MHOL
Well-Known Member
Has anyone noticed that most of the reports are from new people? If these people would like to post the incident number for the report they post I will gladly check it out and alert horse watch nationally.
New posters reporting plaits etc
- Thread starter MHOL
- Start date
MHOL
Well-Known Member
None
MurphysMinder
Well-Known Member
Thank you for that voice of reason. Yes everyone needs to be alert but I think there is a degree of panic now, we have to bear in mind that there is some very windy weather at the moment and horses manes may tangle when they have never done before.
Sprout
Well-Known Member
Interesting thread about this spate of plaiting and previous ones, on NFED - it is suggested it is NOT to do with subsequent thefts .....
oofadoofa
Well-Known Member
That's reassuring! I had a phone call from someone last night in my village telling me that all her ponies had been tagged by having a piece cut out of their tails yesterday. So I checked mine and it appears that one of mine has had a section cut out of his tail too. But why the hell would any horse thief do that?!! Are they really going to go down in the dark and feel which horse has a piece of tail missing. Sure enough, my horse was still there this morning and I'm not particularly worried about it. It seems to me that most people that have reported these mane plaits seem to keep their horses on exposed hillsides, could it be any coincidence that it has been rather windy lately?
MHOL
Well-Known Member
My own horse has had a piece of his tail go missing, but the culprit we discovered was his companion, yes there are reported cases of tails being cut, and I don't know why this seems to be happening nationwide but it is definately not to do with stealing the horse or rocking horse material, I am sure it would be easier to buy a tail or mane attached to the skin from a slaughter house than creep about on a dark night cutting unknown horses bits of tails off then managing to keep it all in one clump!
Making people aware and alert is good but someone is creating nationwide hysteria, you only have to google plaits horse thieves and every forum in the country has a friend who had this happen to them! Especially the Guildford Horse!
Making people aware and alert is good but someone is creating nationwide hysteria, you only have to google plaits horse thieves and every forum in the country has a friend who had this happen to them! Especially the Guildford Horse!
MHOL
Well-Known Member
On doing some research they appear to be made by bigfoot! Now I would panic
Mane Braiding
From Robin Bellamy:
An unusual phenomenon has been noted in relation to the sightings and footprints of Bigfoot type creatures. Please see photo below:
This particular one is in a horse's mane. These intricate braidings appear overnight, and there are often Bigfoot or Sasquatch type footprints nearby. They have been reported by people in the United States, and in Russia. However, we have not heard of anything similar occurring in Canada.
We must add that no creatures were actually seen braiding the horses mane, but we can say quite confidently that the horse did not do this on it's own!
I have found pictures some of which people are saying are man made for marking for theft and others are to promote detangler, make your own minds up.
Mane Braiding
From Robin Bellamy:
An unusual phenomenon has been noted in relation to the sightings and footprints of Bigfoot type creatures. Please see photo below:
This particular one is in a horse's mane. These intricate braidings appear overnight, and there are often Bigfoot or Sasquatch type footprints nearby. They have been reported by people in the United States, and in Russia. However, we have not heard of anything similar occurring in Canada.
We must add that no creatures were actually seen braiding the horses mane, but we can say quite confidently that the horse did not do this on it's own!
I have found pictures some of which people are saying are man made for marking for theft and others are to promote detangler, make your own minds up.
T_K
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
On doing some research they appear to be made by bigfoot! Now I would panic
Mane Braiding
From Robin Bellamy:
An unusual phenomenon has been noted in relation to the sightings and footprints of Bigfoot type creatures. Please see photo below:
This particular one is in a horse's mane. These intricate braidings appear overnight, and there are often Bigfoot or Sasquatch type footprints nearby. They have been reported by people in the United States, and in Russia. However, we have not heard of anything similar occurring in Canada.
We must add that no creatures were actually seen braiding the horses mane, but we can say quite confidently that the horse did not do this on it's own!
I have found pictures some of which people are saying are man made for marking for theft and others are to promote detangler, make your own minds up.
[/ QUOTE ]
If I wasn't in work I'd be rolling around of the floor laughing right now!
On doing some research they appear to be made by bigfoot! Now I would panic
Mane Braiding
From Robin Bellamy:
An unusual phenomenon has been noted in relation to the sightings and footprints of Bigfoot type creatures. Please see photo below:
This particular one is in a horse's mane. These intricate braidings appear overnight, and there are often Bigfoot or Sasquatch type footprints nearby. They have been reported by people in the United States, and in Russia. However, we have not heard of anything similar occurring in Canada.
We must add that no creatures were actually seen braiding the horses mane, but we can say quite confidently that the horse did not do this on it's own!
I have found pictures some of which people are saying are man made for marking for theft and others are to promote detangler, make your own minds up.
