# Fairy Plaits, or horse markings??



## dray123 (27 July 2010)

Hey everyone.

Basically Im not convinced that our pony who has been marked 3 times with proper plaits in her hair in the past 3 weeks are just "fairy plaits".

Not only has she been plaited, the fence has been marked, the wire fence has been pulled so its slack and gappy where someone has climbed through, on more than one area of the fence and in more than one field. 

Things at the yard have also been moved, and someone close by said that their farm had stuff stolen and some people who have horses near us have had horsey stuff stolen.

I reported it to the horsewatch and they just said shes not the type of horse that is normally targeted as she is freeze marked.

Not sure what else i can do, any ideas / thoughts about fairy plaits / horse markings?


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## Bettyboo222 (27 July 2010)

Beauty was 'marked' the other day, it was a complete plait though so I just moved her to the inside fields for a few days.


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## dray123 (27 July 2010)

Yeah we moved Star from one of the fields where she was on the public footpath to the field at the back so no one can see her and she was marked again. Its deffinatly a plait, I dont know what else people can do to protect their horses!


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## Bettyboo222 (27 July 2010)

Are you sure its no-one on the yard ? A kid or something ?


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## dray123 (27 July 2010)

We have a private yard which is literally at the end of a lane. No body knows its there unless they walk along the public footpath which runs along side one of our fields, so im not sure it would be kids, we are all really worried because if they have marked her 3 times, they are obviously persistant and want our horse. Last night they marked the fence aswell.


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## Bettyboo222 (27 July 2010)

I would move her asap, in that case. Like really move her as much as you can, how far apart where the markings ? Days ? Weeks?

Is there anyway you can make her look different ?


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## dray123 (27 July 2010)

They are about a 5 days to a week apart from each other. She was at a village down the road just in a field and was first marked there, but travellers/gypsies were seen stealing metal nearby so I think it was them, we then moved her back to our yard immediately and shes been marked 3 times again, i think its just a coincidence though that shes been marked here aswell.

A friend suggested labelling her with a L to temporarily try and deter them?


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## Skippys Mum (27 July 2010)

I would get a can of that bright sheep paint and mark her myself.  Better painted orange and screamingly noticible than stolen!  Its pretty easy to spot the horse with the big orange circle on its bum (or something similar).  Not quite so easy to slip it through a market unnoticed!


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## Bettyboo222 (27 July 2010)

Skippys Mum said:



			I would get a can of that bright sheep paint and mark her myself.  Better painted orange and screamingly noticible than stolen!  Its pretty easy to spot the horse with the big orange circle on its bum (or something similar).  Not quite so easy to slip it through a market unnoticed!
		
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As long as you arn't planning on showing her I would do this, or use purple spray


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## dray123 (27 July 2010)

tbh shes just a hack, so im not bothered if shes sprayed. Where would i get sheep spray from? I think purple spray might come off or not show, shes a dark chestnut.


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## Bettyboo222 (27 July 2010)

Argicultural stores or a friendly farmer because I know that we won't be spraying our sheep until next year so i'm sure a farmer would happily give you some. 

I would put your postcode or something as well as loads of spots so they can't get it off if (touch wood) she is taken


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## aduffield (28 July 2010)

Have you reported this to the police or your local horsewatch. You can log it as a sus. incident with the police so they are aware of it. Is your horse freezemarked? as this will def. put them off, or put up a sign saying all horses micro chipped.


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## *hic* (28 July 2010)

dray123 said:



			Hey everyone.

Basically Im not convinced that our pony who has been marked 3 times with proper plaits in her hair in the past 3 weeks are just "fairy plaits".

Not only has she been plaited, the fence has been marked, the wire fence has been pulled so its slack and gappy where someone has climbed through, on more than one area of the fence and in more than one field. 

Things at the yard have also been moved, and someone close by said that their farm had stuff stolen and some people who have horses near us have had horsey stuff stolen.

I reported it to the horsewatch and they just said shes not the type of horse that is normally targeted as she is freeze marked.

Not sure what else i can do, any ideas / thoughts about fairy plaits / horse markings?
		
