# Pony 'tagged' somerset



## Vizslak (22 November 2009)

A Friends pony was found today with clear tags/plaits in its mane this morning. I have seen photos of these and they are defiantely tags made by thieves and NOT witches plaits/fairy plaits. Pony is being moved and avon and somerset police have been informed. Please all be extra vigilent, I notice the post below is also regarding suspicous goings on in/near the somerset area.


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## Vicki1986 (23 November 2009)

can you post the photo?


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## MrMeldrew (23 November 2009)

Roughly whereabouts in Somerset please?


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## Tinseltoes (23 November 2009)

Can you please put a phoyto up of this tag,so it can be recconised.


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## Vizslak (24 November 2009)

Sorry guys , not checked back for a few days. The pony was in the Mendip/ NE somerset area.
http://i50.tinypic.com/a9qlo5.jpg


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## MurphysMinder (24 November 2009)

Tbh those look very like the tangles my little native type gets in her mane at this time of the year.  thanks for posting though, and I am sure people in the area will appreciate the warning.


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## Vizslak (24 November 2009)

Its hard to see from that photo but that isnt a small section of mane and the strands have been tightly wound into 'rope' so they are smooth (width of a liitle finger), then tied together at the bottom.


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## hairycob (25 November 2009)

I'm sorry, maybe it's a bad photo, but that just looks like an everyday wind tangle to me.


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## ponder2009 (25 November 2009)

i am the owner of this pony and thought i'd join this forum to point a couple of things out to people who think it is 'just a tangle'.
i will apologise now if i come across as nasty/rude/ or anything else but i saw the plait for myself and i know it was done with intent so i'm a little bit angry and on edge. so apologies in advance.

my pony went out freshly groomed into a field where there aren't any brambles or anything else for her to have got caught up in, she was out for just a few hours. the weather was horrendous as in torrential rain and exceptionally windy.

she was out with a foal and a youngster, the youngster can be very aggressive over his 'property' and people in the area are all aware of him and know to stay well clear of their field.

their field runs alongside a cycle/footpath.

ok lets go with it being just a tangle, my pony has never had a tangle like that in 4yrs of owning her. but i guess it is possible that her mane decided after 4yrs that it was going to get 2 bits of mane about 3" apart, twist them round individually so that they become strong and unbreakable, then half way down it was going to twist around the other strand so that they interlock for about 2" then they are woven back on each other and then by some miracle using only the mane to tie it up into several knots? hhhmmmm yeah i suppose that's plausible, NOT. i also know it wasn't done by children or anyone else on the yard.
several people on the yard saw this before it was removed and they all said that it wasn't right, definately not a tangle.

my husband tried to brush it out and that was before i took the pics. he spent a good 20 minutes trying to brush it out and couldn't, myself and the YM then spent 30 mins unweaving it as we were confused as to how it could have been woven the way it was. after doing all that i still had to cut her mane as it was clear someone had plaited it. 

at the end of the day i don't particularly care if you think it's a tangle, plait or anything else, i have done the decent thing and informed as many people as possible as to whats happened. anyone who thinks it's just a tangle then fine, it's your opinion, BUT if you find anything like that in your horses mane then don't get angry or upset when people tell you you are over reacting and it's just a tangle. 
you (plural)didn't see the plait, my pony, the surroundings, the situation. i know what i saw and because of that i am going to take every precaution possible to protect my horses, i'd hate to listen to others who said it's nothing to worry about and then find my pony missing. i'd rather be very suspicious and proved wrong, at least i know my pony is safe. that's all any of us can do.

i'm guessing there are people out there who are under the stupid belief that if something doesn't happen to them then it hasn't happened to anyone else. well all i can say is i hope it doesn't happen to anyone as it's a frightening thing to find, but the difference is that i've taken it seriously and protecting my horses.


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## Tinseltoes (25 November 2009)

My little pony gets those all the time and theyre impossible to brush out but like you I am very suspicious natured but I know the ones on her are Rasters thats all.


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## lhotse (25 November 2009)

Looks like a tangle to me.


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## snaffle (25 November 2009)

have to say it looks like a tangle, but the photos not that clear.
one of mine gets tangles, but they hang and dont join like yours.

you know your horse and the area etc, so trust your instincts, if it were me i would be on the alert, its no good shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted


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## Tinseltoes (25 November 2009)

Looking at the pic, which is NOT very clear,to me it looks ;ike a big tangle and I wouldnt worry about it!!


