# Plait found in horses mane



## Mayflower (10 June 2013)

Today when i was bringing my horse in, (after a few days out) i noticed a plait in her mane. It wasn't easy to see and if i was not messing with her mane I wouldn't have noticed it. It seemed to be hidden underneath as she does have quite a long mane. So i brought her in and undone it, which was not easy. It was very tight and you could see it had been tied. It left it still with tight curls once it was out. This was NOT a wind knot. You could see it would have to be tied by a human. Just wanted opinions on it as were a little worried, although it might be nothing. Our field is overlooked by a house, but it has public footpaths all around it and multiple gates


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## Clava (10 June 2013)

Probably kids then if you are sure it was not a wind knot. What was it tied with? string, elastic band? something which would be easy to tie it with or something really difficult to tie it with like more hair?


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## JackAT (11 June 2013)

I don't mean to create panic or worry, but I've heard a rumour that thieves are marking horses by leaving a single plait in the mane and returning after a while to pick up the marked ones. 

However, I heard this on Facebook, before Appleby. I wouldn't worry too much because the reliability of the information is questionable, and most (myself included) think it's a myth, and wind knots sounds more plausible. 

Hope that helps


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## Elsiecat (11 June 2013)

Surely they'd take a picture of horse on ther phone? It's like putting a sticky note on a car saying 'steel this'. 
I doubt any horse has ever been stolen after having a plait. 
It was probably a kid.


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## weebarney (11 June 2013)

I don't think I believe the plait / theft connection. Op I don't think you have anything to worry about.


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## MileAMinute (11 June 2013)

This is the most ridiculous rumour going, and I'm surprised it's lasted this long.
It's a load of rubbish, no one is going around plaiting horses manes. Maybe a kid wanting a pony to go with her barbie doll.

A quick search on HHO, or ANY of the horse sites say the same thing.


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## Gryfiss (11 June 2013)

It is a well known way that thieves mark horses they want to nick I would be worried


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## Elsiecat (11 June 2013)

^have you got any evidence of this myth?


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## Nicnac (11 June 2013)

First post; scaremongering; load of rollocks; nuff said


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## Gryfiss (11 June 2013)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-14013511


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## Gryfiss (11 June 2013)

http://www.yourhorse.co.uk/Community-Landing/Forum-Landing/Forum-Categories/Topic/?&topic-id=26311


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## Elsiecat (11 June 2013)

I said 'evidence'. Both them links are purely based on speculation that there is any link between plaits (caused by children or the wind) and theft of horses.


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## Gryfiss (11 June 2013)

Elsiecat said:



			I said 'evidence'. Both them links are purely based on speculation that there is any link between plaits (caused by children or the wind) and theft of horses.
		
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It would be enough for me it's always good to air on the side of caution I don't get your problem .


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## Elsiecat (11 June 2013)

My 'problem' is people scare mongering when there is no evidence at all to support what they are saying.


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## Gryfiss (11 June 2013)

Elsiecat said:



			My 'problem' is people scare mongering when there is no evidence at all to support what they are saying.
		
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Fine that's my opinion that is yours,  that's what the point of posting on a forum is to ask for an opinion not everyone is going to have the same.


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## Elsiecat (11 June 2013)

But how can you have the opinion that something is true and tell people that it is a 'well known way' when you have no evidence? Some people just love the drama of speculation I guess.


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## JackAT (11 June 2013)

I highlighted the reliability of the rumour in my first post due to speculative information sources, and said I believed it was a myth. 

If it was a recurrent event, with apparently no cause, I might be a bit more careful. Maybe not for the fear of theft, but for the safety of any children/members of the general public, who love getting into accidents and finding someone to blame. "I ran up behind the horse in the field that I usually play with and it kicked me for no reason! Compensation!"

That being said, I believe most people have enough common sense to look, not touch/trespass, and I'm not trying to make sweeping generalisations.


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## gnubee (26 October 2013)

One of mine has a couple of windplaits at the moment. They are quite distinct from the rest of the mane so really look like someone has done them (and are practically impossible to undo) but I sincerely doubt that anyone is marking them for theft as:
- if you are plaiting a mane, you do a 3 strand plat, not some weird twisting effort that would be really difficult to convince to stay in without repeated twisting and rubbing;
- its been there 3 months now because I still haven't got round to cutting it out, and it won't untwist by hand or with a brush, and she is still here;
- there are 2 horses in my field; take the grey would be a much easier instruction to follow than "catch them all and then fiddle round under the mane until you find a bit that is twisted into a knot".


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## VioletBouldelair (8 November 2014)

The gypsy knot tale is true, my friend found one of these and found evidence on a camera, this is a text-book example. If I were you I would stable my horse with a security camera just incase.


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## ester (8 November 2014)

well as this thread is over a year old I imagine the OP either still has her horse, or not. Bit late now


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## VioletBouldelair (8 November 2014)

Lol


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## PolarSkye (8 November 2014)

I wish I had taken a picture of the wind plait I found in Cracker's mane a few days ago . . . looked JUST like someone had put it there . . . but as his owner is a traveller boy and our yard is on a private family compound owned by people of the same persuasion (and is as secure as Fort Knox) it's highly unlikely to be anything sinister.

Daft rumour - wish it wasn't so pervasive/widespread.

P


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## Nessa4 (24 March 2015)

JackAT said:



			I don't mean to create panic or worry, but I've heard a rumour that thieves are marking horses by leaving a single plait in the mane and returning after a while to pick up the marked ones. 

However, I heard this on Facebook, before Appleby. I wouldn't worry too much because the reliability of the information is questionable, and most (myself included) think it's a myth, and wind knots sounds more plausible. 

Hope that helps 

Click to expand...

This is one that has been doing the rounds forever!  If you think about it , it makes no sense at all - why would you put a very difficult to see marker on a strange horse to go back for it ?  Surely it would be easier to simply remove horse there and then?  More likely to be passing children!!


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## Nessa4 (24 March 2015)

Gryfiss said:



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-14013511

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Yes but to repeat - WHAT HARD EVIDENCE IS THERE?????  The fact that several horses have been found with random plaits shows that they HAVEN'T been stolen, doesn't it?  If this was true how would we know since the marked horses would have disappeared?


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## FionaM12 (24 March 2015)

Why does this old thread keep being resurrected? :confused3:


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## Ponycarrots (25 March 2015)

Lol I've heard the thing about thieves putting a plait in a mane before as well.  I doubt it's true though; maybe 100 years ago but nowadays when you have mobiles with cameras on why would you put a plait in it's mane?
When I had a cob he had a really long mane and forelock and once I came to te field and found his forelock had been plaited, I didn't know why because I didn't do it unless I was jumping so he could see better. It turned out a friend of mine had done it on passing the field when she was bored lol! I bet some random person has done it or someone you know. Maybe someone did it because they know this myth about the thieves and wanted to scare you for a joke!


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