Forest of Dean Horse Riders and Carriage Drivers Association

We received the following email and poster and hope that a good result will eventually come of it.

"My two miniature horses were stolen of the night of 29/12/09. Their poster is attached. I bought Bailey and Tinkerbell 4 weeks ago as a way of getting back into horses after a riding accident 3 years ago which left me paralysed from the chest down and in a wheelchair. They are the ideal size for me to groom and take for walks and I was planning on showing them this year.

I feel with enough publicity and public awareness that my horses will become too "hot to handle" and the thieves will either dump them or come forward to claim the reward.

If you could forward this to anyone you know, add to your website or place on your notice board I would be very grateful as I am completely distraught about losing two very much loved family members.

ANY INFORMATION NO MATTER WHAT SIZE IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. Apologies if you have already received this."

Miniature Horse - Minimal Tobiano Skewbald (approx 29”) - 8 month old Filly

            ** 4 white socks
            ** Mane is white towards her withers
            ** White marking on her withers which extends 2-3” up her neck
            ** Dark brown face
            ** Bailey was fully clipped in early November so is now growing out & she is a grey/brown colour
            ** Bailey is micro-chipped

            ** 4 black spots on her offside hindquarters
            ** Appaloosa marks around her eyes, teats & bottom
            ** Vertical stripes on her hooves
            ** Tinkerbell has a full clip apart from three legs - her front nearside & half her face have been clipped
            ** Tinkerbell is NOT micro-chipped

Both were wearing fleeces & navy blue combo rugs made by “Dinky Rugs” with a small logo on the offside of the rugs. Bailey had a navy blue fleece under her rug & Tinkerbell had a red fleece show rug with gold binding.

Please Contact SURREY POLICE on 0845 125 2222 (Incident Ref No/ SL0910444)

"I just thought I had best let everyone know there has also been an instance in Yorkley around Danby Lodge/Danby Cottages. My two horses both had what I would call tangles rather than plaits, but another person's horse further up the lane had a definite plait in one of her horse's mane. Both myself and the other person have notified horsewatch. These instances were in the last couple of weeks, and all the horses are safe.
As I said I think my horses had tangles rather than plaits but I did report because of the other instance in the area. "

"Just thought I would let you know that my gelding has had a plait put in his mane sometime last night or this morning ( it was dark when I fed them this morning so didn't notice).

I have reported it to the police incident number 294 of 14-12-09 as I have recently received emails saying that this is a way of identifying them to be stolen.

The Police informed me that there is currently a Red Transit Van acting suspiciously around horses in the area and it was sighted in Bream today. (sorry I don't know reg yet)

They didn't plait my mares mane but then she is very very old now and this is obvious by all her grey hairs.
They are currently out in the field at our new house in Christchurch, just off Park Rd, Berry Hill."

Over the past few weeks we have received a number of emails concerning horses who have been found by their owners with a single plait in their mane. It is is a possibility that this could be being done to identify a specific horse for someone to come along at a later time and steal it. Think about it, if a horse is happy for you to approach it, probably in the dark, and let you put a plait in it's mane then chances are it will also let you approach it later on to put a headcollar on and lead it out of a field and into waiting transport.

The message we have received below indicates that this is what has happened and this particular incident has been confirmed to me by local police.

Subject: Stolen horse.
"On Monday (2 Nov) night my friend’s horse was stolen from a field in the Guildford area. The people who took her sawed through a wooden post and rail fence to get out and this happened between 3pm and 6pm in the afternoon.
The police were informed and so were the microchip company who circulated her details to all the ferry ports etc. As you can imagine the owner was completely distraught.

Late Tuesday (3 Nov) afternoon she received a phone call from the police to say her horse had been found in Hollyhead, Wales. She was tied to a railing at the ferry port and the ferry to Ireland had gone without her.

Several things have come to light in this story:
1. A week ago her horse had a small plait in its mane when she went to get her in from the field. She describes it as very small, almost like a tangle. She disregarded it as kids messing about (her horses are out in a field with others). However, this is how people mark horses to be stolen later. Ie. One person marks them, another then comes later and knows which one to take.

2. The ferry port at Hollyhead do not check horses passports or microchips. This horse was travelling without a passport.

3. The police believe the reason this horse was left behind was because she was microchipped. Although the UK is lax about passport and microchip checking, it is apparently more common for horses to be scanned on entering Ireland. The people who take them will scan them and dump them if they find a microchip. This horse also had a large obvious scar so this may have been a contributing factor.
The police told her that horses being dumped at a ferry terminal is not uncommon and they usually turn out to be stolen. They have had horses left in a lorry on the actually ferry!

This story has a happy ending for H and E, but it makes you wonder how many other stolen horses were on that ferry to Ireland.

1. If you find your horse with a small plait in its mane or tail please do not ignore it. I thought it was common knowledge that people knew about this, but several people I've spoken to since were not aware of it.
2. If your horse isn’t microchipped please consider doing it. The owner of this horse describes her as ‘nothing flashy, just a normal 14.2 bay mare’ so please don’t think it couldn’t happen to you.

Once again, can we ask you to please look at your own security arrangements. Some horses are kept in remote locations which does not necesarily mean that they are harder to find but can also mean that they are easier to steal as there may be no one around to report any suspicious activity. Regardless of where you keep your horse, please check them on a regular basis and the Police suggest that if you can check your horses at different times this might also help.

