Thieves steal equipment worth thousands from Loudon Co. horse barn
"I don't even have the stuff to get on a horse," Kelly Wallace said. "They took my helmets, all of my helmets, my bridles, my girths, everything, I can't even ride until I replace some of the critical things."
Wallace said she knew instantly something was wrong when she walked to her barn on Monday morning and saw a bridle on the ground outside.
"The horse community is outraged over this because it could be anybody," she said. "This is what, aside from maybe a barn fire or something like that, I mean, this is one of the most devastating losses a horse person can experience."
Thieves also nearly emptied Wallace's horse trailer, taking off with enough gear to end her competition season. She won't even be able to rider her horse, Stryder, until she manages to replace the equipment.
In the meantime, she has compiled a list of what went missing and sent it out to her friends within the horse community. She's also working with investigators at the Loudon County Sheriff's Office.
"It's probably somebody that knows how to move these kind of items 'cause they're in the same type maybe horse trade, they may even show horses themselves and got into some kind of bind, whether it be bills or narcotics or anything like that, so this is why they picked this particular place," Lt. Patrick Upton said.
Investigators said they will still search the typical places, including pawn shops, but they'll also keep an eye on Craigslist and tack meets.
Plus, with so much missing, they say there's a better chance something will turn up somewhere.
Meanwhile, Wallace said several of her friends have offered to chip in money so that she can offer a donation for the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for the crime.
"You work all your life, you work hard to accumulate things that are important to you, you develop sentimental value with it, and someone thinks it's okay to come and take it from you, and that's not human, that's not human," she said. "I guess I was just raised right, somebody wasn't."
Anyone with information is asked to call the Loudon County Sheriff's Office at 865-458-9081.
The following is a list of the items stolen from Kelly Wallace's barn:
• Stubben Siegfried VSS jumping
saddle, 17.5" seat, 32 cm tree (17.5 and 32 stamped under right
flap), dark brown, made in Switzerland, late model with blue
dots and smooth knee pads. When stolen had matching Stubben
stirrup leathers with metal blue dots and traditional stainless
steel stirrup irons with black gripper pads
• Harry Dabbs Euro (stamped in side of browband) figure-eight
noseband bridle, dark brown, cob size, made in England, when
stolen had a 5 ¾" three-ring French link elevator bit and rubber
reins.
• Dover Showmark flash noseband bridle, dark brown, cob size,
brass hardware, cob size, when stolen had a 5" Waterford bit and
Stubben rubber reins.
• Courbette dressage bridle, flash noseband, black, cob size,
red Courbette emblem on one side of browband, when stolen had 5
½" baucher bit and laced reins.
• Dark brown bridle, plain raised noseband, cob size, no
markings, when stolen had a 5 ¾" loose ring wonder bit and laced
reins.
• Shires flash noseband bridle with reins, horse size, brand new
in the package.
• Shires flash noseband bridle, cob size, brand new in the
package
• Dark brown stirrup leathers, dark brown, made in England, new
with tags, can't recall maker.
• Nunn Finer traditional hunting breastplate, dark brown, cob
size, brass hardware.
• Heritage rubber lined reins, dark brown, may be stamped
Heritage or made in England.
• Barnsby leather split-end overlay girth, size 50, elastic on
one end, medium brown, made in England.
• Professional's Choice neoprene girth, elastic on both ends,
brown, size 50"
• Professional's Choice neoprene girth, elastic on both ends,
black, size 48"
• Whitman leather overlay girth, dark brown, elastic one end,
size 46".
• Weaver leather chafeless girth, dark brown, elastic on one
end, size 50".
• Barnstable leather dressage girth, elastic on both ends,
black, size 22".
• Two (2) Wintec elastic girths, black neoprene, not sure of
sizes but believe one was a 22" and one was a 24".
• Myler MB02 comfort snaffle, loose ring, 5 ½".
• Several miscellaneous bits, all some sort of snaffle
mouthpiece (either single-jointed or French-link), probably a
couple of two or three ring elevator bits, maybe a Dee ring.
• Three (3) Tipperary Sportage helmets of varying models, all
carbon gray, all are either size small or extra small.
• International skull cap with custom Sipps Silks nylon cover,
black with red chevrons, helmet size 6 7/8.
• Charles Owen Hampton black velvet helmet, tan Pittards leather
harness, size 6 ¾. When stolen was in a Charles Owen helmet
case, black nylon/cordura exterior with purple quilted satin
lining.
• FTE open-front jumping boots, black leather, neoprene lining,
size 2, made in Italy, four straps with buckles. Pair.
• N.E.W. Equine Wear Lightweight Competition boots
(cross-country boots with the hard shell tendon guard), size
medium, black cordura type exterior, green tags, orthopedic
foam/neoprene lining. Pair.
• N.E.W. Equine Wear Lightweight Competition boots
(cross-country boots with the hard shell tendon guard), size
medium, black smooth nylon type exterior, green tags, orthopedic
foam/neoprene lining. Pair. Probably a tad dirty from a recent
x-c run.
• Woof Wear traditional brushing boots, black, four-strap model.
Pair. Probably a tad dirty from a recent x-c run.
• All Sport Boots (like Dressage Sport Boots but with neoprene
lining), black, probably have a bit of Kentucky Horse Park arena
dust on them. One pair of large, were stolen, and only a single
medium boot (they left the fourth boot).
• Woof Wear cross-country boots, black fuzzy exterior, wide
straps, medium. Pair.
• Grand Prix open front boots, black leather, made in Italy.
Pair.
• Crosby brown leather hind galloping boots, neoprene lined.
Pair.
• Champion pillow wraps, white, 12" and 14", flannel lined, set
of three (they left one behind), a little dirty from a recent
trip.
• Black standing wraps, set of four, not rolled, a little dirty
from a recent trip.
• Two (2) Rambo Horsewear poly pad type saddle pads, both black,
both were used on day of theft so one may have gray hair, one
may have dark palomino hair, both may have light sweat marks.
• Equine Textiles (may not be marked as such) quilted dressage
pad, faded navy blue.
• Dover Rider's International fleece cooler, full tapered neck,
navy with hunter and white binding.
• Horseware Ireland cotton cooler, light blue with grey trim and
tail cord.
• Baker sheet (yes, the real deal, not a fake one), size 78-80"
• Pair of ground driving lines, off white thick nylon with
rolled black ends, brass snaps, black buckle.
• Red lunge line with black leather hand stops, may have a tag
that says Practical Choice.
• Red lunge line, plain red, snap end.
• Veterinary kit, small plastic tote with VET KIT written on
top. Contains stethoscope, equine thermometer, injectable
Banamine, syringes, bandaging supplies, etc.
• Flambeau step stool with internal compartment. Contained
miscellaneous stabling supplies for travel such as bucket hooks,
screw eyes, extra snaps, a hammer, duct tape, etc.
• White bucket with Bit of Britain Saddlery logo in blue,
contains multiple horse bathing supplies such as Vetrolin Bath,
Quic Silver, Quic Condition 1, Eqyss Survivor Detangler, Cowby
Magin Green Spot Remover, etc.
• Red bucket that says something to the effect of "Bathing Only"
and is labeled with either Schaffer or Wallace. At the time it
was stolen it contained a partial gallon of Vetrolin liniment, a
large sponge, and a sweat scraper.
• Bucket of tack cleaning supplies containing Lexol Wipes, bit
wipes, Oakwood cleaner, Oakwood conditioner, and tack sponges.
Items were in a Nicker Makers bucket.