[/ QUOTE ]
If I wasn't in work I'd be rolling around of the floor laughing right now!
MHOL
Well-Known Member
I don't mean to make light of it, I can imagine people who have had suspicious plaits being terrified but we need to be sensible about the unfounded reports being spread about. I would never of believed the plait my friends horse had would of been made by the wind but there are so many across the country and no reports of stolen horses for the amount of plaits. Sorry if it upsets the new posters but i cannot stress enough the need for incident numbers before posting and causing hysteria.
Edited to say my friends horse looked exactly like the first picture in two braids meeting in the middle and a plait to join.
Edited to say my friends horse looked exactly like the first picture in two braids meeting in the middle and a plait to join.
Chico Mio
Antedeluvian
Both of my horses, plus my friend's five - who all live on a remote, windswept farm have these 'dreadlocks'. Ari who has a long, fine Arab style mane, has spectacular hair braids that I unwrap every night. Anyone who has snuck onto my friend's farm would have had to chase five difficult to catch horses over twenty-five hectares in the pitch black to 'plait' them.
I can see my two all day, everyday and they are in at night. They still come in 'plaited' after a couple of windy days.
All the above pictures look very familiar.
I can see my two all day, everyday and they are in at night. They still come in 'plaited' after a couple of windy days.
All the above pictures look very familiar.
soph21
Well-Known Member
PMSL, we used to say the fairies done it
DragonSlayer
Well-Known Member
I do not come here to post often, but will post today because of what was mentioned on another forum.
I, for one, am glad of information given so I am able to take what steps I can to prevent my horses being stolen.
If people wish to 'make light' of such 'incidences' then that is your choice, but do not ridicule those who care to take things a little more seriously.
I would suggest those 'newbies' coming here to spread the word, to not waste your time because unfortunately, some people really don't give a damn....
Be well all, I will go away and not return for another undisclosed period of time....
..and feel free to start the mud-slinging! Thats the great thing about the internet, I won't be reading it or seeing it! Isn't it marvellous?
~does a happy dance~
I, for one, am glad of information given so I am able to take what steps I can to prevent my horses being stolen.
If people wish to 'make light' of such 'incidences' then that is your choice, but do not ridicule those who care to take things a little more seriously.
I would suggest those 'newbies' coming here to spread the word, to not waste your time because unfortunately, some people really don't give a damn....
Be well all, I will go away and not return for another undisclosed period of time....
..and feel free to start the mud-slinging! Thats the great thing about the internet, I won't be reading it or seeing it! Isn't it marvellous?
~does a happy dance~
lexiedhb
Well-Known Member
These "plaits" are nowt..... you should see the "tagging" of the small ponies who insist on sticking their heads in the burrs at my yard!!
Scheherezade
Well-Known Member
I imagined a mane plait to be more like: http://img2.allposters.com/images/NPLPOD/1155267.jpg (image from google)
Surely the owners 'plait' took a long time of backcombing and braiding - why not just do a quick and clear plait like the above, which takes roughly 10 seconds, rather than standing in the battering wind and rain trying to dreadlock a mane?
Also, all (about 20-30 including the foals) the black and white gypsy horses behind our field have one or more of the wind plaits in their mane, some of them are more than 3inches across.
And things can happen which have never happened before - my horse has never had a foot absecess in his life, but he got two recently. He's never hurt himself in the field, but the wind broke free some fencing and he got a small cut. Which has never happened in all his years of life.
Sh*t happens, as they say.
Surely the owners 'plait' took a long time of backcombing and braiding - why not just do a quick and clear plait like the above, which takes roughly 10 seconds, rather than standing in the battering wind and rain trying to dreadlock a mane?
Also, all (about 20-30 including the foals) the black and white gypsy horses behind our field have one or more of the wind plaits in their mane, some of them are more than 3inches across.
And things can happen which have never happened before - my horse has never had a foot absecess in his life, but he got two recently. He's never hurt himself in the field, but the wind broke free some fencing and he got a small cut. Which has never happened in all his years of life.
Sh*t happens, as they say.
lhotse
Well-Known Member
I would say that missinghorsesonloan give more than a damn about security, as a new member you will no doubt be oblivious to the amount of work that she does to re-unite owners with their horses. You carry on believing what you like, but I for one am not going to get worked up because some ponies have a tangled mane. People like you are the reason that these urban myths survive for so long.
dunthing
Well-Known Member
My daughter has an arab at grass and his mane tangles exactly like that, every time the wind blows. Nothing to worry about methinks.
DragonSlayer
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
I would say that missinghorsesonloan give more than a damn about security, as a new member you will no doubt be oblivious to the amount of work that she does to re-unite owners with their horses. You carry on believing what you like, but I for one am not going to get worked up because some ponies have a tangled mane. People like you are the reason that these urban myths survive for so long.
