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Horse Theft - Page 3

© Patricia Celley

Freeze marking technicians will also record and compose a schematic drawing of trichoglyphs, also known as whorls, or cowlicks on your horse. Even if you don't have your horse freeze branded, make a note of any hair swirls on your horse. They are very unique to each horse. Also, the size and shape of a horse's chestnuts can help identify a horse. Signalment is another term used in identification and refers to the natural markings of the horse drawn out like you will see on a coggins or registration papers. Make use of these in your written physical description of your horse.

Other means of marking horses are useful in proving ownership of a horse, but because they are mostly invisible, they are limited in their ability to help recovery efforts. They include lip tattooing (common in thoroughbred race horses), hoof brands, blood typing and microchipping. Microchipping (placing a small microchip with information under the skin) has gained popularity among dog owners in the United States, but the scanning procedures and equipment is not always available or reliable. There are much better standards for this technology in Europe.

I hope you will never need to use these safeguards, but if you do remember that the first 2 days after your horse is stolen are the most critical. If you have a good file folder on your horse ready to broadcast and ask for help, the likelihood of seeing your horse again is much greater. Be sure to contact all neighbors, local police, state police, sheriff, and the county sheriff's livestock deputy. Use the radio, television, newspapers, and magazines wherever possible.

A horse with a freeze marking can be listed as "stolen" at the National Crime Information Center and be immediately available nation wide. If you think freeze marking sounds painful or unpleasant, go visit a stock yard or slaughter house where your beloved horse could end up. The recovery rate for unmarked horses is very low.

The following web sites have very useful information and networking opportunities.

Equine Protection and Rescue Organizations

Click on the link to the homepage of this site, it is the same organization that compiled the information of organizations: Stolen Horse Information

I could not get a direct link for you to these sites, but they are worth copying and pasting to view the pages.

Horsecity.com/horsetheft.html

Freeze Marking information is at: www.horseweb.com/kka/

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