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## ponder2009 (25 November 2009)

no my pony hasn't been NICKED but that is probably because i moved her asap.
the pic isn't very clear because it was taken in poor light and on a phone.........i don't happen to go around with a good quality camera and lighting for such incidents, like all of you i never thought it would happen to my horse.

i spoke to the YM tonight and she said that the police were called to the yard last night due to all the security lights being triggered and alot of noise going on in the barn which was not the horses. the police heard people on the footpath and went to speak to them but nothing was done as they claimed they were out for a night time walk (in the middle of the night). a lorry which is parked up there was damaged as well. so yeah it probably was nothing and yeah the majority of you can sit at your computers saying i'm being daft saying all this about it being a tag but if one of your horses comes in at night with a suspicious 'tangle' (as you all like to call it) don't bother informing people as it's obvious that none of you actually give a rats arse about things that aren't happening in your own closed minded little worlds.

i apologise for being considerate and curtious, i actually thought this was a helpful forum and you all cared about the safety of horses, guess i was wrong. go and jump on the band wagon of someone else.


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## Weezy (25 November 2009)

I can understand that you are worried, but may I ask a question 
	
	
		
		
	


	





You say that it took you and your YO 30mins to take out the tangle/tag/plait, but you also say

[ QUOTE ]
she was out with a foal and a youngster, the youngster can be very aggressive over his 'property' and people in the area are all aware of him and know to stay well clear of their field.

[/ QUOTE ]

Surely for someone to do such a good tangling tag that took so long to get out, on a clean mane, it would have taken a considerable amount of time, and if the youngster is aggressive, could that really be feasible?  I am not saying I disbelieve you, just trying to help you calm and look at it from another angle.

As for the disturbance last night, I am sure that put the willies up all of you, not nice to have uninvited guests around your property at all


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## lhotse (26 November 2009)

My oh my, we're nice aren't we.


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## Scheherezade (26 November 2009)

I imagined a mane plait to be more like: http://img2.allposters.com/images/NPLPOD/1155267.jpg (image from google)


Surely the owners 'plait' took a long time of backcombing and braiding - why not just do a quick and clear plait like the above, which takes roughly 10 seconds, rather than standing in the battering wind and rain trying to dreadlock a mane?

Also, all (about 20-30 including the foals) the black and white gypsy horses behind our field have one or more of the wind plaits in their mane, some of them are more than 3inches across.


And things can happen which have never happened before - my horse has never had a foot absecess in his life, but he got two recently. He's never hurt himself in the field, but the wind broke free some fencing and he got a small cut. Which has never happened in all his years of life.

Sh*t happens, as they say.


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## VictoriaEDT (26 November 2009)

Ive got an idea for everyone! Hog manes and clip tails!

Seriously though, ponder 2009 is only worried/defensive because there is a possibility someone "eyed" up her horse to steal. If everyone just assumed that horses got the tangles themselves and didnt move their horses then this would make it very easy for potential thieves. She was only being vigilant.

I live and work in somerset so go from yard to yard every day and I have only heard of one plaiting and have seen it for myself. So it if definately not happening all everywhere; however it is still good to be vigilant.


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## ester (26 November 2009)

surely it would be quicker to do an actual plait?


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## *hic* (26 November 2009)

No, it would be quicker to take a photo of the pony and the field entrance on a camera phone and send the photos to the lifters. No need to touch the pony at all!


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## hairycob (26 November 2009)

You do realise don't you that we will now be in for a spate of threads about people being seen with camera phones near horses. At least we will know how it started. LOL!


