Horse Thieves 'tagging' to steal

[bigmare]

I read a thread originally posted by 'Fairlady'this morning but it tied in with something I'd been told about last night, it is now in the paper(Western Daily Press)... so heres the warning from police....
Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Dorset & Somerset... Horses have been 'tagged' by leaving a plait in their manes, this done as signal to which pony they will steal. The police are asking all horse owners to be vigilant and aware and to check ALL horses in your fields.

[fairlady]

Perhaps thats what it was then, it was 'non horsey' people that told me.

It must be a plait in the mane and NOT tying knots in the tail:rolleyes:

Be extra vigilent and keep your Horses safe.

[Lemme]

Its been going on for some time, usually one single plait in the Mane, stealing to order.

They can very persistant as well, they have been reported to follow ponies around when moved to try and avoid the theft.

[Trewsers]

Just replied to the other thread about this, its terrible isn't it? What a worry. There is always something. I will double my vigilance! I tend to be very nosey anyway and I do check everything and take particular notice of anything different.

[Yann]

I've read about this on another forum, where they were described as 'special and intricate' plaits - I can't help wondering if what's actually going on is witches plaits in manes rather than human generated ones. Why risk entering a field and spend time plaiting and risk being discovered prior to the actual theft? Why would they need to identify the horse in this way? Surely colour, size and description would be enough in almost all cases if someone else had done the spotting? Can't help wondering if this is a bit like the 'eastern europeans taking photos' thing.

[fairlady]

TBH Yann, I can't agree with you more.

I am sure this type of thing was happening last October.

It seems rather bizarre as you said that someone would risk entering a field of Horses to then stand there and plait the mane and take the risk of
being caught.

A Thief is a thief, they take the easy option, grab the goods and are
long gone, I can't see for one minute they would be sending someone in
to plait a mane and sort of 'pre warn' any owners.

[Lemme]

I've read about this on another forum, where they were described as 'special and intricate' plaits - I can't help wondering if what's actually going on is witches plaits in manes rather than human generated ones. Why risk entering a field and spend time plaiting and risk being discovered prior to the actual theft? Why would they need to identify the horse in this way? Surely colour, size and description would be enough in almost all cases if someone else had done the spotting? Can't help wondering if this is a bit like the 'eastern europeans taking photos' thing.

I think I know what you are getting at, our Welsh A has a really long mane and at least 4 mornings a week it has what someone may describe as a plait in it ( a devil to unsort so you may call it intricate) when this first started happening we were a little worried, but TBH hes not the sort you can get near and spend the time it would take to weave these plaits , so no they wht I believe you are calling Witches plaits and nothing to do with Humans, the only intervention is unravelling them. The Tagging is a simple straight forward plait as far as I understand, quick simple and really they don't want to bring attention to it other than to those who are going to collect who will be looking for them.

either way, know what I would do with the thieving B******s, we had our Mares Mane Cut and that was bad enough, so with this plaiting appearing some months later we were a little worried at first.......

[LauraGeeGee]

I must admit. I do find the whole thing rather odd. I mean why bother with this plaiting malarky?:confused: Surely real thieves just want to get in there and steal as quickly as possible without drawing attention?? Not to say this plaiting thing isn't happening but could someone just be doing it as a silly "mysterious" thing? As in crop circles and the like?

Has anyone actually had this happen to their horses or does anyone know anyone it has happened to? I've been looking to the media for something about this and found nothing.

I'm begining to think it's some sort of chain letter spam thing going on here.

No offence to the OP or anyone else, it is worrying when you hear these things. I'm just confused as to the motives for the plaiting. There are some odd balls out there after all!

Regardless, it pays to be vigilant!

[pmcc]

About two/three years ago I had a couple of incidences where my old mare would have a twisted type thing in her mane which took me ages to undo and can't see how she could have done it herself? it wasn't a plait but like soemone twisted a bunch of her mane and tied it at the bottom. thought it was kids but she was right outside the front of our house and we never caught anybody doing it? weird:) dont think it was to mark her for stealing not unless they had no idea how to value a horse. She was about 24/25 and a poor doer of a TB and looks her age.

[Yann]

That sounds like a witches plait to me, Rio occasionally gets them, not quite sure how they form but they're not man made, she wouldn't allow anyone strange near her in the field.

[LauraGeeGee]

That sounds like a witches plait to me, Rio occasionally gets them, not quite sure how they form but they're not man made, she wouldn't allow anyone strange near her in the field.

What's a witches plait? Is is sort of rope like? Twisted piece of mane or tail?

I've seen those on horses before. I didn't realise they had a name though.

[lynnemh]

just want to say, that its not as simple as just wasting time putting a plait in, its spending time getting to know the horse and checking out the whole situation, making friends with the horse etc. all of this happens before the plait appears, probably over several nights, if a theft actually was to occur it would make sense to be able to get in and get out, as quickly and efficiently as possible

[chunky monkey]

Chunkys tail was plaited in the field a couple of months ago. I thought it was perhaps some kids but now reading this I'm not so sure. I had a woman as well a couple of weeks ago walk up and take a photo when I was lunging. She was a resonable distance from me and i saw her arms come up and the flash of the camera. The way she took it was a bit odd as it was at a distance and kind of at a funny angle from where i was lunging, so I did think it a bit strange at the time. When I asked if i could help she muttered something and turned and walked off.

