Criminals’ ill-gotten gains will allow a Horsewatch organisation to continue to support victims of rural crime.

North Wales Horse Watch has been given £4,920 after they applied for a share of a £60,000 pot through the ‘Your Community Your Choice’, a joint initiative of the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales and North Wales Police.

The initiative supports community projects by donating some funding from the police and crime commissioner and money seized from criminals under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Applications were considered by a police panel, then opened to an online public vote.

Helen Lacey, who founded North Wales Horse Watch in 2010 after a driving harness and generator of hers were stolen, told H&H the funds will allow the voluntary organisation to continue to support victims of crime.

“We applied for the funding because rural crime is massively on the increase. A lot of yards were being targeted and people were coming to us asking for tack-stamping and we didn’t have the resources to cope with the number,” said Helen.

“We have a new project visiting schools, universities, Pony Club branches, and clinics to educate the younger generation about crime prevention. It starts at an early age – if they can be aware of what is going on then it helps them growing up.”

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The break-in happened between 6.30pm on Wednesday (9 January) and 8am on Thursday.

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The funds will go towards more equipment including microchip scanners and a purpose-built trailer to allow the organisation to attend events and offer tack-marking and demonstrations.

“It feels good that the funds have come from proceeds of crime and are now being used for crime prevention and education,” said Helen.

“Volunteers give up their time but we can’t run on fresh air, so by receiving the money our volunteers can continue to help people. I feel very supported by people voting for us. We had lots of posts on our Facebook page encouraging others to vote for us and congratulating us when we won.”

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Paralympian Nicola Tustain (pictured, above right) is backing her local Horse Watch initiative. Nicola, former world and paralympic champion, lives in North Wales and has signed up as a member. She is now encouraging other riders in the region to do the same.

North Wales Horse Watch aims to help prevent, reduce and detect equine crime.

“I thought it was a great opportunity to get involved and help reduce equine crime,” said Nicola. “I know people who have been victims of an attempt to steal a pony, so I happy to support the scheme.”

Police volunteer Helen Lacey (pictured, above left) established the first Horse Watch in north-east Wales in 2010. It now has more than 2,500 members signed up across North Wales.

“[Members] get free advice on security and any information we think is important to share among the equine community, such as suspicious activity or crime trends, or forthcoming security marking events,” she said.

Members are encouraged to register all serial numbers of equipment they hold, passport and microchip numbers and descriptions of their horses.

For details, email northwaleshorsewatch@yahoo.co.uk or horsewatch@nthwales.pnn.police.uk, or visit the North Wales Horse Watch website.

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Berkshire College of Agriculture is holding an equine safety and security day on Saturday, 18 September, at Burchetts Green, near Maidenhead, from 10 am to 4 pm.

Horsewatch will be available to mark tack, your horse can be booked in to be microchipped, and you can have your postcode put on your trailer roof — pre-booking is required on the number below.

Various security firms will be showing their products, and equestrian outlets will have a selection of early Christmas presents.

For further information please contact Amanda King on 01628 827529 or email aking@bca.ac.uk

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Horse owners are being invited to bring their saddles to the South of England showground, in Ardingly, West Sussex for free security marking by the police on Wednesday 11 August.

Sussex Police’s North Division have been working in conjunction with the South of England Agricultural Society (SEAS) to help prevent tack theft in the Horsham and Mid Sussex areas.

Over the past 12 months, since investing in the equipment, the SEAS and local police have sponsored the marking of 500 saddles.

The process involves marking the saddles with a unique number that enables police to trace its owners if it is recovered from a burglary.

They hope to be able to mark a further 40 from Pony Club members on 11 August at 2pm and are inviting any other horse owners to bring their saddles along from midday.

For more information contact Susan Fleet of the SEAS on 01444 235475 or 07885 373394.

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A new saddle-marking scheme has been set up in Staffordshire, with tack stamped with a unique reference number.

Watling Street Neighbourhood Policing Unit has launched the Secure Saddles marking scheme through Horsewatch.

A reflective cantle plate is fixed to the back of all saddle, clearing identifying it as being security marked, and a reference number is stamped elsewhere on the leather.

Staffordshire Police then keeps owner’s details on a database.

Pc Kate Hardt said: “This new method of security marking does not rely on the old method of post coding tack which can cause difficulties when tracing the owners of stolen property.

“The fluorescent cantle plate is easily seen in the dark and simply and easily identifies the owner.”

If you live in the area and would like your saddle marked, contact PC Hardt on 0300 123 4455.

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Hampshire Horsewatch group is holding a free tack marking session on Saturday 13 June and is inviting anyone whose tack is not postcoded to come along.

The session will be held at West Croft Livery Yard on Havant Road, Hayling Island, from 10.30am until 3.30pm.

Police forces around the country are often left in the unenviable position of having to return tack they believe has been stolen to suspects because they have no way of proving it belongs to someone else.

If you postcode your tack, and all other items of your horse equipment, it can be easily returned to you.

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HORSE owners could soon be using a high-tech method of security pioneered by the motor industry to mark tack.

A system of microdots is already used by car and motorcycle manufacturers. When police recover a vehicle, they scan it with a reader that traces the item to the manufacturer’s database.

A database launched this year to mark and register expensive antiques (www.national-antiques-register.co.uk). Its founder Geoff Stapley’s daughter suggested there was a demand for a comparable service in the horse world.

Tacksafe launches in a month, but Mr Stapley has already registered 60 saddles.

He explained: “I send you 500 microdots in a test-tube. You mix the dots with a solution to make a glue-like substance, and paint it on the tack in various places. Even if a few are scrubbed off, there will always be some left.”

The microdots refer the police to a database holding the owner’s details and basic details of each item — not including its value — are entered onto a second register.

Subscribers to the National Antiques Register pay £39.95 per item and Tacksafe will charge the same, although if customers want to mark a group of items, the price per item will drop.

Mr Stapley says his local police are enthusiastic about the register. But, Helen Evans, Horsewatch liaison officer for Thames Valley Police, favours postcoding over invisible marking systems.

“I welcome anything that prevents saddles being stolen,” said Ms Evans,“but if an officer stops a van at 2am and finds a load of saddles, he may not have a scanner, and if he can’t prove they’re stolen, he may not be able to seize the tack. “

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (11 September, ’08)

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