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If they've "marked" her three times in the last few weeks and she hasn't actually been stolen any of those times doesn't it appear to you that it might just be coincidence?

FWIW (yet again) I have five horses in my field, three look or are valuable and have short pulled manes, none of those have been "marked". My two natives however have both been marked - they have long manes. One of those is freezemarked - and he's the one most often "plaited". What is particularly interesting is that he is uncatchable by normal means. He is also very wary of strangers and would no way allow anyone he didn't know well to even bribe him with food, let alone stand there whilst someone fiddled with his mane or tail. He's 25, 13.3 Welsh and freezemarked - hardly a desirable sort especially when all the others in the field would come over and want any newcomer to play with them whilst he will be standing very warily way off.

I honestly think you need to look at all the evidence - and AFAIK there is no evidence of any horse being stolen after having been marked - before you panic.


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## dray123 (28 July 2010)

Yep she is freezemarked although not microchipped yet.

The fact that the people behind us have had horsey stuff stolen and close by areas have had horses stolen makes me worry she will. We did report it to horsewatch and the police but was told it was "fairy plaits" and not to worry - Although it is quite blatently a horse mark. Not quite sure what else to do


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## Tinypony (28 July 2010)

There was a scare in my area a few months back about some horses said to have been marked in this way for stealing.  The owners panicked and moved them.  My friend rang the local police and, I believe, Horsewatch.  She was told that there are no reported cases of horses being marked with a plait and subsequently stolen.  I'm not saying don't be vigilant, but it's maybe a bit of comfort.
I believe that the case highlighted all over the Net last year, of a mare plaited and then found abandoned at a port, was found to be trolling fiction?  Anyone know if that is correct?


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## dray123 (29 July 2010)

Yeah we panicked and moved her the first time it happened. But its happened 3 times since then! We phone horsewatch and the police every time just to make sure. Stuff at the stables has also been moved aswell, although not stolen, but someone is deffinately going down there!


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## Tinseltoes (29 July 2010)

Put CCTV cameras up or fake ones.If they think theyre on camera it may well put them off.Or set up an alarm by the field.#
There is a lot of this talk going around about this but NO PROOF of stolen horses. I think its best to keep an eye out. 
Should'nt worry too much as you say the horse is freezemarked.


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## SuperSketch (29 July 2010)

A lady in my local tack shop was telling my mum about something like this happening to her horse a while ago. She used sheep paint and painted the first part of her postcode underneath her horses freezemark and hasn't had a problem since. She got the sheep paint from a local agriculture shop. I'm sure it could be ordered from the Internet though. You could always ask your local sheep farmer - if your lucky enough to have one LOL, if you could use some of his if not. She also installed CCTV cameras and extra electric tape around the gaps in her post and rail fencing so that nothing - not even a mere slip of a potential horse thief could slip through now!


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## dray123 (29 July 2010)

deffo sounds like a plan to me! I was looking on the web and they do solar panel cctv cameras?

I know nothing has been proved with the plaits and horses being stolen but I don't want to risk it. I will do absolutely anything to make sure not one of my horses is stolen!

The electric fencings also a good idea, we have double locked the gate aswell, but I suspose if anyone really wanted to get in they could do. They will do anything they can to get a horse its easy money I guess.

The past 2 days nothing suspicious has happened. So fingers crossed nothing will do again!


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## Bedlam (29 July 2010)

I would think it's a bit odd that someone would take the trouble to come into your field and plait your horse in order to mark them for a subsequent theft to be honest.

Why not just come in and take them?


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## dray123 (29 July 2010)

Bedlam said:



			I would think it's a bit odd that someone would take the trouble to come into your field and plait your horse in order to mark them for a subsequent theft to be honest.

Why not just come in and take them?
		
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They do it so they can work out how quickly the plait is brushed out so they can work out on a later basis when to steal it.

Theres articles on the h&h website, explains it there.


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## Bedlam (29 July 2010)

OK - so I don't need to worry then because I see to mine everyday.

Doesn't everyone.....?

