels kinda like a dope walking around with my purse sometimes but we're scared it will get stolen. Poor Harvey!

The idea of going out into the parking lot and finding the trailer stolen still floors me, even more than the idea of a truck stolen. Until this thread, such a thing never crossed my mind.
 
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Really sad.
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I had heard that there were a few horses stolen but don't know if its true or not.
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Robin
 
We left on Friday morning and hadn't heard anything about anything being stolen. (of course we were out in the "stix" barn and didn't hear much of anything anyway).

But we did take note while we were leaving that it was a good time to be leaving as the place was starting to bustle with the fair people coming in. Not saying they're the ones responsible, but it did bring a lot of outside traffic onto the grounds.

So sad this had to happen!!

Shelley
 
The lady that got her trailer stolen was Patty Fingland. She said the the police almost acted like they were scolding her for leaving her trailer parked, unattended. Let's not blame the criminal! hehehe. She had everything in there that she owned, brushes, blankets, show tack, show halters, etc. The only thing that was in there (thank, goodness) was her show cart and harness. She has been too tired to put it in after her classes and had just locked up in her tack room. She was very upset. Three nice people offered to bring her horses back to Springfield for her. The police said that it is a weekly event at the grounds.

I think it should be like the RV Park. A big fence all the way around, and you have to have a claim check that matches the tag on your trailer when you are ready to pick up. That is how they do it at the Iowa State Fair, and you can't get your trailer stolen that way. I am taking some horse blankets over to Patty, today, until hers come in.
 
OMG!!!
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That is just shocking! Sure makes you think twice & think again after that. Thieves just have no idea how much they hurt the person they steal from......correct that to say "thieves just don't care........."
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There are few things I hate more than a thief.
 
If this "happens every weekend" I would be blaming the facility as well! They should be protecting the people that show there!!!!

I am so sorry for everyone that lost out because of pathetic low-life scum!

-Amy
 

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