[/ QUOTE ]
People like me?
1 - you do not know me.
2 - How I get annoyed at those people who brush things off with a whistle and say 'It'll never happen......'...
I am not running around getting in a tizzy, I am merely saying that you should NOT ridicule those people who DO get worried about such things. Do you really have so little emotion about how they feel? Do you really have the right to sit there and tell them that they are 'over-reacting'....and are you an all-knowing-sage who can see and hear everything so can sit there and pontificate on things you clearly have a very biased view on?
You are human, like me. All I say is, show a little compassion for those who are a little more overly-sensitive than others.
Your next reply will tell me what I think I already know...
I would say that missinghorsesonloan give more than a damn about security, as a new member you will no doubt be oblivious to the amount of work that she does to re-unite owners with their horses. You carry on believing what you like, but I for one am not going to get worked up because some ponies have a tangled mane. People like you are the reason that these urban myths survive for so long.
[/ QUOTE ]
People like me?
1 - you do not know me.
2 - How I get annoyed at those people who brush things off with a whistle and say 'It'll never happen......'...
I am not running around getting in a tizzy, I am merely saying that you should NOT ridicule those people who DO get worried about such things. Do you really have so little emotion about how they feel? Do you really have the right to sit there and tell them that they are 'over-reacting'....and are you an all-knowing-sage who can see and hear everything so can sit there and pontificate on things you clearly have a very biased view on?
You are human, like me. All I say is, show a little compassion for those who are a little more overly-sensitive than others.
Your next reply will tell me what I think I already know...
lhotse
Well-Known Member
And please enlighten me as to what you already know???
oofadoofa
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
Be well all, I will go away and not return for another undisclosed period of time....
..and feel free to start the mud-slinging! Thats the great thing about the internet, I won't be reading it or seeing it! Isn't it marvellous?
~does a happy dance~
[/ QUOTE ]
Are you still here?
Be well all, I will go away and not return for another undisclosed period of time....
..and feel free to start the mud-slinging! Thats the great thing about the internet, I won't be reading it or seeing it! Isn't it marvellous?
~does a happy dance~
[/ QUOTE ]
Are you still here?
bailey14
Well-Known Member
The whole thing is ridiculous and not proven by anyone least of all Horsewatch or FarmKey/Freezemark.
If people are panicking about getting their horses stolen just ring up Farm Key or Freezemark and arrange for them to come out to freezemark their animals. Buy some paint from B&Q and paint their rugs with their freezemark number and for goodness sake stop panicking everyone.
All this tail/mane plaiting to steal is an urban myth, like the baby in Asda, the perfume scam in Tesco's car park and the cassette recorder of the baby crying left on a womans porch.
If people are panicking about getting their horses stolen just ring up Farm Key or Freezemark and arrange for them to come out to freezemark their animals. Buy some paint from B&Q and paint their rugs with their freezemark number and for goodness sake stop panicking everyone.
All this tail/mane plaiting to steal is an urban myth, like the baby in Asda, the perfume scam in Tesco's car park and the cassette recorder of the baby crying left on a womans porch.
MHOL
Well-Known Member
I do give a damn about stolen horses and tack and anything equestrian because I have been there and had my tack stolen, that was bad enough but to lose a horse to a thief would be unbearable, that is why myself and others like me battle constantly and use our own money and put ourselves at risk to try and protect other horse owners.
How many of the posters on here are horse watch members? Most people only join when they become a victim, its like banging your head against a brick wall, nobody really worries until they have had something stolen. This would be a perfect opportunity to encourage more people to join but I know it is an urban myth. Yes plaits have been put in manes of horses to steal but they are proper thick plaits that are unmistakable not something the wind did.
Freezemark your horses, its a visual deterent, plus anyone can read a few letters and numbers AND if your horse is stolen, any police officer or member of the public can identify it. its very hard to identify a bay horse with white stripe etc., Yet if it has ???? printed on it you have more chance of getting it back.
Also paint your freezemark and postcode on your rugs, that way your rugs are useless and thieves will realise the horse is marked and go on to something easier to pass on. You can even get Glow in the dark paint from Halfords.
With the horse thieves I have dealt with they dont give a damn, even if caught with a horse, they just brought it down the road for cash! The police never have enough evidence to prosecute, they just see what they want, go back in the dead of night, park the trailer up and load the horse away.
Please dont think I am making light of it, I never would, horse watch is my passion and if you knew me you would know how much I do care.
