It's a familiar scenario. You and your horse have been out on the trail for hours, riding up hills, wading in streams, and trotting through gulleys. When the day is nearly over and the two of you are getting tired, you start back to the trailhead. You get to your trailer, untack your horse, load him up, and head home.
Now imagine that same scenario - but when you get back to the trailhead, your trailer is gone! Your truck is still there, but your trailer is nowhere to be found.
If this seems like a horrifying development, it is. Not only are you and your tired, hungry horse stranded, but your valuable trailer and everything in it are in the hands of a thief.
Every year, horse trailers are stolen right off towing vehicles, some from trailheads. In fact, trailheads are a good place for thieves to look for trailers, since they're often in remote areas with no one around to witness the theft.
The degree of theft risk doesn't depend on your trailer type or model. Everything from two-horse bumper pulls to four-horse goosenecks with living quarters are routinely stolen. Thieves simply unhitch the trailer and attach it to their own towing vehicle.
Here, we'll give you the steps to take to deter trailer theft from a trailhead. We'll also tell you what to do in case the worst should happen and provide you with a handy resource guide.
Step 1: Paint Your Trailer
When thieves size up your trailer to decide whether it's worth stealing, one of their first considerations is its appearance. Trailers that are easy to identify are less appealing, because they're easy to spot on the road.
If your trailer is white and generic-looking, it says "steal me." Think of how many white trailers are sold and used each year. Can you tell one from another at a glance?
"Do anything you can to make your trailer visually standout from the crowd," says Mark Cole of USRider Equestrian Motor Plan (800/844-1409; www.usrider.org). "Thieves might have a second thought about taking a trailer that's easily identifiable."
Fixing the look-alike problem is easy, thanks to companies that provide custom paint jobs tailored to horse trailers. By painting your ranch name/brand/logo, your horse's name, a rustic scene, or just about anything else on your trailer, you can make it unique and a lot less desirable to steal. Painting it a unique color is another way to make it stand out.
To find a custom paint company in your area, contact a local trailer dealer, and ask for a referral, or contact an auto painting company nearby to find out if they work on horse trailers. (Companies that custom paint trailers also usually paint cars, boats, and other types of vehicles.) Obtain a written estimate before committing to a paint job. The price you pay will depend on the size of your trailer, and the detail of the paint job you're looking for. Expect to pay at least $1,000, probably more.
Bear in mind that you'll get what you pay for: If the price is low, the quality of paint and workmanship may be sub-par and less than durable. To investigate a company's quality of work, ask for references to past trailer-owning customers.
If you choose to go with a custom paint job, be prepared to leave your trailer at the shop for at least a few days while the work is being done.
