# Police warning of horse thieves in Fife Scotland



## aduffield (27 April 2010)

There have been a spate of horses being plaited in the Fife area of Scotland. police have got a warning on their web site and BBC Scotland has got an article about it on their web site. Police are taking it very seriously probably with the build up to Appleby as they were thieving in Lanark before Appleby last year and in Cumbria itself. I know people will go "oh no not again" but the plaits I have seen are def. man made not wind plaits.


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## DebbieCG (27 April 2010)

This report has been shown on Horsetalk (link below).  It has been on Scottish TV showing the owners being interviewed about finding plaits in their horses' manes.

http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/news/2010/04/181.shtml


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## aduffield (27 April 2010)

Its nice to see police taking things seriously. My husband is in Scotland at the moment and saw it on the news and it said it would be on again at 10pm but it wasn't unfortunatley so I missed it.


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## DebbieCG (27 April 2010)

Yes the police here seem to have issued (as in most 'reports') a warning to be vigilant if any other horseowners have the same happen.  A small problem seems to be the police always say the same comments about 'markers' etc.  To be fair, there do not seem to be any valid reports of horses being found/seen with plaits, and then subsequently stolen.

Horsewatch members etc are the most sensible people when speaking in this controversial matter of mane plaiting incidents.  They are the ones who may know, first hand, if it really has happened to any horse owners in their area  and the difference from wind tangles etc.  

The other confusing thing is hoax emails circulating to police forces which are initially taken seriously - I think even the police are becoming more vigilant to these now.

The Scottish horse owners were shown/interviewed on TV, so obviously something 'real' had happened, whether by people larking about in their horses' fields or for other unknown reasons.


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## Cuffey (28 April 2010)

A horse sale at Aberdeen on Sat Aberdeen and Northern marts

A horse sale at Forfar next Monday Lawrie and Symington


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## applecart14 (28 April 2010)

As before if people have their animals freezemarked they will not need to worry will they?  I put a post on here sometime ago, it was a poll about why people don't freezemark.  Unfortunately a lot of people seem to be of the opinion this destroys their horses appearance.  I would like to ask them how they think their stolen horse would look on a butchers block, appearance wise and then ask them to retake the poll.  It comes to something when common sense dissapears out of the window in favour of 'looking good at all costs'.


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## applecart14 (28 April 2010)

As above post - here is the link:  http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=8443585#post8443585

Amazing


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## aduffield (28 April 2010)

I couldn't agree more. All mine are done. I'm currently toying with the idea of having them chipped as well. My friend had hers freeze marked years ago but she then had them chipped and now she has had the micro mark put on as well. I told her the only other thing she could do was topadlockthem to the fence, but she does believe in covering all the bases. If all horses were marked it would slow the thieves down abit.


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## Cuffey (28 April 2010)

I was told about a pony recently that appeared to have had its freezemark altered/tampered with and it was not readable
Search of the Stolen horse register I understand did not come up with anything remotely resembling the description


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## DebbieCG (28 April 2010)

Applecart14 - out of interest, do you have links or work for either of the freezemarking companies?  

My horse was stolen, a long time ago, in the early 1980s.  He was not branded, but the other three horses who were stolen with him were branded and they were recovered.  But I have heard, over the years, about tampering with breezebrands when a horse may be stolen.

Freezemarking is the best theft deterrent, but I think it should be more Government regulatated, like microchipping now is (when obtaining a first passport).


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## Cuffey (28 April 2010)

There are 3 freezemarking companies that I am aware of

http://www.northernbrand.co.uk/

http://www.farmkey.co.uk/farmkey/

http://www.freezemark.biz/


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## applecart14 (29 April 2010)

No I can assure you I do not have any links to any freezemarking organisation at all.  I just feel very strongly about it.  Its rather like spending a five thousand pounds on an operation for your horse and then when recovered riding it on the roads without any flourescent on.  Just can't understand peoples reasoning behind not having their horses freezemarked.  I agree with your about it being regulated by government, and think it should be something you have to do when you buy a horse as a matter of course.


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## applecart14 (29 April 2010)

Yes I have heard of stories like this and I think they are urban myths rather like the 'plaits'.  I mean have you ever heard anything so ridiculous??? Why would a thiefs accomplice stand in a field with a horse he doesn't know the temperment of and deliberately plait its mane with a view to stealing it later??.  Why not just tell the thief which horse to nick, ie. the bay with the green rug on, the chestnut with the white face, the black with the white star?  Its just stupid, pointless and laughable.  Why would someone deliberately tamper with a freezemarked horse?  They wouldn't - they would just either a) not steal it at all , or b) dump it somewhere if it had a rug on and they did not know it was freezemarked.


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## aduffield (29 April 2010)

The only way to remove a freeze mark is to skin the horse as the mark is actually in the skin, so defeats the object really why steal a horse and then skin it, you can't exactly sell it on can you.


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## DebbieCG (29 April 2010)

Unfortunately, we learnt alot concerning horse theft, after our own horse was stolen.  We spoke to many dealers etc at markets, and saw the harsh reality of sales.  

We had the help of a Sargeant Sandling of Southhall Police at the time (early 80s) who seemed to be the only officer dealing with equine theft then in the South of England. 

In the 1990s there was the Metropolitan Mounted Police equine unit who helped with horse theft, Ted Barnes and Nick White being two promiment officers.  This unit is no longer there, but it is officers and Horsewatch reps who would be the best people to advise on what actually can happen with horse theft.  They have the real information.

Hopefully things are tightening up due to Passport laws which does help with the prevention of horse theft and of course freezemarking.

But the reason MHOL was set up (if you look at their website) was because two freezemarked horses that were on loan were unlawfully sold on at market and ended being sent for slaughter.  It was a loophole that I believe is being addressed, that two marked horses were repassported and sold on for slaughter.  Very sad and distressing.


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## alfiesmum (30 April 2010)

applecart14 said:



			Yes I have heard of stories like this and I think they are urban myths rather like the 'plaits'.  I mean have you ever heard anything so ridiculous??? Why would a thiefs accomplice stand in a field with a horse he doesn't know the temperment of and deliberately plait its mane with a view to stealing it later??.  Why not just tell the thief which horse to nick, ie. the bay with the green rug on, the chestnut with the white face, the black with the white star?  Its just stupid, pointless and laughable.  Why would someone deliberately tamper with a freezemarked horse?  They wouldn't - they would just either a) not steal it at all , or b) dump it somewhere if it had a rug on and they did not know it was freezemarked.
		
Click to expand...

ok so i actually live in Fife, and i must agree with the above! not saying it did not happen however if i was thinking about stealing horses (which i am not by the way) i certainly would not flag it up to the owner by plaiting manes. more than likely someone feeding horses over a fence prob thought oh i will try a wee plait.
love to see them try with my boy ----now that would be funny! he would eat them alive lol x


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