I received the following today:

Subject: Please read and forward to all horsey people

I have been sent this email today.

On Monday (2 Nov) night my friend’s horse was stolen from a field in the Guildford area. The people who took her sawed through a wooden post and rail fence to get out and this happened between 3pm and 6pm in the afternoon.

The police were informed and so were the microchip company who circulated her details to all the ferry ports etc.

As you can imagine the owner was completely distraught.

Late Tuesday (3 Nov) afternoon she received a phone call from the police to say her horse had been found in Hollyhead, Wales. She was tied to a railing at the ferry port and the ferry to Ireland had gone without her. So today she is driving to Wales to pick her up.

Several things have come to light in this story:

1. A week ago her horse had a small plait in its mane when she went to get her in from the field. She describes it as very small, almost like a tangle. She disregarded it as kids messing about (her horses are out in a field with others). However, this is how people mark horses to be stolen later. Ie. One person marks them, another then comes later and knows which one to take.

2. The ferry port at Hollyhead do not check horses passports or microchips. This horse was travelling without a passport.

3. The police believe the reason this horse was left behind was because she was microchipped. Although the UK is lax about passport and microchip checking, it is apparently more common for horses to be scanned on entering Ireland. The people who take them will scan them and dump them if they find a microchip. This horse also had a large obvious scar so this may have been a contributing factor.

The police told her that horses being dumped at a ferry terminal is not uncommon and they usually turn out to be stolen. They have had horses left in a lorry on the actually ferry!

This story has a happy ending for H and E, but it makes you wonder how many other stolen horses were on that ferry to Ireland.

The owner has asked me not to give any more details because of the police investigation that is on going, but has given her permission for me to relay this story, mainly to highlight:

1. If you find your horse with a small plait in its mane or tail please do not ignore it. I thought it was common knowledge that people knew about this, but several people I've spoken to since were not aware of it.
2. If your horse isn’t microchipped please consider doing it. The owner of this horse describes her as ‘nothing flashy, just a normal 14.2 bay mare’ so please don’t think it couldn’t happen to you.

Please do not ask me to provide more details regarding the horse or owner as I can’t, but please spare a happy thought today for H and E who should be having a (probably very emotional) reunion in Hollyhead later on today.

Please forward this email onto any other horsey people you know. The more people who know about plaits and microchips the better...

Horrendous!

My old field had a public footpath running through it & people would often plait the horses manes if they could get near the friendly ones. Nowadays I probably wouldn't think much of seeing a plait in my lot's manes because of that & I know some of the neighbours like to visit them for a bit of fuss, so thanks so much for pointing this out as I will be more vigilant in future!

I'd never heard of the plaiting so thanks for the info. am also glad that the money I spent on microchipping wasn't waisted.

Glad there is a happy end to this theft - how very scary though.

Scary and horrific to think someone would steal your horse!! I've been folowing a few similar threads on different sites!

I have grave reservations about the story tho, I just can't see why a theif would plat a mane as a 'marker', surely theifs have the internet too and are aware that people think this has been done to mark the horse prior to it being stolen, so the plating is just giving a 'heads up' to the horse owners isn't it, also if it was platted a week prior to being stolen surely the horse owner would of checked it during that week and taken the plat out??

Also, the story says that horses are abandoned in the ferry port because they were microchipped, so the people who stole it must of scanned it, in which case why didn't the theves scan it before they stole it saving theselves a lot of hassle..

The whole story seems to be a different version of the panic surrounding the two eastern european men taking pictures of horses at shows that circulated during the summer...

Hi, i didn't want to post a new thread on here so everyone would see the theft report from mjherbie but i just read an article in a popular horse mag suggesting micro chipping was a rarely a successful tool for retrieving stolen horses because vets/sales etc don't make a habit of scanning I have had both mine chipped and this report makes me feel (like porffor) it may not have been a complete waste of money but (especially after a situation like this ) have also been wondering if i should freezemark? Any opinions please This theft scenario is horrendous, so glad this one has has a good ending.

What a horrendous story!!

As for freezemarking - thank goodness I've never had a pony stolen, but in 1994 I sold a freezemarked 2 year old to a dealer (not my normal pratice I can assure you!) About 6 months later I had a phone call from a person in Wrexham who had bought him as a fully broken, 100%, 5 year old! They doubted his age & traced me, as his breeder, thro' his freezemark. We found out that in the space of 6 months, he had been thro' 4 breeders & been broken in!!

Anyway, the people who eventually bought him were quite happy to turn him away to mature for a couple of years.

