New horse arrives in the morning would you freeze mark?

There are pros and cons where freeze marking is concerned. Yes it will put off a potential thief if he sees it. I personally would never have mine done because of what a gypsy told me years ago. He said if someone has stolen a horse and finds it is freeze marked it will go straight to slaughter and sold for meat. There are too many crooks out there. I would like to think this sort of thing doesn't happen nowadays but who knows.
 
I hate the look of a freeze mark but I hate the thought of my horse being stolen even more. I also have a notice on the gate stating that my horse is micro chipped and freeze marked as a deterrent.

I don't even notice the freeze now and certainly sleep easier in my bed.
 
Take a look at the statistics. Out of stolen horses that were freezemarked 99% were recovered. Out of stolen horses which where not freezemarked 40% where recovered.
I would always have a horse freezemarked on it's shoulder so that it can be seen while being ridden.
 
Light coured horses get a bald mark on the shoulder/flank.

I always had mine freeze marked under the sade area (always had bays) however the last one,an ex-racer, they accidentally left the irons on too long causing him a lot of pain and distress. I told the woman she did it too long and I should have stopped her but I let her continue and she did the next 3 characters. The first one is bald and the next three needed several coat change for any hair to grow back (essentially bald). It took 12 months for the skin to heal (no riding) and now in summer he had to be ridden in a sheepskin only. That was done 9 years ago and I have only started using normal saddle pads in winter in the last 2 yrs as otherwise they cause the black skin to turn pink.
Never again.
 
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