Does freezemarking hurt?

MrsHutt

MrsHutt

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As title, really!

Just thinking about all we can do to make Hugo as safe as possible, but OH suggested it might hurt!

And what does it cost? I have heard that they'll come and do a load on the yard at the same time to keep the cost down?

Thanks
 
I don't think it is the most comfortable experience for the horse, but it is quick and imo the best way to deter theft....none of mine seemed to be in actual 'pain'!

iirc it is about £50 per horse, but then more if you want to have a 'personalised' number, and then you pay your membership on top.
 
I was actually looking at the Farmkey website yesterday as I'd like to have my lad freezemarked, under the FAQ's it says the following:-

Is freezemarking painful?

It is a humane way of marking a horse permanently to deter theft. Super-chilled markers are placed onto the horses skin. This destroys the hair pigment (i.e. chestnut, bay etc.), so that the hair regrows white, and the unique four digit mark can be seen.We regulary mark horses for the RSPCA, ILPH and the police.

So it doesn't really answer the question, we've had one done before but I wasn't there at the time (years ago, I was at school) so parents took care of it, but yes I was wondering this yesterday so I'd be interested to see peoples answers.
 
I had two done last year. They are both sensitive flowers, who are quite happy to make their opinion clear. Neither particularly enjoyed the experience, but the worst they did was walk around the box while being marked, and the person holding the brand just followed them. It looked slightly uncomfortable, but definitely not painful.
 
As somebody else said, the worst my mare did was walk round for one of the marks.

They are very well organised, have all letters in the liquid nitrogen, so it's on off on off iyswim, no time for the horse to think what's coming next.

A bucket of feed was ample distraction for her :rolleyes::D
 
Until reading this post I always thought It was 'burned' into the skin, I should have guessed by the name 'freeze' marking that it wasn't :rolleyes:
One of my mares is branded, is that when it is burnt in to the skin? As where her brand mark is the fur isn't white, there isn't any fur there at all!
 
Probably more comfortable than having a red hot iron held on their bums - even if it is only for a few seconds, which is what they still do here.

Aidey - Branding burns off the existing hair and kills the hair follicles so none will ever grow again, done properly it shouldn't really burn the skin too much- although with time the follicles can recover and the brand becomes a little 'fuzzier'.
 
My mare didn't move at all, the treats that I had were far more worthy of her attention than the cold thing on her shoulder! :p

I was very impressed with the Farmkey lady. She was presented with a very fine skinned animal that had never been clipped before and can be wary of strangers. The lady was very calm, kind and took her time getting the mare used to the sound of the clippers. She also adjusted the freezebranding time (lowered it) to suit the mare's fine skin.
 
If you've ever had a verucca or wart frozen, then it's EXACTLY the same thing.

Much the same way I'd have been hysterical as a child, a younger horse might react a bit, but we've just had two done and they ate the whole way through. even Mr Grumpy Pants who normally kicks out just whilst he's being groomed!!
 
It depends on the horse! Most of the thicker skinned cobs hardly reacted at all. My TB reacted as though hot pokers were being thrust into his eyeballs, and I had to sedate him, twitch him, and we still needed 3 people to hold him still for the lady to finish. I would never have another TB freezemarked, without veterinary sedation, as it was awful and I felt so bad afterwards for putting him through that.
 
being in the new forest all of our ponies are hot-branded.

If done correctly the idea is that the pony shouldn't even feel it. The heat from the brand is meant to kill the nerve endings in the skin before they can register pain.

Last time i branded two young colts of mine, neither of them even flinched slightly.

Tbh, my mind boggles at how this is the case but it certainly is
 
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