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## hairycob (26 November 2009)

Ponder 2009 - the OP posted that it was definitely a plait as they had seen photos that clearly show it. They then posted a photo that looks just like a day to day tangle. What sort of response do you expect? If there is a photo that clearly shows a plait - post that.
However, you are clearly worried &amp; there was a real suspect incident at your yard (though plaese remember that most horse thefts are whilst on loan &amp; thieves are more likely to target tack, rugs, ATV's etc - far easier to sell on) so to set your mind at rest I suggest you do the following if you have not already:
Freezemark your horse
Postcode mark your tack (&amp; keep it at home if possible - less likely to be nicked &amp; more likely to be covered by insurance )
Paint your post code or freezemark on your rugs.
Mark every item you can including buckets &amp; feed bowls - at a Horsewatch meeting we were told that if thieves are sussing out your yard they will assume that if buckets are marked valuable items will be too &amp; try elsewhere.
There is a lot we can do to improve security &amp; too many of us are lax &amp; make it easy for thieves (&amp; that includes not thinking twice about where second hand tack may have come from, buying horses without passports etc) but there is no point in worrying about what was shown in that photo - you say the photo was after 30 mins brushing etc - well in my experience plaits fall out easily &amp; wind tangles take ages to get out. Honestly we don't want to belittle you, but we don't want you to worry &amp; lose sleep unnecessarily &amp; we get frustrated with the people who start these panics off.


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## amyrosee (26 November 2009)

Quite saddened to see peoples genuine concerns dismissed as a tangle. Don't worry, when your horse is stolen, don't expect sympathy. I know ponder2009 and she is definitely not the type to exaggerate. That does NOT look like a simple tangle, her mane simply isn't thick enough to tangle like that, and to be twisted in a very obvious pattern does NOT just occur. 

What is so wrong about being concerned for your horses welfare? Better safe than sorry imo.


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## sakura (26 November 2009)

My horses mane is exceptionally long, before I moved him he was in a field where he regularly got bores and tangles in it and lived out 24/7 in very windy conditions and NEVER has had a tangle like that before. 

This was put on the NHS forum network for Treliske hospital in Truro, Cornwall. 

[ QUOTE ]
 "Dear horse owners, 

I have been forwarded a message from Devon &amp; Cornwall Police. An incident on Friday 18th November, in St Just nr Penzance. Two horses in a field were found by their owners to have unusual plaits in their manes. Devon &amp; Cornwall police say that similar incidents have occurred throughout the counties where the horses are likely to be followed up by the criminals returning at a later date and stealing the affected horses. If anyone should notice anything suspicious please report it immediately to Devon &amp; Cornwall Police on 08452777444 &amp; quote LOG no 998 19 (the print out fades here and I can't read what it says but I can probably find out if needed) crimewatch no. 0800 555111, thank you" 

[/ QUOTE ] 

I can assure you, unfortunately this is reality and at least the police down here are taking it seriously.


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## DragonSlayer (26 November 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
with your attitude, ponder2009, no-one is going to take you seriously. 

[/ QUOTE ]

I am not suprised she is incensed, because I seriously doubt she was expecting the attitudes that are being displayed here...

~Note to Self~ 

Some members on the H and H forum have telepathic powers and can tell whether plaits and tangles found in manes are true 'markers' or not....must remember this one....


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## jewel (26 November 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
My horses mane is exceptionally long, before I moved him he was in a field where he regularly got bores and tangles in it and lived out 24/7 in very windy conditions and NEVER has had a tangle like that before. 

This was put on the NHS forum network for Treliske hospital in Truro, Cornwall. 

[ QUOTE ]
 "Dear horse owners, 

I have been forwarded a message from Devon &amp; Cornwall Police. An incident on Friday 18th November, in St Just nr Penzance. Two horses in a field were found by their owners to have unusual plaits in their manes. Devon &amp; Cornwall police say that similar incidents have occurred throughout the counties where the horses are likely to be followed up by the criminals returning at a later date and stealing the affected horses. If anyone should notice anything suspicious please report it immediately to Devon &amp; Cornwall Police on 08452777444 &amp; quote LOG no 998 19 (the print out fades here and I can't read what it says but I can probably find out if needed) crimewatch no. 0800 555111, thank you" 

[/ QUOTE ] 

I can assure you, unfortunately this is reality and at least the police down here are taking it seriously.  

[/ QUOTE ]

have you actually phoned devon and cornwall, yes this is a true log. however the are saying that they feel it's a thing that is being taken out of context, by the internet and scaremongering.
also do you know of  the last record of a stolen horse in cornwall??


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## sakura (26 November 2009)

That email was put on the NHS forum to pass on around horse owners in the south west, since Somerset is in the SW, I thought I should paste it here. Since the police are actually taking this seriously, I'd assume its more than just rumours bearing in mind just how many horses and high winds we have down here in Cornwall. 

