# Horse theft in cumbria!



## HannahFrancesca (30 June 2010)

I recived a phone call no longer than an hour ago telling me that there have been horses stolen from holbeck last night, they are using two big van's and plaiting the mains of the horses they are going to be taking next. Please please please let the cumbrian police know if you have noticed anything suspicious happening around your yard, and please keep an eye on your horse if they suddenly have a plaited main over night.

Thank you
Hannah


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## pastie2 (30 June 2010)

Hi, thanks for the warning, I am in Cumbria but I dont know where Holbeck is! Can you let me know .


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## rosie fronfelen (30 June 2010)

hi, i thought Holbeck was Leeds way!?


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## Tinseltoes (1 July 2010)

holbeck IS NOT in CUBRIA,its near Leeds.Just looked it up myself.
Another hoax no doubt!
IF NOT,someones got their facts wrong!


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## cblover (1 July 2010)

I live in cumbria and have just received a text from a friend saying two vans are going round cumbria stealing horses.  One van is white and the other is purple.  Apparently the local police have just been to her farm yard warning her.  Doesn't sound like a hoax to me, but I'll check with my local community officer.

More bloody worry!!!!


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## fatpiggy (1 July 2010)

I'd be wary of believing ANYTHING from someone who doesn't know that that bit of fur on a horse's neck is actually called its MANE, not main.  See, they don't teach spelling, grammar or clearly, geography in schools any more.  Anyway, if the horse's manes were plaited, how did they know, since they'd already been pinched (apparently).


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## Tinseltoes (1 July 2010)

Well I find it VERY VERY HARD to believe thieves would BE SO STUPID to LEAVE traces ie marks that the horses are to be stolen,especially with all the warning of such.I dont think for one minute a thieve is that stupid to warn you and say hey your horse is next to be taken.COMMON SENSE WILL TELL YOU THAT!! Scare mongering YET AGAIN!!!!!
Happens every year!
Could well be that horses are being taken but I doubt if the thieves would plait them first-the owners would notice them.I certainlt would,cause I care about mine!!


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## MHOL (1 July 2010)

No horse Watch alerts, and if you are going to post and expect to be believed

1. check your geopgraphy
2. Dont be a first time poster and join just to start the hoax
3. Always use the crime reference number

Now we are going to be inundated with hoax vans again!


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## cblover (1 July 2010)

I agree it all sounds a little unbelievable but it still doesn't explain why the police visited my friends farm yard yesterday to warn of horse thefts locally.  That bit is legit!


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## Cuffey (1 July 2010)

I was sitting tight on this one--it sounded a bit iffy!
There are 2 Holbecks mentioned in Cumbria miles apart Windermere and Barrow in Furness, anyone posting a real warning would have listed the nearest town

As MHOL until we get a proper report this is classed as a hoax in my book


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## pastie2 (1 July 2010)

I dont know what to think now. Why would Hannah post a ficticious post in the first place? Her spelling does not make her a Troll, my spelling is dreadful.


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## Tinseltoes (1 July 2010)

I agree wilth MHOL and Cuffey on this one.


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## pastie2 (1 July 2010)

sharon1959 said:



			I agree wilth MHOL and Cuffey on this one.
		
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But WHY sharon, why would someone post such a thing. For what pupose?


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## bonny (1 July 2010)

Because some people are paranoid ?


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## pastie2 (1 July 2010)

bonny said:



			Because some people are paranoid ?
		
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Ahh OK


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## DebbieCG (1 July 2010)

bonny said:



			Because some people are paranoid ?
		
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What do you think some people are paranoid about?

Have always wondered who benefits from these perhaps 'hoax' warnings and where they are generated from (the hoax ones, not the genuine ones of course.)


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## Tinseltoes (1 July 2010)

pastie2 said:



			But WHY sharon, why would someone post such a thing. For what pupose?
		
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I just dont think thieves are so stupid to plait manes before stealing.My friend had her horse taken and they just took him from the field, out of the blue.She did get him back eventually.

These posts seem very common,esp about the plaits.


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## alexismyhorse (6 July 2010)

sharon1959 said:



			holbeck IS NOT in CUBRIA,its near Leeds.Just looked it up myself.
Another hoax no doubt!
IF NOT,someones got their facts wrong!
		
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your wrong there! its in a town called barrow-in-furness  my horses are  there!!


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## alexismyhorse (6 July 2010)

sharon1959 said:



			Well I find it VERY VERY HARD to believe thieves would BE SO STUPID to LEAVE traces ie marks that the horses are to be stolen,especially with all the warning of such.I dont think for one minute a thieve is that stupid to warn you and say hey your horse is next to be taken.COMMON SENSE WILL TELL YOU THAT!! Scare mongering YET AGAIN!!!!!
Happens every year!
Could well be that horses are being taken but I doubt if the thieves would plait them first-the owners would notice them.I certainlt would,cause I care about mine!!
		
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apparently they've got people picking to order so when the thieves go to get them they no which horse to take ??


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## Cuffey (7 July 2010)

Please talk to Simon Evans at Cumbria Horsewatch 0845 33 00 247


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## Hedgewitch13 (7 July 2010)

Alexismyhorse... well done you have just told the whole forum exactly where your horses are!! I'd think twice before putting that kind of info on here - you never know who might be reading it.

And have people really forgotten the hundreds of van and mane plaiting hoaxe emails from last year? Really? Siiiigh.


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## Tinseltoes (7 July 2010)

Hedgewitch13 said:



			Alexismyhorse... well done you have just told the whole forum exactly where your horses are!! I'd think twice before putting that kind of info on here - you never know who might be reading it.