.....and these people posting about them don't need to worry either because they are seeing their horses everyday and removing the plaits too presumably?


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## dray123 (30 July 2010)

Well done. I see mine everyday also, sometimes being up there all day (Y)

For a percentage of people, sometimes its difficult for them to see them every day for whatever reason. 

The point is, the post is about horse marks being mistaken and ignored as fairy plaits not about how often people see their horses.


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## Bedlam (30 July 2010)

Well then let's hope that this thread makes people realise the need to see their horses at least daily to stop them from being marked for theft.

I would have thought that most horse owners would have wanted to see their horses at least once a day to check that they are healthy and safe without even having imagined that someone may have plaited their mane to mark them for theft if it's not removed.

There we go - at last a pressing need to visit your horses daily - to remove the theft marking plaits. Perhaps that reason needs to be included in BHS & PC exams?


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## dray123 (30 July 2010)

The aim of this thread was to ask genuine peoples opinons as to whether considoring the suspicious behaviour or not was a marking plait, which you can see in the origional posting. 

Maybe you should try another thread if you want to discuss how often people see their horses or not?


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## lillith (30 July 2010)

Are you certain it wasn't kids? I feel really bad now thinking I may have given some poor horse owners cause for concern but when I was a young teen I was old enough to be out on my own and loved horses. If I saw one in a field willing to wander over to the fence for cuddles and scritches I'd spend a while stroking them and if they had lovely long manes I would sometimes put a couple of long loose plaits in.


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## applecart14 (30 July 2010)

Thank god for common sense re: your horse being freezemarked.  I'm not being funny but why in God's name would anyone want to plait a horse prior to freezemarking anyway when there is the danger they could a) get kicked b) get bitten c) get spotted by someone.  People don't normally 'mark' horses in order to steal them. I think you will find its local kids as a result of something put on some socialising network like Bebo or Facebook or something.  Not saying it is for definite but that's how these things get started and then they just escalate and escalate as everyone joins in.


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## dray123 (2 August 2010)

Its deffo not kids because there aren't around or even near us. Our fields are in the middle of no where near a farm. A farm where gypsies also broke in and stole some stuff, so it is them. They were seen in our field aswell by someone from the farm walking the dogs.


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## Serenity087 (3 August 2010)

How can it blatently be a mark when NOT ONE SINGLE HORSE IN THE ENTIRE OF THE UK AND IRELAND HAS EVER BEEN MARKED PRIOR TO THEFT?

How do you know what a horse mark looks like if thats the case?

Spray paint it silver for all I care, no one is going to steal your horse.  Also, if the fence got pulled down, I'd actually have checked my horse for injuries instead of claiming it was another mark.  You're so obsessed that someone is coming to steal your horse that you're missing the obvious here.

If a horse theif wants a horse, they're not going to be stupid enough to warn you, are they.

But then, this is another 20 something post new user with nothing to say other than to stir up rubbish about plaits.

Admin, can't you start banning these people?


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## Kallibear (3 August 2010)

How can it blatently be a mark when NOT ONE SINGLE HORSE IN THE ENTIRE OF THE UK AND IRELAND HAS EVER BEEN MARKED PRIOR TO THEFT?

How do you know what a horse mark looks like if thats the case?

Spray paint it silver for all I care, no one is going to steal your horse. Also, if the fence got pulled down, I'd actually have checked my horse for injuries instead of claiming it was another mark. You're so obsessed that someone is coming to steal your horse that you're missing the obvious here.

If a horse theif wants a horse, they're not going to be stupid enough to warn you, are they.

But then, this is another 20 something post new user with nothing to say other than to stir up rubbish about plaits.

Admin, can't you start banning these people?
		
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Not just  me who rolls their eyes and thinks, god, what a bunch of gullable idiots then 

We had a 'scare' in our area a couple of months ago because somone started scare mongering. Yard up the road had a couple of 'plaited' ponies and arranged a midnight vigel for 4 days, everyone in the yard taking turn on checking the horses every hour through the night  Couple of people on our yard started to get hysterical too and we ended up moving the horses fields (mine included since I don't want them split up from thier friends) Amazingly not a single horse was stolen, even in nearby areas 

It's such a load of boll*cks. Why the hell would a potential thief WARN you that your horse is about to be stolen? Why wouldn't they steal the horse there and then? And why would they plait the mane anyways to 'mark' the horse. It takes time and effort and is noticed. 

