Microchipping VS Freezemarking

Z

Zarkaz

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 October 2011
Messages
61
Visit site
Whats your opinion??
Had a lot of trouble with my pony this past year so its time for one of the above.
What would you say are the pros and cons of each and which do you prefer?
Im edging more towards freeze marking but i dont really like the fact of hurting or scarring my pony :( and if i do choose it can they be personalised and i dont mean stars or hearts or anything just simply my initials or surname?
or is there anything other than MC or FM??
Hoping someone can help me decide :confused:
 
Ideally do both, esp if minature, coloured or mare (the favoured targets of the scum).

But if not, then freezemarking would be the first option since it is a more visible deterrent.

Yes for an extra £5 or £10 ish you can have it personalised. Bear in mind that letters that look like numbers cant be used, so think of a few options beforehand rather than being set on one, and of course you cant have it if already used. eg I couldnt have HAF1 for my haflinger mare so am 1HAF instead! Big chap didnt have personalised one but his by chance looks just like TOAD which suits him down to the ground!!

Please dont worry about hurting them, they have anasthetic gel on the area and mine barely twitched or noticed at all. They are much more likely to suffer pain or distress if they are stolen by thieves who by definition have no interest in their comfort or safety. And imagine how you would feel in that scenario.....

do it!
 
It is a legal thing to have any horse micro chipped now, and i have all mine done, but i would not freeze mark them i do not like it :( but each to there own but i think it looks awful :o
 
I had 2 ponies freezemarked 20 years ago. One didn't mind that much the other it definitely hurt thin skinned part tb and that has put me off ever doing it again. Nowadays it is probably much improved so I would listen to those who have had it done more recently but ideally with a similar breed to yours. Microchiping seems a bit pointless in the sense that ponies aren't checked regularly a sign up saying they are chipped freezemarked could be more effective but I also think it suggests you have something worth stealing. Sorry not a helpful reply just not yet been convinced it is worth it.
 
Cocorules said:
I had 2 ponies freezemarked 20 years ago. One didn't mind that much the other it definitely hurt thin skinned part tb and that has put me off ever doing it again. Nowadays it is probably much improved so I would listen to those who have had it done more recently but ideally with a similar breed to yours. Microchiping seems a bit pointless in the sense that ponies aren't checked regularly a sign up saying they are chipped freezemarked could be more effective but I also think it suggests you have something worth stealing. Sorry not a helpful reply just not yet been convinced it is worth it.
Click to expand...

Nope hes not worth thousands just an average welsh (well in my eyes hes priceless) lets just say i had someone question his ownership which involved going to court and passports are not classed as proof of ownership.
 
I had my horse chipped and then micro marked which basically says I'm microchipped! Less noticeable than a full freeze mark. The micro mark is like an upside down horse shoe applied in the same way as a freeze mark.
 
Murphs_Mum said:
I had my horse chipped and then micro marked which basically says I'm microchipped! Less noticeable than a full freeze mark. The micro mark is like an upside down horse shoe applied in the same way as a freeze mark.
Click to expand...

Interesting, didn't know about that.
My mare was freezemarked about 16 years ago, she got more upset about getting the area clipped than she was about getting the brands applied (but I've never claimed she was normal or sane!!!)
She was also microchipped when the passports were introduced (all in one deal from the vet), I like freezemarking because it's a visible deterrant.
 
it definitely hurt thin skinned part tb and that has put me off ever doing it again
Click to expand...

I had my very fine skinned mare freezemarked. The Farmkey lady adjusted (shortened) the time that the markers were held onthe skin to take into account the mare's fine skin. She said that arabs need the shortest time, followed by TB's.

Very bright photo (sorry).

Carriewalk.jpg
 
Microchipping is proof of ownership, but as it's not visible it's no deterrent. Freeze marking of some sort is, obviously, visible and is a proven deterrent. You can write the freezemark number on their rugs in winter so would-be horse thieves can see.

It's not ugly and even if you think it spoils their appearance, better that than your beloved horse stolen.
 
I think Nemo must have buffalo hide for skin, as his freezemark didn't work. It has been done a 2nd time and still not really worked :(
Harvey's looks fab - done by same lady, so it's not her that is at fault.
 
I had Mason freezemarked, on his shoulder so that his mark can be seen when riding. (He was also microchipped straight after he'd passed the vetting by the same vet!)
I don't think you can be too careful when it comes to protecting your horse. I also don't think it looks ugly, I don't even notice it now. I have shown him and nobody has ever mentioned it either.
He barely noticed it being done, and he is a seriously sensitive soul, so I don't believe it hurts or harms them in any way.
In answer to your original question, I'd go for both freezemarking and microchipping
 
I'm interested in freeze marking on shoulder but am concerned as one is really hairy and grey and the other would def need sedation for clipping and for marking.

how easy is it to get freezemark person and vet at same time?
 