And have people really forgotten the hundreds of van and mane plaiting hoaxe emails from last year? Really? Siiiigh.
		
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I Totally agree with you on this. You shouldnt put details like that.I edited mine after making same mistake.

You could report and they will take it off.


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## timthearab (9 July 2010)

I live in Cumbria, will keep my eyes and ears open if i hear anything.
Think everybody needs to take a deep breath and calm down nothing has been on our local news!!!


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## dreamcometrue (10 July 2010)

The whole of my horse's mane is plaited atm.  So far no thieves have taken up the offer


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## alexismyhorse (11 July 2010)

THATS RATHER SCARY! why do people do such things  xx


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## alexismyhorse (11 July 2010)

oh god silly me :/ good job you said that, aw i hope there isnt any other things like this it scares me...


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## alexismyhorse (11 July 2010)

Trying to delete my message is it working?


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## boogiebob (17 July 2010)

there is some info on the cumbria police website;

12 July 2010:

During the weekend 9th-11th July, two suspicious incidents occurred at Burgh by Sands and Dalston where horse owners report that their animals appear to have been targeted by thieves. A horse was moved from its field at Burgh and was recovered by its owers in a nearby field. At Dalston, a pony was found with a plait in its mane by the owner. This is believed to be a marking tactic used by thieves targeting animals to steal.

Please be vigilant to this type of activity and report suspicious persons and vehicles to Cumbria 

http://www.cumbria.police.uk/advice-and-information/crime-prevention/horse-watch


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## nadinek82 (20 July 2010)

I hope this isn't a bad case of chinese whispers. There were similar rumours in central scotland a couple of years ago. It spiralled out of control with rumours about tails being cut off and blood being taken for something to do with the summer solstice. All from one or two horses with mystery injuries


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## OWLIE185 (21 July 2010)

There is absolutely no evidence to demonstrate that plats found on horses has anything to do with horse theft.  Horsewatch has been collecting evidence for a couple of years.

Please ensure that your horses are freezemarked on their shoulders and also micro-chipped so that in the event of them escaping or being stolen that they and the owner can be easily identified.  Freezemarks can be read by anyone so a horse can be easily identified.  Also take photos of your horses from front back and both sides and keep them in a safe place again these can be circulated if your horse escapes or is stolen.


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## Tinseltoes (22 July 2010)

OWLIE185 said:



			There is absolutely no evidence to demonstrate that plats found on horses has anything to do with horse theft.  Horsewatch has been collecting evidence for a couple of years.

Please ensure that your horses are freezemarked on their shoulders and also micro-chipped so that in the event of them escaping or being stolen that they and the owner can be easily identified.  Freezemarks can be read by anyone so a horse can be easily identified.  Also take photos of your horses from front back and both sides and keep them in a safe place again these can be circulated if your horse escapes or is stolen.
		
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I agree with the above.


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## timthearab (25 July 2010)

I do too, being that i am an owner of a horse that was stolen & missing for over 12 months and got him back thanks to MHOL XXX


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## Chestnut-filly (31 May 2011)

The holbeck that Hannah was refering to is an area within Barrow In Furness. There have been 3 or 4 thefts of horses in the barrow in furness area in the past week or so that I have been informed about. None have been reported to have been plaited before hand they have simply disappeared over night. Can anyone in the area please be aware and report anything suspicious to the police!!


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## Cuffey (31 May 2011)

Chestnut-filly said:



			The holbeck that Hannah was refering to is an area within Barrow In Furness. There have been 3 or 4 thefts of horses in the barrow in furness area in the past week or so that I have been informed about. None have been reported to have been plaited before hand they have simply disappeared over night. Can anyone in the area please be aware and report anything suspicious to the police!!
		
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I am a member of Cumbria Horsewatch

Cumbria Police send out messages to warn people if they have information that horses/tack etc have been stolen

I HAVE HAD NO MESSAGES


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## cblover (31 May 2011)

I too am a member of horsewatch and farmwatch, I've not received any text alerts or recorded messages.  Makes my blood run cold at the thought of anybodies horse going missing!


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## ILuvCowparsely (31 May 2011)

another good idea is if your horse's legs have white on them  socks / snip  take pictures of them inside and out  its another way of identifying them

 i also post code my horses feet  well i bought the brands the farrier burns them on last 6 months  then do the back ones and soon


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## foxeefilly1 (31 May 2011)

I have just seen this on a local riding club website-

Last night a coloured (piebald) 2yr old gelding was stolen from Roose, Barrow-in-Furness. he recently had treatment on a hernia and it is still visible now that he has his summer coat. any information please 
contact me on 
Leatherbarrow1989@gmail.com 
edited with exact location deleted*


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## Cuffey (31 May 2011)

foxeefilly1 said:



			I have just seen this on a local riding club website-

Last night a coloured (piebald) 2yr old gelding was stolen from Roose, Barrow-in-Furness. he recently had treatment on a hernia and it is still visible now that he has his summer coat. any information please 
contact me on 
Leatherbarrow1989@gmail.com 
edited with exact location deleted*
		
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I have just spoken to owner Kate and this horse is back in its field safe but she is sure he was taken but proved too naughty and was left at the side of the road.


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## ILuvCowparsely (31 May 2011)

I  do love the ""iggy"" button on horse and hound    we had one on aol.

 make notes of any strange vehicle,   don't go up the same time every day   take it in turns to do a late night check   dont leave expensive stuff around..

  When my friends yard was broken into  they took loads  luckily for her i had her harness  but most other stuff went  they even came back  a few weeks later and took water buckets  and cheap head collars  they were that desperate
 make sure your tack is marked  most police will do it for free.yards can club together and buy hoof brands  and brand them with post code  anything to make it hard


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