plaits, manes and stolen horses

T

the watcher

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I have checked this with Surrey Police

The intial report of the horse stolen from Guildford and found tied up at Holyhead NEVER HAPPENED and is a complete myth. There is no evidence to support the plait in the mane paranoia that is flooding the country via forums and emails

Surrey Police are looking into putting out some kind of press release to confirm this
 
I'm very surprised to read this.
Why would a well established forum member lie about this
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Starsky clearly said this was her friend's horse
 
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Surrey Police clearly don't know what they are talking about. I would suggest they contact Horsewatch who will provide them with the full details of this chrime which occured about 3 weks ago.

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peternatt, not sure whereabouts you are but I know that people around Herts/Cambs are being told to watch out and that this is happening around us. Someone in 'The Barn Shop' told a quite well known instructor about this so obviously they are warning clients. I agree it is something to be vigilant about but is this just one situation that is causing chinese whispers or has it happened all over the country?
 
Does it REALLY matter if it is true or not?

I can only see good coming of it. Everyone is being more vigilant in the yard and keeping an eye out for strange people loitering around the yards, and more people seem to be getting their horses freezemarked?
 
It does when people are worrying themselves sick about it happening all over the place if this is an isolated incident.
 
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HALLELUJAH!!!


Everyone i have spoken to within HORSEWATCH has said the exact same thing.

it was/is total bullsh1t...and obiously some have been suckered in..

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Oh, if only we were all as smart as you
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QR

Security should be uppermost on every horse owners minds at ALL times, not just when there is a scare, be it true or not.
 
well i was told by my yard owner yesterday that horse theivies are in the south east, and are rather active again

a[pparently if you find your horse with a tightly plaited plait in its mane then it is easy to lead friendly good temprement and good one to steap, then the people come back later on with a trailer and pick up the horse with the pait in the main.
just wha ti have been told
hope it helps
 
well as others have said myth or not at this time of year we all need to be vigilant as the evenings are drawing in and weather getting colder,

We have had rugs stolen off horses backs. !! (NO Myth)
Im just glad my horses are in and if they were attenpted to be taken it would be a long walk as mine both wont load on a trailer and lorry is a no no down our lane.
 
Peter, their enquiry centre and the lady within the force who has a particular interest in equine matters were most adamant that it had not happened. If you can get hold of a crime reference number that would be useful, but I'm not holding my breath.

These stories can come from the most reliable sources and have been forwarded on in good faith, it doesn't always make them true - I had the same email from Horsewatch myself.

I decided to look into it knowing that the Police were receiving a number of calls where clearly frightened people were reporting plaits in manes, but usually third hand reports and wanted to be sure that genuine equine crime was not being overshadowed by lots of well meaning false reports
 
QR - We found a plait in our coloured 2 year olds mane monday, told police and were advised to move him. This has been done and other horses have been checked, gate blocked etc, he was loose on the yard at the time and is a bu**er to handle so definitely not a kid.

This is in Somerset and the police have said they have had loads of people calling up to say about plaits, not sure if any have been stolen though. It's definitely made us more aware of security.
 
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I work for the police and i can confirm that some people round here, Wiltshire, have found plaits in thier horses manes. We are certainly staying vigilant !

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patchyponies, just like when there is a murder or a missing person people are queuing up at police station front desks to report that they KNOW what happened cos they saw it in a dream, there are plenty of suggestible people who will interpret tangles as plaits, and anyway most of those reports to the police will not be first person reports.

which was precisely my point and objective really. If the number of plaited horses in the last three weeks was accurate it would take a whole army of mane decorating horse thieves to travel the length of the country - therefore, like the horse photographer stories, it is hysteria and unhelpful. How can anybody pin point where things are actually happening when they are blotted out by false reports?
 
All i can comment on is that we have had several reports of plaiting in this area and they have all been from the people who own the horses....

Reporting to the police and horse watch schemes is the only way we can warn each other about what to look out for??

I think i would rather be told that was happening in my area via horse watch rather than not told at all...
 
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