Please make sure your horse has some form of identification. Freezebranding is a clearly visible mark and deterent. If your horse is not freezemarked or microchipped, please don't wait until next week, next month, next year - get it done now.

Take photographs of your horse. At least one from each side, front and back. If your horse was stolen these could be useful to post on websites etc.

If you did not have the key to the gate on your field, how easy would it be for you to get your horse out of the field? If your gate is padlocked could it be taken off at the hinges? There are gate hinges on the market which can be fitted to make this much harder. Having proper hinges and padlocks fitted to your gates will not necessarily stop the most determined thief but it will make it harder and more importantly more time consuming for them which in turn leads to a greater risk of them being spotted. If you could get your horse out quickly, then so could a thief.

Freezebranding, new gate hinges, padlocks, chains all cost money but this would be a small and worthwhile investment compared to the cost you would experience, both financially and emotionally if YOUR horse was stolen.

Do you know this pony, which was found collapsed?

This Shetland pony was found collapsed in a field in Stourport-on-
Severn.

The RSPCA have released pictures of the chestnut coloured pony in the
hope somebody who recognises him will come forward.

The pony, christened Yogi, was found in a field near Hillditch Lane
suffering from acute laminitis - an inflammation of the laminated
tissues that attach the hoof to the foot of the horse. It can prove
fatal if immediate attention is not sought.

The owner of the field received a call from a friend advising that a
pony had appeared in their field. The collapsed pony could have been
in the field for anything up to 48 hours before it was found on the
evening of Tuesday, April 28.

RSPCA inspector Debbie Large called a vet and pain relief was given
for the two days that followed before the vet confirmed that the 14-
year-old pony was fit to travel.

The pony was collected by staff from Bransby Home of Rest for Horses.
He remains at their centre in Leominster where he is said to be
recovering well.

Ms Large said: "Yogi was in a great deal of pain when he was found and
we were worried about whether he would pull through.

"I scanned him for a chip and discovered that he was registered to
someone in Gloucestershire. Yogi and another Shetland pony had been
stolen 18 months ago so the owners were quite shocked to hear from me.
Sadly because of the cost of veterinary treatment the original owners
were unable to take Yogi back and he was signed over to RSPCA care.

"We need to know where he has been living since he was stolen. Yogi's
feet have clearly not been attended to since then and we are concerned
about the other pony which could be suffering the same way. We appeal
to the public to help us with our enquiries by providing any
information they may have."

Yogi is said to be a quiet, well mannered pony who has since had his
feet trimmed. X-rays have confirmed there has been no permanent damage
to his feet.

Anyone with information is urged to call the RSPCA national cruelty
and advice line on 0300 1234 999 leaving a message for inspector
Debbie Large or inspector Neil Tysall.

Or you can ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Helen Watkins
Station Enquiry Officer
Monmouth Police Station
19 Glendower Street
Monmouth
NP25 3DG
Internal t/no - 7-42-2420
External t /no - 01633 838111
ISSI - 2771033

Two men (one middle-aged and one younger) were challenged today, whilst looking over a gate at two young horses in a field in the Woolaston/Alvington area. Their behaviour was very suspicious and was reported to the Police (incident No. 402). The older man who spoke had an Irish accent. The vehicle they were picked up in was only heard and was not seen.

Please be warned to keep your eyes open for men looking at horses who are unattended in fields and report to the Police immediately.

On the 30th November 2008 a horse that was on loan to an Annette Wells and stabled at Longhope, Gloucestershire was removed without the owners consent. It is believed that Annette Wells has moved to an address somewhere in Kent. The loan horse that has been taken is called Gracie a 14.1hh, Welsh section D mare, aged 5, dark bay in colour with 4 white socks. She did have a bib and gullet clip at the time. Annette also owns another 3 ponies, one of which is an 11.2hh bay mare called Minnie. If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of Gracie or Annette Wells please contact

Please be aware of an incident that occurred in the Hardwicke Gloucester between 1700 on 30/9/8 and 0700 1/10/8. At this time unknown offenders have entered a field containing two horses. They have cut the horses tail about 3 inches below the dock. This isn't a straight cut, it looks like a knife has been used and hacked off half of the tail. The horse has not been injured. A lunge line left in the field has also been cut.

On the 2nd September at approx 20.00hrs in Minchinhampton an offender has gained entry to a stable block by unknown means. The premises owner has walked from his house to the stable to check the horses and has noticed someone on his proprerty, he has challenged the male (verbally) and the male has made good his escape on foot to a vehicle then made off, no other details. No other persons seen. The victim has then run back to his house and dialled 999. nothing taken. Further to this, the offender was arrested for this crime and police are liasing with CPS in regards to charging.

Between 17.00 hrs on the 5th September and 10.30 hrs on the 6th September in Chalford, Stroud unknown offenders attempted to force a stable yard gate then removed the lock with a key or it was picked. The horse that lives in the field was removed and recovered later with injuries to its front and rear legs. It also had a cut lip. The i/p believes that someone tried to take the horse which is when the injuries have taken place the horse was found later by police on the nearby common. It is unclear if the caller's thoughts are right. The horse has eyesight problems and hearing problems so although the gate was opened it maybe that the horse ran off startled and obtained the injuries prior to being found. A vet is due to look at the horse and may be able to attribute the injuries to an act.

If you have any information about the above crimes please ring Gloucestershire Constabulary on 0845 090 1234 and quote the crime no.