canteron
Well-Known Member
I keep considering having my lot freezemarked .... Does it really deter theives or does it make it easier to trace (ie do the ports, etc check freezemarks?). Does anyone have any direct experience???
Freezemarking - does it work???
- Thread starter canteron
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MiJodsR2BlinkinTite
Well-Known Member
Well .... i don't know where I heard it but apparently someone's horse was pinched and they didn't realise it had a freezemark coz it had a rug on, and the owners were phoned by the police to come and pick it up at some ferry port or other (Dover I think?) coz when they found out it had got a freezemark they'd just dumped the poor horse at the port (it would have been shipped to the continent else and god-knows-what would have happened to it). Sorry can't remember where I heard this, but my last horse was done before I had him, so I didn't have a choice in the matter, and I'm having my latest one done this summer.
So OK people say it "spoils the look" of the horse; but surely its better to have it freezemarked and keep it in your possession, then not. I've heard of microchipped horses being stolen simply because there is no visible deterrent.
So yes, I'm having mine done, shan't hesitate.
So OK people say it "spoils the look" of the horse; but surely its better to have it freezemarked and keep it in your possession, then not. I've heard of microchipped horses being stolen simply because there is no visible deterrent.
So yes, I'm having mine done, shan't hesitate.
the watcher
Well-Known Member
I have had every one of my horses freezemarked over the years since the 80's. I know it is an effective deterrent and I know that freezemark.biz quote a 100% recovery rate with Farmkey not far behind that figure. No other method can boast these recovery rates.
Some people may consider the mark ugly, in my view there is nothing more ugly than the gap in your stable where your missing horse used to stand.
Some people may consider the mark ugly, in my view there is nothing more ugly than the gap in your stable where your missing horse used to stand.
NeedNewHorse
Well-Known Member
I am going to get my mare done in a few weeks. To be honest, I do not know if it will stop anyone trying to steal her.. But at least i know I have tried to make efforts in keeping her with me!
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MrsMozart
Just passing through...
I've had my three done 
. They're microchipped as well. Have considered a ball and chain, but decided that maybe that was taking it too far 
I think it stands out rather well. I had them all done on the shoulder as I wanted it to be seen when a saddle is on
. They're microchipped as well. Have considered a ball and chain, but decided that maybe that was taking it too far I think it stands out rather well
. I had them all done on the shoulder as I wanted it to be seen when a saddle is on
lachlanandmarcus
Well-Known Member
Once its done a few weeks, you dont even notice it any more. But potential thieves do, and go elsewhere. It also makes it easier to prove ownership, cant be anything worse than your horse being found and them not being able to return it to you. My gelding is freezemarked and my mare chipped and freezemarked.
PeterNatt
Well-Known Member
The big advantage of a freezemarked horse is that it can be identified by anyone. i.e. anyone can read a freezemark as it is visible.
When a suspected stolen horse is found it needs to be identified quickly and a freezemark makes this very easy as anyone can read a freezemark.
When a suspected stolen horse is found it needs to be identified quickly and a freezemark makes this very easy as anyone can read a freezemark.
D
Donkeymad
Guest
Absolutely. Don't hestate got any and all equines done as soon as possible.
We had two stolen. They were away overnight, somewhere pitch black. They were removed from their ''paddock'' and very soon dumped. Although we can't be 100% positive, we do believe it was becasue the freezemarks were found. We had them back in less than 12 hours.
We had two stolen. They were away overnight, somewhere pitch black. They were removed from their ''paddock'' and very soon dumped. Although we can't be 100% positive, we do believe it was becasue the freezemarks were found. We had them back in less than 12 hours.
Llewellyn
Well-Known Member
My mum had a pony sold while out on loan. And six months later got a call from farmkey that someone was trying to register him having bought him at sales. Mum went through police to get him back. The woman who bought him said he was hers as she had paid for him (which of course he wasn't as with cars). And my mums arguement was she had the oppertunity to check with farmkey before she handed over the money. Anyway got him back.
No one had in 6months including the vet doing vaccinations had checked if he was microchipped and the women who bought him had sent off for a new passport so he had two!
So answer: always worth while but don't expect miracles but registering a stolen horse with the police means they should have a list at sales ect. but then they could move him to a differant area for sale.
(am aware that a vet shouldn't treat a horse with no passport but I believe he was doing the drawings at the same time!) But it was purely due to the freezemark we got the horse back (in a horrid condition but alive) and this hasn't put us off loaning out ponies just a bad experience.
And they can be fun we have Wellington as W3LL and Bobbin as B0BN so cool! lol
No one had in 6months including the vet doing vaccinations had checked if he was microchipped and the women who bought him had sent off for a new passport so he had two!
So answer: always worth while but don't expect miracles but registering a stolen horse with the police means they should have a list at sales ect. but then they could move him to a differant area for sale.
(am aware that a vet shouldn't treat a horse with no passport but I believe he was doing the drawings at the same time!) But it was purely due to the freezemark we got the horse back (in a horrid condition but alive) and this hasn't put us off loaning out ponies just a bad experience.
And they can be fun we have Wellington as W3LL and Bobbin as B0BN so cool! lol
Spyda
Well-Known Member
I've always had mine done; had my first one done in 1980 (L974) and still remember his mark!!!
But somone I know took a horse to a slaughter house last year and left really upset because no one there looked him over or looked at his passport - and let alone compare the two. She said his passport was collected afterwards and wasn't even looked at, just added to pile already collected. By the time the passport was collected the horse had already passed into the 'processing' plant. The woman said she could have lead any horse into that cubicle and no one cared.
I must admit, this story has left me feeling very concerned. What's the use of microchipping, freezemarking or any other form of ID marking a horse if things like this are allowed to happen?
I don't know anything about equine slaughter houses or whether this is typical, but I know it's happened at least once and that's bad enough. I would have thought someone should be checking the paper work against the poor animals passing through a slaughter premises? It makes me go cold thinking it could have been one of mine or someone else's much loved and missed stolen horse being led into that cubicle without anyone checking its identity. Eugh...
But somone I know took a horse to a slaughter house last year and left really upset because no one there looked him over or looked at his passport - and let alone compare the two. She said his passport was collected afterwards and wasn't even looked at, just added to pile already collected. By the time the passport was collected the horse had already passed into the 'processing' plant. The woman said she could have lead any horse into that cubicle and no one cared.
I must admit, this story has left me feeling very concerned. What's the use of microchipping, freezemarking or any other form of ID marking a horse if things like this are allowed to happen?
I don't know anything about equine slaughter houses or whether this is typical, but I know it's happened at least once and that's bad enough. I would have thought someone should be checking the paper work against the poor animals passing through a slaughter premises? It makes me go cold thinking it could have been one of mine or someone else's much loved and missed stolen horse being led into that cubicle without anyone checking its identity. Eugh...
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