Reassurance needed - I REALLY thought this was an old wives tale??

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BeBopTalulah

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:confused:

Ok, so firstly I must point out, I think I'm fairly level-headed lol

One of the women on the yard brought her filly in, and she had one single pleat in her mane. I'm told that this means she's in line to be stolen??? Legend/tale/story.

She's a gypsy cob filly. The field in question has about 5 horses in it, including the filly. The field runs alongside a single track tarmac road. We're about a mile from a main road. Honestly, how much of this tale is garbage?

I live on site, and I'm actually a bit worried now. It's a very small yard, and I can't feesibly see why someone would do that. We're miles from anywhere. I'm sorry if this is rubbish, but it turned 3 non-fluffy, sensible women into paranoid ejits!

Thanks.
 
It's whats going about but there doesn't actually seem to have been ANY horses stolen that have had this done.

One of the horses on our yard had this done and we're miles from anywhere, railway on one side etc and a car had been spotted in the early morning hours driving slowly and with lights off but nothing has been touched and all horses are safe.
 
I think generally its just a tale. is it an actual plait or a knotted twist cos i've got a gyspy cob with a long mane and it does this all on its own
 
fidleyspromise said:
It's whats going about but there doesn't actually seem to have been ANY horses stolen that have had this done.

One of the horses on our yard had this done and we're miles from anywhere, railway on one side etc and a car had been spotted in the early morning hours driving slowly and with lights off but nothing has been touched and all horses are safe.
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Why go to all the trouble for one pleat?! And you and I are at opposite ends of the country, can't even say it's some disturbed person :confused:
 
My gypsy cob does this on an almost daily basis... And he has some much more valuable horses on either side of him that never get 'touched' when a horse has a 4 ft mane it plaits itself...
 
If I was going to steal a horse (if I was that sort of person mind) I wouldn't be hanging about putting a plait in its mane but there's nothing wrong with being extra vigilant and upping your security measures to make it more difficult for horse theives as well as keeping a close eye on things.
 
Ok, I've done some reading and I'm feeling a bit more relaxed. There are hundreds of stories of the same thing, but only 1 or 2 which resulted in thefts. However, even if it is someone on the wind up, it's not funny. It's creepy.
 
I am totally paranoid about my horses and their safety, but damned if I can see why someone would advertise that they are going to steal a horse. I mean why not just describe it to who ever is going to nick it?

I would however have a nice big chain and padlock on the gate, if it is close to the road, you never know when a chancer may come along.
FDC
 
Fany Du Champ said:
I am totally paranoid about my horses and their safety, but damned if I can see why someone would advertise that they are going to steal a horse. I mean why not just describe it to who ever is going to nick it?

I would however have a nice big chain and padlock on the gate, if it is close to the road, you never know when a chancer may come along.
FDC
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I think the theory is that if they put a plait in, and it's still there a week later, then it's more of an indication that the horse might not be missed quickly/is easier to steal?? Oh I don't know. I'm being an idiot now.
 
If I was going to steal a horse personally I would just take note of where they were and go and pick them up...why would you alert the owner to suspicious behaviour?!

ETA sorry hadn't read other replies
 
I've heard various tales about the famous 'plaits'

Some saying that it is, as said above, to see if anyone notices, because normally, if its taken out of the mane, its a sign that the horse is regularly checked etc, other saying that its to 'mark' a horse for the transporter to pick up...but then again the amount of plaits found in manes that then go on to result in theft is verry little..However if you are still worried try and make the horse as identifiable to you/your yard as possible, you know that marking paint stuff they use on sheep? You can use that to draw your postcode/number on the actual horse, it isn't permanent and doesn't harm the horse, but if you were to steal a horse would you steal one with phone numbers, postcodes etc marked all over it in bright paint?...Not the ideal sum for a stealthy theft :D

I'd say that its just a wind up but if you are worried put the horse in the most secure place you can, is there a more 'hidden' field from the road? Or in a stable..
 
Most on here think it is. I'm not so sure, certainly there is 'pre-selection' in many cases of theft. Your very isolated location means that your horses are vulnerable. I'd get them all freezemarked if I were you.
 
There was a horse at my old yard that it seemed to happen to on a few occasions. A stunning black horse with lush white markings... used to come in with a plait on average once every few months. The owner got very very worried and started padlocking her in a stable...

lucky she did as the cctv picked up some strange behaviour going on...and on more than one occasion a horselorry was seen to drive past. stop around the gate and then move on...in the dead of night??.

Could have just been some fellow horse owners stopping to admire the pretty horse? But personally, better safe than sorry. Id get micro chippd/freezemarked/padlocked etc and love the idea of the animal paint!!

I dont think you can trust anyone these days, and the riots are showing what a lovely species we humans are, so do what ever you can!!!
 
The thing going around is that travellers use this to mark out horses to steal, often to order (ie the horse can be identified, observed, checked etc etc). I dont know how much of it is true, but still might be worth mixing up the routine so if anyone is keeping an eye out they never know when hes in the field etc...few signs around the fields and yard about how all horses are microchipped and the cctv etc (even if there isnt any) arent a bad thing anyway :)
 
Kids messing around - this fairytale is complete and utter rubbish.

Why would anyone in their right mind spend time doing that - so that the owners could be warned they are coming back??
 
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