My pony (who has a proper traditional cob mane) gets amazing plaits in it in windy weather. Not been stolen once yet


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## Serenity087 (3 August 2010)

Mine came back from stud with some awesome dreadlocks/plaits!!  

I have since taken all precautions against theft and pulled her mane, so now no one can mark her...

Seriously, it's such a stupid scam that hoodwinked so many horse owners.  And no doubt about 100 users will now post "but my auntie's neighbour's second cousin's horse was stolen after being 'marked'"...


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## Tinseltoes (4 August 2010)

I am a bit fed up of this myth,it keeps going around and around.Theres NO EVIDENCE that plaits etc have any connection to thefts.


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## rupertsmum (5 August 2010)

i'm probably being thick.....but what are fairy plaits??


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## Kallibear (5 August 2010)

Wind plait. In long manes you can get the most amazing 'plaits' - you get one small tangle then it starts to flip round and under itself and you get a 'wind plait'. Some are very impressive and look like they are man-made. But they don't looks like the standard '3 strand' plait used for plaiting up.

I have a traditional who had (until I chopped 18" off  ) the most amazing mane and could delvoped 4 or 5 very impressive wind plaits over night.


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## rupertsmum (5 August 2010)

oh! thank you


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## PapaFrita (5 August 2010)

Skippys Mum said:



			I would get a can of that bright sheep paint and mark her myself.  Better painted orange and screamingly noticible than stolen!  Its pretty easy to spot the horse with the big orange circle on its bum (or something similar).  Not quite so easy to slip it through a market unnoticed!
		
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Do you not think a freeze mark is visible enough?


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## CarrEquestrian (9 August 2010)

My mare is Freezemarked and we found her plaited unnervingly. She is a coloured cob with pretty markings and looks a lot youthful than her 23 yrs. As a knowledgable friend of mine always tells me - make a note of it and don't hesitate to send an email to your local riding clubs and yards even if you are not involved as the equine word always travels fast! I am going to get my girl microchipped too.


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## Tinypony (10 August 2010)

CarrEquestrian, have you read this thread?  There have been NO cases of horses or ponies being stolen after being found with these "plaits".  No cases at all.  So if you email your local riding clubs etc you are surely just spreading the unfounded panic again?
The best deterent against theft is Freezemarking.


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## Tinseltoes (10 August 2010)

Tinypony said:



			CarrEquestrian, have you read this thread?  There have been NO cases of horses or ponies being stolen after being found with these "plaits".  No cases at all.  So if you email your local riding clubs etc you are surely just spreading the unfounded panic again?
The best deterent against theft is Freezemarking.
		
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Agree with above!!!


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## Serenity087 (10 August 2010)

Or hogging...


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## Jake10 (10 August 2010)

Surely it would be worse if random people took photos of your horse rather than random plaits in their mane?... Hey look at this gorgeous chestnut mare/gelding ...hh ...yrs old great allrounder sold as seen from field. There are a few horses in out of the way fields around here I do wonder if anyone would notice this happening if they weren't looking for it.
Just to add to the panic


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## Onyxia (11 August 2010)

Jake10 said:



			Surely it would be worse if random people took photos of your horse rather than random plaits in their mane?... Hey look at this gorgeous chestnut mare/gelding ...hh ...yrs old great allrounder sold as seen from field. There are a few horses in out of the way fields around here I do wonder if anyone would notice this happening if they weren't looking for it.
Just to add to the panic 

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I agree.
Personaly,I would be more worried about non horse people trying to be kind,they could be feeding them anything 
Give most horses a full groom then chuck them out for a bit and they will have tangles everywhere.

I brush my hair before bed but still wake with the most god awfull knots in it-am I going to be stolen?