How many of the posters on here are horse watch members? Most people only join when they become a victim, its like banging your head against a brick wall, nobody really worries until they have had something stolen. This would be a perfect opportunity to encourage more people to join but I know it is an urban myth. Yes plaits have been put in manes of horses to steal but they are proper thick plaits that are unmistakable not something the wind did.
Freezemark your horses, its a visual deterent, plus anyone can read a few letters and numbers AND if your horse is stolen, any police officer or member of the public can identify it. its very hard to identify a bay horse with white stripe etc., Yet if it has ???? printed on it you have more chance of getting it back.
Also paint your freezemark and postcode on your rugs, that way your rugs are useless and thieves will realise the horse is marked and go on to something easier to pass on. You can even get Glow in the dark paint from Halfords.
With the horse thieves I have dealt with they dont give a damn, even if caught with a horse, they just brought it down the road for cash! The police never have enough evidence to prosecute, they just see what they want, go back in the dead of night, park the trailer up and load the horse away.
Please dont think I am making light of it, I never would, horse watch is my passion and if you knew me you would know how much I do care.
natalia
Well-Known Member
Well as my friend did DEF find plaits in 2 of her best young stocks mane after a couple of horse thefts in her area I am taking no chances. They deff were not wind plaits or dreadlocks, but one on each horse, very neat and slightly hidden by a layer of mane on top. She is very through about checking her horses twice daily and these were 2 yr old coloured sports horses in a field down her lane but not in view of the cottage so would have been easy targets.
sallyellis
Well-Known Member
Well somebody keeps doing it to my arabs mane but they dont nick him LOL seriously his mane gets knots like that all of the time its just wind etc, nobody put ash, stones or anything else near my gateway but somebody did try to steal the horsebox...!
WelshD
Well-Known Member
I have no doubt that originally there was probably some truth in the legend somewhere but I have two thoughts
1) some of those tangles would be hard to feel in the dark - a subtle tag yes but they still need to be able to be felt! in a small group of ponies you would be hard pressed to find one without a tangle!
2) pony mad kids used to sit on my gate and plait my ponies manes all the time when I was younger, if you told them to sod off they would be back fiddling with manes and tails the next day!
1) some of those tangles would be hard to feel in the dark - a subtle tag yes but they still need to be able to be felt! in a small group of ponies you would be hard pressed to find one without a tangle!
2) pony mad kids used to sit on my gate and plait my ponies manes all the time when I was younger, if you told them to sod off they would be back fiddling with manes and tails the next day!
Lexie81
Well-Known Member
I don't want to seem like i am being sarcastic or rude, i'm sure that this must have all come from somewhere and that there are cases where horses are tagged ready for theft, however, those pictures look very similar to how my horses manes look when they have been having a goof old rummage in the bushes and have had a whole load of Burrs in them.....infact my friends haflinger mare came in the other day and i was convinced someone had come in and chopped her forelock off! but when i looke dcloser, it was just totally matted up and once groomed she was back to normal......it's something to bear in mind seeing that it is pretty wild out there weather wise, horses are standing in all sorts of places to shelter, and there could be a perfectly innocent explanation.
Tinseltoes
Well-Known Member
Well my section A gets the tangles in pic 1.Hard to get out. Wind is what does it,shes always getting them.My cob doesdnt tho.
DragonSlayer
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
And please enlighten me as to what you already know???
[/ QUOTE ]
Insensitive to those people who natually worry. Easy to say 'it's paranoia, over-reaction' etc. etc. etc....
But you just carry on, who knows, you might be one of those lucky people who never gets anything happen to them....here's to hoping!
And please enlighten me as to what you already know???
[/ QUOTE ]
Insensitive to those people who natually worry. Easy to say 'it's paranoia, over-reaction' etc. etc. etc....
But you just carry on, who knows, you might be one of those lucky people who never gets anything happen to them....here's to hoping!
DragonSlayer
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Be well all, I will go away and not return for another undisclosed period of time....
..and feel free to start the mud-slinging! Thats the great thing about the internet, I won't be reading it or seeing it! Isn't it marvellous?
~does a happy dance~
[/ QUOTE ]
Are you still here?
[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, unfortunately, so are you....
[ QUOTE ]
Be well all, I will go away and not return for another undisclosed period of time....
..and feel free to start the mud-slinging! Thats the great thing about the internet, I won't be reading it or seeing it! Isn't it marvellous?
~does a happy dance~
[/ QUOTE ]
Are you still here?
[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, unfortunately, so are you....
wizzi901
Well-Known Member
I think what is getting some peoples backs up is that "scaremongering" going on without back up of horses being stolen. I am involved in Horsewatch and this really does stir up so much worry, a bit like last year...unless you have directly had your horse stolen, dont keep passing on the emails and messages from a friend of a friend.......then at least we get a true picture of whether to be concerned or not.