Would you get your horse freeze marked?

G

Gorgeous George

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 April 2007
Messages
6,268
Location
Essex
Visit site
As you know I am a new horse owner and I was wondering if it would be wise to get him freeze marked? He is not a valuable horse (except to me) and won't be used for showing. If I got it done should it be done on his back or shoulder (he's chestnut) and are there any dangers or complications of doing it?

Thanks
 
Just had mine done about 6 weeks ago - it's peace of mind as apparently nearly every freeze-marked horse that gets stolen gets found and returned to its owners, and it's a good visible deterrent.

I had mine done under his saddle, he had to have 5 days off ridden work but was absolutely fine, no complications and I don't think it hurt him at all.

Only thing to watch out for is when the scabs come off after a few weeks you might have to put suncream on them until the hair comes through as they skin would be very vulnerable to getting burnt!

If you can get together with several people on the yard and have a few horses done you'll save some money.

I have no regrets about doing it at all.
 
I had both of min done within a few weeks of purchase. I suppose I had it done for peace of mind but of course it would be another way to identify them if they did go missing.

Both of mine had it done under their saddles and there were no complications and they healed fine.
 
All of mine are done straight away, I have all mine marked on the shoulder as I want it to be as visible as possible, the recovery time is quicker and there is virtually no risk of complications.
 
Deffinatly,

If you do go for it, it is worth seeing if you can get a group of poeple as it is cheeper.
 
[ QUOTE ]
How do you freeze mark a horse that is mostly white?

[/ QUOTE ]

On dark horses the freezemark damages the hair follicles so the hair comes back white. On Grey horses/ white patches the freezemark actually kills the hair off so that the mark is bald patches. Means that sunblock is required!!
 
I've had one of mine done...she didn't mind at all. It's on the shoulder, her initials...and she seemed to feel nothing.
S
smile.gif
 
Most certainly but I would always have it done on the saddle area as it looks so ugly on the shoulder. Having said that, I have a grey at the moment and she is only microchipped. Freezemarking a grey means leaving it on long enough to completely kill the hair and leave a bald area and that's horrible IMO. My chestnut was microchipped and micromarked.
 
I have considered it, but freezemarking isn't a major thing in Ireland, the microchip system is much better! My two lads are microchipped, and Ali has a brand mark on his hindquarter as he's a Danish Warmblood, that might put some people off perhaps???
confused.gif
 
My boy is done in the saddle area and I do show in hand. It does not detract from what the judge is judging as this is conformation, movement and manners
 
Personally i would never do this, mine have always been microchipped as i think this is far more humane, ok its not such a visable deterrent but i think on the whole its quite cruel to do this now when there are other ways to do it.

Plus if you dont pay your subscription every year for your freeze mark they can be re-used and then your details arent kept as that horse belonging to you, microchips are forever with no annual subscription.
 
I wouldn't do it if I thought it was in-humane but I guess it is just like the freezing cold you feel when you have local anaesthetic and as Vicki1986 says her horse didn't even notice! It's not like they're sticking a hot branding iron on the horse. Unfortunately I can't afford microchipping at the moment, wheras freezemarking I can and once the first year is up it is only £12 a year membership, ok in the long run it will cost more than microchipping but it won't be a big one off cost and surely a freeze mark is a more visible deterrent?
 
Mine are done under the saddle - they are also freezemarked.

Should not effect showing - and any judge who marks down for this should be shot.

For maximum benefit the shoulder is better, but I personally preferred under the saddle as I do show and it is more discrete.
 
I had my first horse freezemarked under his saddle area. He didn't seem distressed at all by the process so I don't consider it in-humane.

With my new horse I opted for microchipping instead. Mainly, because I didn't want to lose 5+ days riding but also because he already had a visible ID in the form of a brand.

I would always get any horse I owned either freezemarked or microchipped.
 
one other thing about freezemarking is that if you do report your horse stolen, and are asked for distinguishing features you can say well it has the mark ABCD, rather than trying to describe it to people that do not always understand. It is very visual and cannot be easily removed. I am a little cynical about the microchip as not all places actually bother to check for them ( although this is improving), and I am still not convinced that all readers can detect them.

At the end of the day it is personal preference on the route we choose to keep our animals safe
 
Mine are done where it can be seen.Can't see the point of hiding it under the saddle cos if you can hide it so can a theif.
I'm proud of my lot's freezemark.
As for microchips--when I and everyone else developes X-ray vision I might consider it otherwise--No way!!
 
I had my old horse microchipped but I have since read a lot about it being pretty useless as not many places bother scanning them. The horse can be stolen and sold at a dodgy dealer/sales and no one would be any the wiser.

I am probably going to get my boy done under the saddle as there's no security on the fields so in theory anyone travelling down our country track could steal any of them. He's on box rest for a bit longer so the no riding time won't make any difference either.
 
Every equine I have owned I have had Freezemarked. It is so easy for a microchipped animal to be stolen and passed on without ever being checked for a microchip. The Freezemark is there, visible to all.
I have just had my three donkeys Freezemarked, even though one is Microchipped. If you don't keep up your subscription, it does not mean your Freezemark can just be used again.
I have had two done under the saddle and the rest done on the shoulder, just prefer it that way.
I also had a grey mare done. It is no worse to do this than a horse with colour. The iron is simply left on slightly longer. They feel no pain as the sheer coldness of the iron, on application, totally numbs the skin.
So thumbs up for Freezemarking from me
wink.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top