Just in case
Recovering a stolen horse can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. One thing you need to consider ahead of time is how you would identify your horse to law enforcement and prove your ownership in the case of a dispute. The best time to protect yourself is long before you need to do so. Here are some steps you can take now to make the process easier:
• Photograph your horse. Get multiple videos and still pictures: Remove all tack and get a full body view of your horse from each side, in his winter and summer coats, and when he’s clean and dirty. Also get close-ups of any brands, tattoos, scars, markings, whorls or other distinguishing features. Get a few photos that include yourself, with a background that is clearly on your property. Keep these photos in multiple places, including in a file on your computer, in the cloud as well as printouts in a filing cabinet, in case one set is lost or destroyed.
• Keep relevant paperwork on file. Also keep both paper and electronic files of all paperwork pertaining to your horse. A bill of sale is an important proof of ownership: When you buy a horse, make sure you have a document that includes a description of the horse, with any identifying marks or registrations, as well as the date of sale, the purchase price, any terms and the signatures of both buyer and seller. You’ll also want to have on hand any paperwork pertaining to equine brand, tattoo and/or microchip registrations; a current Coggins; veterinary records that show your name on the invoices; any insurance paperwork; and breed registrations and transfer-of-ownership paperwork.
• Store a DNA sample. If you ever run into a legal dispute about whether or not a particular horse is rightfully yours, it may be helpful to be able to provide indisputable evidence that he was once yours. One way to do this is to pull a sample of mane and tail hairs, including the root, which can be used for a DNA test. Place these hairs inside a plastic bag and enclose it in an envelope, along with a copy of the bill of sale and some photographs of your horse and your own photo ID, and other paperwork listed above. Seal all of this into a sturdy envelope and mail it to yourself. When it arrives in your mailbox, do not open the envelope: Place the entire packet in a secure, fireproof place, such as a home safe or a safe deposit box. The DNA could be used to prove that you are claiming the correct horse, and the postal cancellation gives you a legally documented date of your ownership.