Protecting Your Horses From Thieves

**Note: this is an update of a post I wrote last fall. Since then, my number of subscribers has increased, and sadly, there is a need for this vital blog, as in recent days, a horse was found butchered, and there have been other horses stolen, not to mention numerous suspicious sightings.

For decades, horses have been stolen from their pastures and stables in South Florida, only to be butchered for their meat. Most of the time, the heartless criminals were never caught, save for a few individuals who were prosecuted by new Florida laws, making their crime a felony.

Then, in 2020, the thefts made national headlines when several horses were butchered further north in Florida along the I-75 corridor. One of the horses was a newly imported warmblood named Phedras De Blondel, whom Steve and Debbie Stephens had recently purchased for $500,000. He had only been at their farm for a few days after leaving quarantine when his butchered remains were found on their farm.

Sadly, several other horses from Ocala to Palmetto, Florida, met the same fate within three months, and there were several more failed attempts. An arrest in October of 2020 resulted in the arrest of the killer of one of the horses, and in June of 2023, Eladio Garcia-Gasca was sentenced to 10 years of prison, followed by another ten years’ probation, and ordered to pay $250,000 in restitution, for stealing and butchering one of those horses. He is also prohibited from possessing, caring for, custody of, or controlling any animal.

During this period, horsemen everywhere were on edge, with several Facebook groups forming, such as Florida Horse Watch and Keeping Florida Horses Safe, to keep horse owners alerted to suspicious activities. And the reports came in daily, with any car looking out of place being reported. Because of these groups, there were most likely many horses who’s lives were spared because of due diligence.

In Florida, just in the month of January 2024, a horse named Caesar was stolen and butchered in Apopka, and two horses were stolen and later found butchered in Miami around New Years. In addition, there have been reports of stolen horses and attempts to steal, over the past several months. Once again, horse owners are on alert. Unfortunately, it is a problem that will not soon go away. While horse butchering seems to be a Florida event, horses are stolen from stalls and pastures nationwide. I had to file a police report on suspicious activity on my farm when several gates to my runs and a tack room door were found open one morning. We have since added security cameras and posted signs.

So, how can you protect your horses?

· Install motion sensor lights and motion-activated surveillance cameras. Garcia-Gasca was captured on video surveillance at the farm where he stole the Thoroughbred named Halo, which led to his arrest.

· Post signs warning not only of cameras but of dogs (even if you don’t have dogs!) Thieves tend to pass over places with warning signs.

· Alarm pads should not be in a location where a thief can see if it is on. And if you have alarms, use them!

· Thieves don’t like noise. Geese, livestock guardian dogs, and donkeys are deterrents.

· Replace wire fencing, which can be cut, with board fencing, especially on the back side of the property and those with easy access to roads.

· Patrol pastures daily. Look for fresh tire marks, cut wires, trampled bushes, and other signs that someone was scoping your property.

· Plant thorny shrubs along your fence line.

· Get to know your neighbors! Look out for one another. Tell them that if they see anyone leading your horse or attempting to load it, do not assume it is all right. It is ok to be nosey!

· Vary your routine. Thieves like orchestrated schedules. If you leave, consider timers that turn on lights and the TV at different times. And if you are gone for an extended time, ensure your mail and newspaper are collected. Is it snowing? Ask your neighbor to make fresh tire tracks in your driveway.

· Many thieves canvas farms by posing as potential boarders, students, looking for employment, etc. Consider asking for ID and taking a photo of their license plate. Be wary of anyone who shows up unannounced, especially anyone looking for sale horses.

· Use common sense regarding social media. Don’t announce you are going out of town. Don’t reveal the location of your horse. Remove your address from websites.

· Report any suspicious vehicles. Confront anyone taking photographs of your horses or property. Get tag numbers. Many victims reported seeing suspicious cars hanging around their property. If confronted, they always had flimsy excuses, such as looking for an address to deliver a package. Take photos of the car, tag, and the persons themselves. Make a report to the police.

If your horse is missing, whether or not you think it has been stolen or perhaps just gotten loose and wandered off, contact the police immediately. Next, contact Stolen Horse International-NetPosse Missing and Stolen Equine on Facebook and NetPosse.com. The faster the word is put out, the greater the chance of recovering your horse.

Don’t be afraid to report anything suspicious to the police. One must be vigilant in keeping their horses safe!