if it's marked to be stolen why plait

[wowser]

i must have to much time on my hands at the moment, i've been thinking about these plaits that are put in manes, if a horse is marked to be stolen, why would 'nt the so called theif photo the animal with a phone and send. i would guess they also read these message boards

 

[thrillsnspills]

Maybe it's simply quicker and easier to find a horse with a plait, than to compare every animal in the field to a small and poor quality (maybe) photo on a mobile phone?

 

[Serenity087]

but they have to go through every single horse and pony in the field to find the plait...

 

[HollyWoozle]

I thought it was so they could recognise them in the dark?

 

[The_snoopster]

I personally think why would a thief plait a horse knowing the owner 9 times out of 10 take the plaits out the next morning, also every plait i have seen in the photo,s that have been posted are what looks to me just knotted tangles.
If these plaits were 3 sectioned plaits then i would be extremely concerned, also the horses that do get reported as stolen the owners never reported that the horses in question had plaits or tangles in the weeks and days leading up to the actual thefts.
And yes i have had the trauma of a pony going missing where the gate was smashed off and had hours of stress on the phone reporting to the police and horse watch etc, luckily for me my pony was abandoned up the lane but those hours seemed endless torture.
The best way to try and prevent a theft is to have your horses freezemarked and chipped and check your field at different times of the day, also put a sign on your gate stating the security that is in place.
Obviously these plaits have been a major concern to some people and it is just my opinion that what i have seen are just the tangles that horses with long manes can get.

 

[lindsayH]

Oh god, lets not start this again.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

There's been carefully researched articles on this in (I think) BHS mad and other horsey mags. It's a myth.

 

[Serenity087]

I know it's a myth, which is why I'm fed up to the back teeth of it!

There's just so many stupid contraditions - why do they only plait natives and not expensive horses? How are uncatchable ponies being plaited? Who exactly is plaiting? (I've heard gypsies, eastern europeans AND devil worshippers!)

Also, why not just take a damn photo? Really? Or even all the horses in the paddock?

And. Most importantly. Why continue to plait when we're all unplaiting our horses as fast as we can? We've effectively crippled the horse theft industry because we're taking the plaits out!

And if I hear one more suggestion that plastic bags, tin cans and any other obscure rubbish is also a sign, I'm going to ask Admin to ban all threads about it!

 

[lilym]

[ QUOTE ]
I know it's a myth, which is why I'm fed up to the back teeth of it!

There's just so many stupid contraditions - why do they only plait natives and not expensive horses? How are uncatchable ponies being plaited? Who exactly is plaiting? (I've heard gypsies, eastern europeans AND devil worshippers!)

Also, why not just take a damn photo? Really? Or even all the horses in the paddock?

And. Most importantly. Why continue to plait when we're all unplaiting our horses as fast as we can? We've effectively crippled the horse theft industry because we're taking the plaits out!

And if I hear one more suggestion that plastic bags, tin cans and any other obscure rubbish is also a sign, I'm going to ask Admin to ban all threads about it!

[/ QUOTE ]

Same here - people on the yard are getting hysterical about it

hell, if they can plait my cob mare (hogged) and load her - they can have her!!

 

[Aoibhin]

they would have to get near my boy first! mind you that might be funny to watch. guess im lucky that i hav remote access vido servalance & lots of signs/very visual (but unaccessable) cameras.