Since there are so many horses in this county, I do not keep records on the amount of horses stolen, its a large county with way too many horses for me to do that.

I was just putting it on here as it's appropriate.


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## lhotse (26 November 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
 Don't worry, when your horse is stolen, don't expect sympathy. 

[/ QUOTE ]

What a nasty thing to write in response to Hairycob, her response to Ponder was well thought out and not being nasty at all. Why don't you crawl back under your stone.


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## jewel (26 November 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
That email was put on the NHS forum to pass on around horse owners in the south west, since Somerset is in the SW, I thought I should paste it here. Since the police are actually taking this seriously, I'd assume its more than just rumours bearing in mind just how many horses and high winds we have down here in Cornwall. 

Since there are so many horses in this county, I do not keep records on the amount of horses stolen, its a large county with way too many horses for me to do that.

I was just putting it on here as it's appropriate. 

[/ QUOTE ]

did you not read my last post, my reply is want devon and cornwall police said. the women actually laughed about it. also i think you will find i said how many stolen in cornwall no in the uk. which i think you will find in 1 in the chacewater area in the last few years.


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## Weezy (26 November 2009)

Not ONE horse has been reported as stolen after gaining a so called *tag*, not ONE.  All this is doing is wasting Police time, same as the photography thing and the Eastern European thing.  

I will happily eat my words when there has been, say, 5 reports of *tagging* leading to theft, until then I remain a complete sceptic.


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## hairycob (27 November 2009)

Amyrosee, if you seriously think that tangles like that cannot "just happen" I will gladly lend you my mare for a few days in windy weather! I've said on other threads that she regularly gets quite complex &amp; fancy looking tangles &amp; has done for all of the coming up 6 years that I have owned her.
I'm sure Ponder is genuinely concerned but I suspect that her concern is caused by the posts about plaits rather than the actual tangle. I have yet to see a photo that looked like a plait rather than a tangle or a crime reference number for an actual theft.
I repeat again that we should consider the story of the boy who cried wolf. Being concerned about your horses welfare is good if it leads to you getting it freezemarked etc, not if you waste police time.
Also you say that the mane isn't thick enough - I have 2 cobs - 1 has a mane that is 1m long &amp;very thick, the other has a shorther finer mane - guess which one will have several tangles each day &amp; which gets 1 or 2 a week.


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## snaffle (27 November 2009)

wether or not the plaits and thefts are related, its up to each owner to do whatever they feel necessary to protect their own horses. I for one, am grateful for the warnings etc that are posted by others on here, it just makes you more vigilant - which is a good thing these days anyway. my horses are more important to me than some peoples opinions.


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## sakura (27 November 2009)

sparklers I was talking about Cornwall. I can not possibly know how many horses are stolen down here, since there are so many and a lot go without much investigation. 

I'd also like to ask HOW owners would know if their horse was tagged or not before being stolen? Owners do not often thoroughly check their horses when they go to visit them, a lot are targetted as they know the owners will not be down there till certain times of the day etc, therefore just how would we know if a stolen horse had in effect been 'tagged', or if they hadn't? If we knew that, the horse would not be stolen now would it?  

I agree with wheelbarrow, I came on here to spread the word. You can choose to ignore it or take it as rumours if you like, but showing a little support maybe wouldn't go a miss as unfortunatly to me, I'm not taking a risk and am taking theses as warnings.


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## lhotse (27 November 2009)

So you came on here to further hysteria and the wasting if police time, sure, everyone needs to be fully aware of security issues but this is all now getting to be out of hand, and I for one will be listening to the people who DO know the figures, like missinghorsesonloan. There is absolutely no evidence AT ALL, but you still carry on 'spreading the word'.


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## Hedgewitch13 (27 November 2009)

Hear, hear!


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## sakura (27 November 2009)

If that's how you want to view the situation, then that's up to you. Fact is you can't 'prove' that horses have either been tagged or not when stolen - since if you knew that, they wouldn't be stolen would they? How would you know if a horse that had been STOLEN, had any kinda tag in its mane? 

As I said, my horse has a mane that was once almost down to his chest, he lived out 24/7 with no neck cover and never had any tangle even remotely like the ones being described by a lot of people - and the photos to match. Sure he had 'fairy plaits' and tangles, but nothing like those. 