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## TheEquineOak (20 August 2010)

People that are intent on stealing horses walk in, and walk out, horse in tow (along with anything else they can get their hands on) 

someone is scare mongering....AGAIN!!!!


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## QueenDee_ (24 August 2010)

They say that 'Gypsies' put the plait in the horse's mane so that the transport people know which horses to take. However as people have said before, not many cases of theft after 'Plaits appearing' have been reported. I, however, would still be cautious if I found on in my horse's mane.


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## Kaya_08 (24 August 2010)

i recently returned from holiday to find that my beautiful cob mare had been plaited whilst i was away thankfully she was being kept a close eye on by friends and has been moved to hopefully safer quaters, however i am assured that this plait was put in on purpose and could not be accidental as mane and tail were brushed and conditioned daily.

Also was put on red alert by horses behaviour to suspicious looking men walking down road, we went past sideways whilst she snorted like a dragon, she has never done this before nor did she do it at anyone else we saw whilst out on a hack and she has also been edgy when out on hacks very unusual for her.

Just a warning to people in burnham, taplow, maidenhead and surrounding areas please keep on the look out for anything strange and plaits as a few have been found close to us


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## Kaya_08 (24 August 2010)

my mare is also freezemarked and chipped however this has not been a detterent


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## hairycob (25 August 2010)

Not a deterrent to what - plaiting or stealing?

My 21 yo arthritic, sarcoid laden mare used to get fairy plaits all the time as does my other long maned cob (actually I often leave his mane plaited to avoid them!). All the far more valuable warmbloods etc on the yard with short manes don't. It's wind, simple.

I'm getting a new long maned cob at the weekend. Today I will be arranging for him to be freezemarked asap as it's the only immediately visible, permanent deterrent & it works.


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## Tinseltoes (25 August 2010)

My section A pony,she is brushed one day,next day can be full of wind/fairy plaits. and she is UNTOUCHABLE By strangers!!!!
Its RUMOURS AGAIN. 

People out to cause a panic!!!!!


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## Kaya_08 (25 August 2010)

if plaits are simple wind plaits then please explan horses unusual behavior as she has never done this before and i have owned her  around 2 and a half years now. 
i would like to emphasise that she went sideways down the road snorting at three o four different men however did not do it at others.
one of theese men also stopped and stared watching my horse go down the road and it wasn't just a look of what a pretty horse or i wonder why the horse is acting like that...
please could you also explain to me the trampled down grass paths going into the back of the field where my horse is kept as we back onto a field that no one ever goes into


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## G&T (25 August 2010)

The fairies put them there! DON'T UNDO A FAIRY PLAIT it's very bad luck. Horseshoe on stable door/field gate should deter the pesky blighters


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## Kaya_08 (25 August 2010)

funny enough we have horseshoes on door so far not a deterent as i said explain about the paths that have been made going into the field where my horse is kept


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## G&T (25 August 2010)

Sorry, I may have sounded a bit facetious (sp) - but seriously it could be gypsies I suppose but the theft marking idea seems so pointless and unlikely - if the plaits are man-made I think it's more likely something like this 'Knot majick' (see link) is the reason behind it:

http://boingboing.net/2009/12/07/magickal-horse-tail.html


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## Kaya_08 (25 August 2010)

i'm glad someone finds it funny!
but for those of us who have had horses tagged its a serious matter.
maybe you just arent as bothered about your horse/horses as i am but when you have waited 10 years to get a horse then you cherish that horse and will do whatever it takes to look after it and keep it safe


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## G&T (25 August 2010)

I was serious actually - I thought *statistically* not a single horse 'marked' this way had ever been stolen??? It is more likely some oddball pagan type (if you are convinced it's not just the wind..)

If you are worried then freezemarking is a good deterrent. 

FYI I have utmost concern for my horse's security, thank you


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## Kaya_08 (25 August 2010)

you clearly need to read my post more clearly as i have already said that she is freeze marked and was wary of strange men


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## G&T (25 August 2010)

If I was as panicked about my mare's security as you are about yours I would be moving her somewhere I knew she was 100% safe. My horse is in at night in a yard like Fort Knox (2 locked gates) with dogs and YO overlooking yard - all day TO (but nowhere near road) but again with YO and dogs on site all day. 

