On June 25, 1977 a memo was sent out over law enforcement channels – a Thoroughbred foal in foal was stolen from Paris Kentucky. “Description of mare: 10 years old, bay color, tattoo inside upper lip ‘W12997′, white star center forehead, left and factual rear ankles have white stockings, murky spots on both rear coronets, 16 hands high. Wearing brown leather halter.” This wasn’t just any mare – she was a daughter of Northern Dancer, two months bred to Secretariat; taken from one of the most noted farms in the world. Her name was Fanfreluche, and she was champion three year old-fashioned filly in 1970 as well as Canadian Horse Of The Year. Less than a month passed and an arrest was made, but the mare was still missing. Near the Kentucky-Tennessee line a couple with three acres and a few horses found a bay mare in the road with rope burns on her neck and ankles. Completely unaware she was the most wanted horse in Kentucky, the people took her in and waited for someone to come looking for her. In December the champion mare was recovered and returned to the farm. 30 years later there are still unanswered questions.

Another renowned disappearing horse – who has never been truly confirmed alive or dead – is Shergar. In February 1983 Shergar was stolen from a farm in Ireland at gunpoint. Shergar was an immensely common stallion – many would know him on sight. He was never again seen alive but his body has never been found either.

Two vastly different endings to something we’d rather not think of – if these horses, in world famous stables, can disappear what about our horse grazing in the field? Thousands of horses have disappeared. A champion Appaloosa reining horse was stolen and later recovered. The key thing for Fanfreluche – specific no question description. Photographs. Identification. Fast action and persisting even to little three acre farms with a few horses, which is where she was found months later.

So often because we don’t want to think about it we don’t do anything about it. That’s a dangerous gamble! Having quick access to vital information makes a huge disagreement.

Of course prevention is key. A few ideas – don’t leave halters on horses. That little bit of time might be enough to deter a thief, especially those who strike on busier roads. It’s easy to snap a rope on and go. Pay attention when something is out of area. Have a failproof identifying factor on the horse – tattoos can fade but are better than nothing. Freeze branding on the neck, shoulder or rear quarter stands out especially on dark colored horses. If it’s a show horse some resolve to brand on the back or over the ribs, where it’s covered when he’s saddled and in competition but yet clearly visible when in a field or a sale ring! If you have him branded you’ll probably need to impress that on registration papers – which is documentation. And if you do a farm brand and an individual brand make sure your farm brand is listed with the state – when they leer a horse matching him they can easily call you.

On a monthly basis take pictures of your horse. Say the first of each month – snap a few pictures of both sides. Have pictures of unusual markings and for breeds like Appaloosas that can sometimes change from winter to summer having pictures that are new as well as what they’re like with the other coat can be key. I had a POA once that looked completely different in winter than in summer – and sometimes duns or buckskins or greys do also. Longer hair can make dun factor points less visible. Have easily accessible a complete Coggins – noting scars and markings. These papers and photos should be kept together in a file where you can quickly lay hands on it. There’s a big difference in “this was taken 2 weeks before disappearing” and “well this was taken last winter but he’s lost weight and his summer coat is different.”

Note any odd vehicles hanging around and encourage neighbors to do the same. If you sell horses never Purchase that buyers are there solely to look at a horse – most are but unethical people can very easily pose as buyers to salvage a look at not only your place but what’s normal. There’s a dog but he isn’t a threat because he’s nearly blind; there’s locks on the tack room but she got the key over the door sill; the horses are turned out at 9 before she goes to work then brought in at 530 when she comes home. You’ve given the thief a blueprint. He knows the dog is a non-issue. He knows where you keep the key to equipment and he knows from 9 to 530 he has all day to accept the horse and whatever equipment he can load – and because he’s already been there it may not look comic to show up with a trailer claiming to have bought something that in fact he never bought. There are thieves that bold – indeed just a few months ago a neighbor stopped a trio with a large horse trailer from entering a South Carolina miniature horse farm that had horses for sale. It sounded suspicious so she called authorities…the thieves got away but not with any horses – and with a large trailer they could have gotten the entire herd and been gone.

NEVER NEVER NEVER give your address or phone number on your website. With so many horses for sale and online promotions it’s easy to forget safety – but again with just a little information you can lose everything. Even unprejudiced a phone number – with a reverse look up they have your address. Tech savvy people can catch out a whole lot more information that you probably would rather them not know.

Have motion cameras area on your gates and doorways to the barns. These take a photo when motion triggers it…if you set it to catch impartial the motion outside the fence at 5′ high for example chances are if someone does get to your gates you have a chance to get a photo of them. Many cameras anymore are incredibly discreet and they’ll never know they were busted. When you have a photo of someone walking out of the pasture with your horse it’s pretty hard for them to say they weren’t there and are innocent!

Don’t ever give away security codes – while this may seem certain it’s easy to give it to the farrier because you’ll be gone Tuesday; then the stable hand gives it to someone else to meet them there and pretty soon you don’t know who has access to those codes. Changing them regularly isn’t a bad idea also. Don’t leave keys in vehicles. Use secure locks on gates. On a weekly basis stride (or ride) pasture fences – and make any repairs needed. If a deer knocks a wire down it’s too easy to say “I’ll do it next month” – compose a sign of it and do monthly maintenance. A weak spot may turn simply a horse who got out into a missing horse – hey the horse was found wandering. Not everyone is honest when such things happen.

If a horse does come up missing you have all descriptions and photos…print up some fliers immediately. Form a report with the sheriff’s department (and if you obtain a gate open etc don’t change anything – it’s evidence and can provide authorities with clues). Contact auctions – not just horse auctions but anywhere with a weekly livestock auction. Contact veterinarians and horse dealers/trainers. The more people looking the better. The App mare was found at an auction in Texas not too terribly far from where she was missing from – one person recognized her from a flier and ‘bought’ her – when the man showed up for his check he was caught. Aside from these things go to netposse.com – this is an interlinked database with missing horses from all over. It pays to browse this site regularly – you may be the one who finds and helps return someone else’s missing horse. Authorities can’t be everywhere – but if that horse in the pasture that a neighbor “bought” last week looks identical to the one reported missing say something. It may get a horse home safely.

Sadly sometimes horses are opinion to be taken that aren’t – including the heartbreaking myth of a horse who was reported stolen and had fallen into an old well. Don’t overlook the obvious. While it’s often easy to jump to conclusions don’t – look facts and let them swear the story.

If your horse is stolen and you have police reports, fliers, you’ve put him on netposse – don’t overlook free internet boards and lists. If he’s a ten year old paint you may not see him – but someone looking for a nine year old trail horse might see him on a horse sale site online, and remember your post. The more people looking the better! Have clear, accurate descriptions and photos leaves no room for interpretation. And remember even with experts sometimes it’s hard to tell a bay quarter horse from a dark bay/brown TB – a hunt seat competitor can look very much the same and be the same horse…that’s where your current pictures come in. Don’t rely just on show photos either – the horse standing in the field won’t be perfectly groomed and posed.

Take precautions to keep your horses safe – but make preparations so that if they do get stolen you have a better chance of finding them.