For those reasons, I am choosing to not ignore this, and take it as a warning so that I can do the best to protect my horse, it's up to you whether you choose to or not. If the police considered it as such a waste of their time, and lets face it, many things are, they would not be following it up. Simple.


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## Hedgewitch13 (27 November 2009)

My horse is well enough protected as it is thank you. Oddly enough there haven't been any of these 'incidents' in my surrounding area. Funny that.

I still haven't seen any proof of any horses or ponies having been stolen after being plaited and until I do I will still consider this to be hysteria and nonsense. And that's my right to do so.


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## lhotse (27 November 2009)

Why do you and your fellow cronies seem to have this attitude that the rest of us don't care for the security of our horses? I am very aware of my security, but I'm not going to get paranoid over something that is not happening. The police DO have better things to do with their time than running around chasing up stories of tangled manes.


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## MHOL (27 November 2009)

Right, I have to say, How many of these new posters that are "spreading the word" and concerned and want to warn other horse owners are active members of Horse Watch, Sorry, What was that? 'None", No i didn't think so.

Why don't you become Proactive and not reactive to equestrian crime, lets say for instance your horse IS stolen, what do you do???

In my county a worried horse owner had 9 horses "Stolen" she phoned the police, then horse watch. At 8am in the morning we dropped everything and alerted national horse watch, all markets, slaughter houses etc., We also gave the owner advice and kept her calm, she later found her horses two fields a way, we were on local radio alerting everyone. This was beofre the police had even turned up to take a statement.

Then what happens is they give you an incident number, that is where your help ends, the police have enough on their hands without looking for your brown horse. Most dont know what a 15hh bright bay is with a broad stripe!


Horse Watch are there to help and need support and can people PLEASE take photos of these plaits and email them in.

We want to help and will advise but its worrying how many people are getting themselves in a tizz and sending "official" messages from the police, i can check these out and none of them so far have been true!


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## Hedgewitch13 (27 November 2009)

Fab advice yet again but sadly the people who are perpetuating these rumours don't seem to be listening


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## teddyt (27 November 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
Quite saddened to see peoples genuine concerns dismissed as a tangle. 
What is so wrong about being concerned for your horses welfare? Better safe than sorry imo. 

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. It may be just a tangle (?) but the owner is genuinely concerned. Why does that mean shes scaremongering? People should make up their own minds and there is no need to be rude if you disagree that its a tag. If the photo and thread helps prevent ONE horse from being stolen it is worth it. What is suspicious to one person may not be to another but its not so much creating hysteria as offering information and sharing concerns.

I think its important for people to be able to use forums such as this to spread the word. At least a photo was included, so people can make an informed judgement.

There is just no need to have a go at the owner who is obviously genuinely worried. It is her personal thoughts and feelings, they are not something to be horrible about.


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## SirenaXVI (27 November 2009)

Here's a thought - lets put hoods on all our horses, that way they cant get 'tagged' 
	
	
		
		
	


	





Seriously though, Sirena often has wind tangles, these are most definitely NOT plaits, but they do look kinda like the photos on various threads on here.

People need to STOP PANICKING!  By that I do not mean compromise your horse's security, but just put things in their proper perspective.


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## hairycob (27 November 2009)

I agree that Ponder is genuinely scared &amp; I would say she is the victim of the scaremongers. I hope  that if her horse isn't freezemarked already she has been in contact with Farmkey or Freezmark to make a booking (I'm afraid I'm beginning to sound like a stuck record on that one!)


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## sakura (28 November 2009)

I never said you don't care for your horses protection, that'd be ridiculous. I said that personally I am taking this as a warning for my own. I'm also not a new poster, I've been a member a while, I had a very small post count as I usually just browse and post on topics that catch my attention - and all of that is irrelevant to the topic. 

Again, I'm sorry but there is no 'proof' as finding horses that have been stolen - before they reach their destination is pretty hard to do! By the time horses are recovered, they have almost always been in a new home or on a yard - so of course, the people responsible are gonna want to take any clues away that would link back and make the horse appear neater for sales - which would include removing these 'plaits'. Therefore, you would simply not know that a horse had been tagged. It's hard enough to discover one thats been stolen, let alone a horse who was stolen AND tagged. 

I'm sorry that you don't share the same view as I do, but it is also my right to express my own opinion, as you have with yours.

If it goes to help ANY horse, I think it's worthwhile.


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