A Pony Club branch was “shocked and frustrated” to find its trailer full of jumps worth £5,000 had been stolen.
The trailer was taken overnight between 10 and 11 October from a field in Lypiatt, Gloucestershire, where the Stroud branch holds its summer rallies and camps.
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The lock on the gate of the field was cut by the thieves, as well as a lock on the trailer itself.
A horse trailer, which had been parked in front of the one containing the jumps for security, had been rammed out of the way.
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“It seemed so brash,” district commissioner Catie Howard told H&H.
“It was so tucked away and you couldn’t see it from the road.
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“There were four horses in the field too – thankfully they were sectioned off as [the thieves] left the main gate open when they took the trailer.”
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The trailer is an Indespension V675 and the stolen equipment includes around 40 poles, 22 wings, six planks, two gates, a ladder, eight fillers, dressage markers and cups.
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A filler and a wing were found on the road outside a local pub and Mrs Howard believes they fell from the trailer, as the jumps were not properly secured.
The small branch, which has around 30 members, has been left with a couple of wings but no poles or cups.
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“The Stroud branch is a really good bunch and very supportive,” Mrs Howard said.
“It makes me feel angry that people feel that they can just do that and not realise how it will have an impact on people.
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“Fortunately the trailer was insured but we have worked hard and gradually built up our stock of jumps; the children chose a lot of the designs and patterns and sponsors provided some of the jumps.
“Some of them are quite distinctive so hopefully they will be too hot to handle.”
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The branch is hopeful local riding clubs and other Pony Club branches might be able to donate jumps.
“The support and some of the offers and kindness that we’ve seen shown is quite overwhelming,” Mrs Howard added.
Police have been notified and anyone with information should call 101.
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Rachael joined Horse & Hound in 2014, initially as a digital sub editor then became part of the news team as a writer in 2015. The philosophy graduate studied journalism at the Press Association before working as a local reporter at the Brentwood Gazette. Rachael is now a mum of two and still loves all things equestrian, including hacking, dressage and jumping with her cob Bert. Rachael left the H&H staff to go freelance in June 2019, but still contributes to our magazine and website, as well as our sister magazine Country Life, among others.
