Keeping your equestrian equipment safe
As many of us prepare to hit the road as the show season springs into action it is important to know that your tack and belongings are being kept as safe as possible. Our tack room contents are often a lifetime’s accumulation of items, amassed over many years and can hold a great amount of sentimental value, as well as actual value. Having it stolen, damaged or destroyed, is not only a huge a drain on the purse strings but can be a huge tug on the heart strings, not to mention the inconvenience of finding replacements.
You can protect your equestrian equipment against being accidentally damaged, lost, stolen, or destroyed and some policies can also offer coverage for a range of additional items, away from just saddlery. Did you know you can insure all your equestrian contents and even feed and forage?
It is important that when taking out insurance on your equestrian contents you are clear on what is covered in your policy and where and how your items should be stored. Often there are specific terms and conditions which must be adhered to. As always taking precautions and be vigilant is the best way to help to keep your items safe.
Below the Shearwater Insurance team of equestrian insurance experts have put together some top tips for you to consider when at home.
- Keep a record of all your valuable items and any proof of purchase. Keep those receipts and invoices handy, along with details of serial numbers where applicable.
- Take photos of any key items such as saddles, bridles, jumps, clippers etc.
- Ensure all items are security marked – have a look for your local Horsewatch groups who can help with the setting up of the marking.
- Fit deadlock bolts on tack room doors and bars on the windows where possible. Most policies will require a 5-lever mortice lock for cover to be applied and will have stipulations on door and window fittings.
- Regularly check your doors and windows for anything out of the ordinary or to see if anything has been moved or tampered with.
- Doors with weak hinges can be an easy access point for robberies so ensure these are made as secure as possible. Anti-drill hinges are advised.
- Installing CCTV, sensory lights and alarms can act as a good deterrent. Depending on your policy some may stipulate bells alarms or others may require monitored alarms that are managed by call centres to alert the police in the event of an alarm being triggered.
- Control access to your yard with secure gates and padlocks. Change access codes regularly.
- Tack lockers inside tack rooms can offer an additional layer of protection
When you’re on the road at a competition keeping your equipment safe can represent another challenge.
- Keep tack lockers locked when away from your vehicle at a show.
- Movable tack lockers that can be positioned by stables at stayaway shows are a great idea, but ensure they are secured to the stable or locked in position, with doors to the locker also remaining locked.
- Try to keep items left around horseboxes and stables to a minimum, keeping them safely secured in a locked vehicle.
- Horse owners will often overlook access from the horse area to the living of horseboxes. This presents easy access of thieves. Keep internal doors locked from the inside when away from your vehicle.
If you are looking to insure your items or have any questions around updating policies, give the equestrian team at Shearwater a call today or check out some further details on our policies here.