Sorry if my posts offended you but surely if you are genuinely concerned you should come up with a solution rather than just conjecturing and panicking about umproven theories..


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## Kaya_08 (25 August 2010)

my horse has been moved to safer quaters as i mentioned earlier again you need to read a little more carefully, and i am not trying to create panic just alert people so they keep an eye out as this way any suspiscious behaviour can be picked up on quickly and dealt with so as horses will be safer 
and horse is nowhere near road when turned out you have to go through other fields to get to her.


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## Serenity087 (25 August 2010)

I pulled my mare's mane and tail - she hasn't been 'marked' for theft since.

Really, this thread is moronic.

Also, Pagan's respect animals and the sanctity of others, so don't go blaming them either!

It's the wind, or it's fairies, but no one is stealing your horse!


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## G&T (26 August 2010)

Not really, I managed to read your posts accurately - I said freeze-marking was a good deterrent, as in you have done the right thing - not advising you to freezemark. And I said to move her somewhere she was *100% safe *- if you've done so already why are you still worrying? 

Unfortunately, though, the only way to save your horse from these plaits is to shelter her completely from the wind


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## G&T (26 August 2010)

Harper_Gal said:



			I pulled my mare's mane and tail - she hasn't been 'marked' for theft since.

Really, this thread is moronic.

Also, Pagan's respect animals and the sanctity of others, so don't go blaming them either!

It's the wind, or it's fairies, but no one is stealing your horse!
		
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WARLOCKS, not pagans!  

My phrase 'pagan oddballs' was merely an ignorant slip and meant no offense to any of a pagan persuasion


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## Serenity087 (26 August 2010)

G&T said:



WARLOCKS, not pagans!  

My phrase 'pagan oddballs' was merely an ignorant slip and meant no offense to any of a pagan persuasion  

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Hum.  I may know a warlock somewhere who is still insulted by the insinuation that they have nothing better to do than play my little ponies with someone elses horse 

And I ain't offended, I'll just come plait up your horses mane and tail in the night


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## hairycob (26 August 2010)

If anybody is sussing out your yard the odds are that what they are after is tack/rugs. If they are unmarked they are easy to steal & easy to get rid of & nigh on impossible to prove they are stolen (far, far easier than horses which will also need feeding/housing in the short term). 
You can protect your tack by post code marking/ taking it home. 
You can protect your rugs by postcode marking with flourescent spray paint.
You can protect your stuff in general by postcode marking everything even low value items like buckets, - if they are marked potential theives will most likely assume the valuable stuff is too. 
If I were you I would buy some permamnent markers & spray paint & get marking. I re-mark my rugs as a matter of routine when they are cleaned


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## G&T (26 August 2010)

Harper_Gal said:



			Hum.  I may know a warlock somewhere who is still insulted by the insinuation that they have nothing better to do than play my little ponies with someone elses horse 

And I ain't offended, I'll just come plait up your horses mane and tail in the night 

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I only wish someone would!! Between my sad efforts with a solo comb and her natural bushiness her mane has been rendered an un-plaitable, scraggly wreck... 

I wish I was friends with a warlock


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## Tinseltoes (26 August 2010)

My cob never gets tangles but the untouchable section A, oh she always get them.I can do her mane one day,few days later bingo hwere we go again,loads of tangles grrrrrr!!!!! 

Deffinatly NOT man made!!!!


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## Faithkat (27 August 2010)

My arab gets them every day too and, boy, are they difficult to untangle!


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## Tinseltoes (28 August 2010)

Yes I agree they are difficult to untangle.Even more so if pony wont stand still.


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## Tinypony (28 August 2010)

G+T, you are right - factually there are no reported cases of horses being marked like this and then stolen.  The story that went around last year about a mare found left at the docks was a hoax.  That seems to be where this stuff about horses being marked with plaits to be stolen started.


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