Regardless of which you have done, make sure that the freezemark and microchip number are then associated with his passport by ringing the passport company up and asking them to update their details

Also, double check on NED that it has been done or do it via NED (but this costs points)
 
fidleyspromise said:
I'm interested in freeze marking on shoulder but am concerned as one is really hairy and grey and the other would def need sedation for clipping and for marking.

how easy is it to get freezemark person and vet at same time?
Click to expand...

I would image it would be fairly easy, Farmkey offered me a choice of time slots, a few weeks in advance so if I had needed a vet I'm sure I could have arranged one. depends on how flexible your vets are I suppose.
 
I've had two freezemarked, no problems whatsoever. Both done on the shoulder as I saw no point in hiding it. Obviously hidden under rugs though.

I call it their number plates! A quick clip over freezemark in winter, whilst they have their winter woollies on makes it legible.

I decided to freezemark over chipping as not many were actually done at the time, and scanners, I believe were few and far between.

Jane
 
i dont see the point in micro chipping to be honest

It almost never results in a stolen horse bieng returned where as freeze marking has a high return rate if stolen and also its a deterrent from theft in the first place!!
 
cee bee, out of interest what colour is nemo? my old mare was almost black and was done 3 times as the first 2 didnt take properly. im sure she didnt even notice it was being done as farmkey were very good.


my vote is for freezemarking every time, and from my experiences none of the horses i have seen being done have had any negative reaction. even if it did cause a couple of moments pain i would rather that than losing my horse to someone who wont care about treating her properly....
 
FionaM12 said:
It's a legal requirement isn't it? It's not so much about them being stolen, it's more about the passporting criteria. As I understand it, that's more about controlling disease & the meat trade?
Click to expand...


yes and no

as far as i am aware its for younger horses being passported not for ones already done. So as a matter of choice, especially on the older ones i would choose freezemarking and i still see microchipping as a waste of time!!!
 
elliegirl12 said:
It is a legal thing to have any horse micro chipped now, and i have all mine done, but i would not freeze mark them i do not like it :( but each to there own but i think it looks awful :o
Click to expand...

I have always said to anyone who says this to me ,

They say freezemark is ugly
or

spoils the horses looks.

well i say


1. IT WILL SPOIL HIM ALLOT MORE IF HE IS CARVED UP AND SERVED ON A PLATE

2. horse would look allot more awfull in the back of a knacker van as microchip so many times goes through the sale without any 1 checking.



Been down to Southall market for more than 20 years

not once did they ever scan horses for microchips but the freezemarked ones were all had their papers checked to see if legal.

i dont c point of microchip.

a thief would never check it so steal horse anyway you lose horse.


not for me sorry

be seen be safe my motto.
i want thieves to see my horses are marked so no attempt to take them .

I know so many yards where the horses rugs were removed to see which were freezemarked non were taken but the microchiped ones were. .
Any freezemarked ones in the past were taken in a group thieves got to a fields picked out the ones with no freezemarked and carried on the freezemarked ones were left behind.
 
Last edited:
Alphamare said:
yes and no

as far as i am aware its for younger horses being passported not for ones already done. So as a matter of choice, especially on the older ones i would choose freezemarking and i still see microchipping as a waste of time!!!
Click to expand...

Ah, I see. So you only have to have foals microchipped? In that case I can see your point. It makes sense with dogs, so many of them go astray and the microchip identifies the owner. However, with horses the problem's more likely to be theft, and as you say, microchipping's not visible so wouldn't stop the theft.
 
Both to be super-safe, but if you're only going to go for one I'd definitely go down the freezemarking route. Please, please don't worry about it hurting your horse! I have the biggest wimps in the country and made such a big deal out of telling the Farmkey lady that they were going to be awful, going to leap round the stable, going to be nervous wrecks etc - in the end I didn't need to worry because they were both absolutely fine and I don't think they even noticed it being done! Felt very stupid afterwards for making such a big deal haha!
The lady we had was so lovely and really good with the horses, she was very careful when applying them so that the horses weren't frightened of them, very professional - if you get your horse freezemarked I highly recommend farmkey.

Freezemarking is probably safer than being microchipped because it is a visual deterrent and you can put up signs on gates etc stating that your horse is freezemarked and can be traced. You can put the freezemark on all rugs that your horse might be wearing out in the field so that anyone can see they're clearly marked. With microchipping they'd only find out once they'd taken the horse, so it's more of a getting-the-horse-back thing than a preventing-them-taking-it kind of thing.
 
One of the advantages of a Farmkey Freezemarked horse is that you have access to an emergency 24/7 telephone line which you can report your stolen horse to and they will immediately circulate the details to the ports, slaughter houses, horse watch etc.
 
I have had mine chipped and also as a visual deterrent, had a micromark freezebranded onto him - double whammy!! The micromark is the shape of a small horseshoe
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top