Freezemarking, are your horses done?

hayinamanger

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One or two recent threads have made me seriously consider freezemarking my horses. I am curious to know how many of you have done your horses and, also, if freezemarked stolen horses are more easily recovered.
 

Shysmum

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YES ! I am on the Appleby route, and my lad has had a lot of interest taken in him in the past. I cannot recommend it strongly enough.
 

Nudibranch

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Yes, although the piebald has a micro mark which I am not that pleased with. Doesn't look as effective as a numbered freezemark in my opinion and because it's small it needs regular clipping to avoid looking just like a smudge.
 

amiacat

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Yes I have my boy done and would get any future horse I have done too. I had mine done by Freezemark, who were very good when they came out, very efficient and good annual fee too.
I can't comment on how effective it is at recovering stolen horses but it's peace of mind for me, and I know that if they do get stolen then Freezemark have a wide network to circulate details to (as does the other company).
Obviously having a freezemark doesn't stop them getting stolen but they are more likely to be ditched when they find out they have one.
Hope my rambling helps!
 

JJones

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I'm going to book my 2 coloureds in now in January. They are the two out of my lot most likely to be stolen. They can only mark on black though so my coloured mare is going to only be able to have it on the top of her neck near her head. Shame but I'd rather that than her be stolen.
 

Fools Motto

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Neither of my two are freezemarked. Mare does have huge scar on her NH, which I suppose is an ID mark. I actually would hate to get her done, she would be so stressed and I actually can't see how the person who does it would survive. She hates vets/treatment of ANY sort and would defend her 'space' for all she is worth.
Filly, is grey and TBH can't really see the need for her to be done. She is micro chipped though.
 

Meems

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My mare is but it never really took, it is barely visible in her summer coat and disappears altogether with her winter coat. I did ask them to come back and re-do it, but they said because she's got so much white hair mixed in with her dun bits, that it wouldn't be any better if they did it again. I've actually now cancelled my Freezemark membership because it is so non-existent there doesn't seem much point. She is microchipped too though.

It's a very good idea though and if I were to ever get another horse, I wouldn't hesitate to get them done.
 

comet!

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I had mine done about a year ago. I did hesitate a bit before having him done as I wanted him freezemarked on his shoulder, but as both shoulders are white he had do be done on the area to the right of where his saddle flap sits. One of the reasons for me hesitating about him being done behind the saddle was because I'd been told he was difficult to clip and was worried it wouldn't get done without vet sedation. He was as good as gold, so I needn't have worried :)

I've had all my horses done before by Farmkey, and would have any future one done.
 
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AmieeT

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No, kyra is pink skinned and grey so i dont think it would show up, shes microchipped with obvious spots that i have photos of and their locations :) if anyone has a picture of a grey with a freezemark id like to see it :)

Mine's not grey but he's roan- grey in the spring and you wouldn't be able to see the freeze mark unless you knew it was there
Now you see it
IMG_3316_zps781db8d6.jpg


Now you don't!
fbe426fd-66b1-444c-8240-2db7a81d144a_zps6f1d8752.jpg
 

WelshD

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here is my boy's mark. I dont like it on his white coat, its part pink part black. My other pony is chipped and as he will also be white in time I am in two minds about a freezemark

I know it makes sense but I do think they look scruffy on greys (sorry!)

fa4e601a-13ef-41da-8884-923106acbda7_zpsb579948b.jpg
 

rachyblue

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My old boy was done in the early days of Freezemarks (before I got him) his number was 001G! I had my shetland freezemarked, but I can't bring myself to have it done to baby wb.
 

dizzyneddy

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Two of mine are done on the shoulder because l didn't want it covered by a saddle. l'll be getting my palomino youngster done later this year but as she's like my old pony she goes grey when clipped & l remember the lady having to leave the brand on longer to kill the pigmentation. It left a bald spot so appeared black once he was clipped in winter. My horses are microchipped & l've made notes of any unusual markings or blemishes too but l'd rather be safe than sorry even though freezemarked horses have been stolen the more things you can do to put a thief off l will do it. l know when l go showing some judges have marked me down because they don't like horses freezmarked & it personal preference we all can't like the same things. l'd rather have my beloved equines than extra membership points!!!!
 

calmgirl

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I would but they don't do it here (N.I.) though there is one horse on our yard with it done but he's about 25 so they did freeze mark at one time!
 

WelshD

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l know when l go showing some judges have marked me down because they don't like horses freezmarked & it personal preference we all can't like the same things. l'd rather have my beloved equines than extra membership points!!!!

This worries me too so I will be covering his freezemark for shows even though I have been assured it makes no difference to placings!
 

Ibblebibble

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big girl isn't as she is grey and TBH anyone who tried to steal her would have to be bloomin determined as she is a bitch to load and will only go in a lorry, the neighbours would certainly hear the commotion before anyone managed to load her! seriously thinking about getting the cob and the connie done, 2 sweet girls that would be easy pickings sadly
 

Buddy'sMum

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Do those of you who have your horses microchipped ever have your vet scan the chip to make sure it's working? I never have but will be next time I have the vet out - friend of mine has her horse scanned every year when he has his annual jabs and this year...no microchip!! Or it had stopped working. So she had to have her horse remicrochipped. First time the vet has had that happen but it obviously does happen so just thought I'd mention.
 

Hoofing-it

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I've never had a horse freeze marked but have owned a few that were prior to my ownership. Out of interest for new horse- what are the costs?
 

starryeyed

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Do those of you who have your horses microchipped ever have your vet scan the chip to make sure it's working? I never have but will be next time I have the vet out - friend of mine has her horse scanned every year when he has his annual jabs and this year...no microchip!! Or it had stopped working. So she had to have her horse remicrochipped. First time the vet has had that happen but it obviously does happen so just thought I'd mention.

My mare was microchipped in Ireland, however the vets have used a few different scanners on her (all over!) to try and locate the chip and haven't been able to find it - so it's either stopped working or the scanners the vets used don't recognise the Irish chip. However, ours are freezemarked and any future horse would be too, as it's the only visual deterrent. Also a lot easier to spot in photographs etc than a microchip would be!

I've never had a horse freeze marked but have owned a few that were prior to my ownership. Out of interest for new horse- what are the costs?

According to the websites, for a single horse Freezemark charge £53.95 and Farmkey charge £55 - both do discounts for multiple horses. There's also a yearly membership fee, I think ours is £10 per year (ours were done by freezemark ltd) x
 
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catkin

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l know when l go showing some judges have marked me down because they don't like horses freezmarked & it personal preference we all can't like the same things. l'd rather have my beloved equines than extra membership points!!!!

I'm surprised at this - lots of showing societies clearly state in their rules that freezebrands should NOT result in horses being marked down.
 

quirky

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I had mine done as a youngster, she's the first one I had done (all others had been chipped). I chose to have her marked as it was the first yard I'd been on that YO didn't live on site.
We have been on 2 yards since then and at present, she is the only one marked out of 10 horses. On previous yard, there were 4 out of 38 horses done.
 

Spot_the_Risk

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Yes they are, and I keep the area clipped on the older boy as it can disappear with his winter coat colour. I've heard so many stories of freezemarked horses being found rugless in their own fields where apparently thieves have not bothered to knock them once they've seen the mark that I'm convinced it's an aid to keeping my horses.
 
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