[pmcc]

That sounds like a witches plait to me, Rio occasionally gets them, not quite sure how they form but they're not man made, she wouldn't allow anyone strange near her in the field.


can't figure out a logical way for her to do it herself. Or is it just like a curl? -she has dead straight wirey type mane.

[Yann]

A witches plait usually has a really tight end and lots of twists and loops, almost like a gaelic type pattern. I think they form around knots or small bits of twig that catch in the mane. They're very complicated to unravel, and can look incredibly elaborate and man made, but I don't think they are.

An ordinary pigtail plait is a different matter :)

[shockblue]

Chunkys tail was plaited in the field a couple of months ago. I thought it was perhaps some kids but now reading this I'm not so sure. I had a woman as well a couple of weeks ago walk up and take a photo when I was lunging. She was a resonable distance from me and i saw her arms come up and the flash of the camera. The way she took it was a bit odd as it was at a distance and kind of at a funny angle from where i was lunging, so I did think it a bit strange at the time. When I asked if i could help she muttered something and turned and walked off.

THat does sound weird, there are some strange people in the world...

[8-legged-pony]

I don't know, I find it odd that it all seems to be happening in one part of the world (south west), and all around this time. Surely if it was witches plaits then it would happen all over the country and all over the year, rather than at one specific point? Also seems odd that people have mentioned that their horses seem nervous.

[lynnemh]

i have read on another site that it is also occurring in cheltenham, so ,the glos. oxfordshire border, and that it can also be knots in the mane.

[lynnemh]

also want to add that a few years back, i arrived at my place to find two teenager girls with headcollars, in the gateway, apparently they had been caught trying to steal someones ponies in the next village a few days earlier too. this was in broad daylight, so to any one who thinks it doesnt happen or wont happen to them, it can and it does. i'm sure horses kept in small establishments are more at risk, but please be extra vigilant at all times.

[fairlady]

There is obviously 'truth' in the matter as they DID report the incident
on the local news.

[Sparky Lily]

I read this thread earlier and thought that Yann had probably got it right. There may be one or two genuine incidents, then the rumour mill gets into gear.

Then I went out to the yard and found a tangled complicated plait in Eggwub's mane! Most of it I could put down as a witch's plait, but the bottom was quite clearly three strands tightly plaited. Now logic tells me that it was probably one of the kids on the yard fiddling with the mane, then Eggwub rubbing it to maker it tighter. But after this thread and the earlier one about shetlands being stolen, you can imagine how I felt.

Anyway, logic and common sense have prevailed, and I am not camping out tonight. The security on the yard could not be better - YO and students living there, overlooking the ponies' paddock, and all behind locked gates and high walls.

I know we all need to be vigilant, and that horses/ponies are stolen to order. I am not complaining about warnings being given - quite the reverse. I hope that by spreading the word some thefts can be avoided. But I know that I wouldn't have thought twice about the plait before I read this thread, but now I can't help but be a bit uneasy.

[LokiSofi]

my friends horses have been targetted several times and several other people in my area have also had horses tagged. There have also been horses stolen around Dorset after having these plaits put in their manes. Friends shetlands have been targetted lots and had their field padlock cut several times. She has had to move them all to different yards and appears to be being followed as they end up plaited and fences cut etc in each place.
1 of her shetlands is now petrified of men after being targetted 3/4 times. The local horsewatch beleive the plaits are being used as a feeler so the right horses can be found in the dark and as a grab handle on smaller ponies to more or less lift them with.

[fairlady]

What can you do, other than camp out at the yard:eek:

I have someones 'dream' a skewbald Welshie X Cob and a skewbald Shetland, together in the same Yard.

I can only be vigilant, ask the Neighbours to be more vigilant, although I know they always keep a look out anyway, make sure the gate cannot be lifted with locks etc., (it then has a wall) and 'hope for the best':eek: even the Neighbours can't be there 24/7 !!! but it does make me nervous and feel rather sick about it all.

[bigmare]

LokiSofi, you have stated what was written in the paper about the plait being a 'feeler'/'signal' (which is great, as we are all so afar apart... at least it all ties in) The police have identified that the plaits are not only 'handles' but 'feelers' for in the dark....I know that is sounds like 'scaremongering' .... but hey, better we are ALL on the lookout, than ANY of us being in the position that we have lost one of our own x

[Kc Mac]

Yes unfortunately there is truth to it.

About 5 mins from me - near BCA for those local - there was a near theft last week! Not sure of all details but horses mane had a plait so worried owner camped out at yard for the night! Saw/heard (not sure - second hand info) people called police but they got away before police arrived.

However there has been a theft locally not so long ago so we are all a little concerned.