So freezemarking does work to a certain extent & at least it's very obvious for potential thieves! ( you mark your rugs telling everyone that the horse is freezemarked in the winter)

I'm intending to get my new mare freezemarked - maybe some of us could get together in the spring (when there's more daylight hours to get things done!) as there is a discount for group bookings.

Funny you should bring the freeze marking subject up. I've been thinking about this all day at work after reading the post this morning & was wondering (whilst I was v.bored in court) where would be the best place to freezebrand Eb so it wouldn't get in the way of showing, etc - I decided the saddle area, but that would mean her being out of action a while

I've been meaning to get my lot freezemarked for forever, Silv is under her mane & being coloured it blends in quite well, U can only see it when she's plaited up, but I don't really like it, I think under the saddle is the best option.

I have contacted Farmkey in the past, they don't charge a huge amount to do it & it's cheaper if there's a few horses. I really want to get Eb done & Phoebe for sure, possibly Jake & Badger too. They are microchipped but I have also read that this isn't the way to trace a stolen animal, they are only located on the off chance they are scanned and that off chance isn't enough for me!

I'm definitely up for a communal freezemarking session !!!!! Need to look into how long Eb would be unrideable coz I'd hate to not be able to do anything with her for weeks. The yard I kept Silv on previously religiously freezemarked their horses, always in the saddle area & I remember them being out of action quite a while

Evening SSX I contacted them too last year...its about £30 per horse isnt it? Thats exactly how i feel about microchipping......basically unless your horse ends up at the vets and they for some reason decide to scan for a chip (not common practice!)....you have a less than slim chance of tracing them? I thought for some reason it took less than two weeks for the freeze mark to heal for ridden work but i may have just imagined that!! Im such a pansy with my two id probably have them in intensive care!!!

We looked into this when we first got Thunder, I think it's cheaper the more horses you can 'get together' to have it done.
Sadly I have no transport but would be up for having it done for sure. I didn't have Thunder done before we moved to Wales as he was still so young and I'd only just 'tamed' him and got him ready for the move.

www.farmkey.co.uk

Prices quoted include freezemarking and first year's membership.

Single Horse £55.95

2-4 Horses £47.95

5-9 Horses £43.95

Prices are based on horses freezemarked at a single venue on the same day.

Group bookings

We welcome group bookings and offer unbeatable rates, contact Farmkey to find out how you can pay as little as £31.95 to secure the safety of your horse.

Group bookings deposit

For more than 4 horse a £5 deposit per a horse will be required, this must be paid 10 days prior to the appointment date. This will then be taken of the invoice amount on the day of freeze marking. The deposit is non-refundable for cancellations a week or less prior to the appointment date.

Discounts

We currently give discounts for BHS, BRC and NFU members and also for Farmkey owners already paying membership fees.

Please note you can only use one discount or voucher per an invoice/owner.

Payment is requested on the day of marking. We accept cash, cheque or credit cards.

How to Book

To have your horse freezemarked by farmkey simply call us on 0870 870 7107 0870 870 7107 and be prepared with the following information :

Owners details i.e. name, address
Contact telephone numbers i.e. daytime, mobile etc.
Stabling details i.e. home or livery address
Please supply Directions to your stabling address from a landmark or main road nearby.
Number of horses to be freezemarked
Credit card details to secure the booking

Sounds great, I'm definitely up for that if anyone else wants to get together. 2 weeks without Eb is going to be reaaaaallllllllyyyyyyyy tough though

CM I know what u mean, mine will be in intensive care too, God, and then there'll be the rugs to think about, will it be rubbing, etc, etc, etc, etc

I swear.... one of these days, these horses will give me a nervous breakdown!

I'm still torn on this one - Ozzy should really get done as he's just one solid colour with no distinguishing marks at all. Katie's quite distinctive with the pink bit on her nostrils, and Harley is instantly recognisable from 50 paces with all the scars on his legs!!

The only thing that is putting me off, is that Manty went absolutely ballistic when he was done, so I'd want them sedated, not sure that Sedalin would be up to the job... Hmmm, will have to think some more...

Thats why I didn't get thunder done as a yearling Lucy - figured he wouldn't like me anymore if I held him for that one! I have heard of horses who aren't phased by it at all though in fairness.

We have had several of ours done and settled for the shoulder - yes it can be seen, but that is the idea! If it is under the saddle and they are stolen, they can be sold under saddle in the marts and people may not realise they have a brand until after they buy them. They can also be left in the pens with saddles on so again no-one is able to check up on them. I must admit I was thinking of having Herbie done under the mane, as I think this is the most obvious spot, and will show up in the field even if the horse is rugged. Personally I would rather have a horse with an obvious brand than have one stolen!

VERY GOOD POINT