Security marking - Safety in numbers

Freeze marking is the most visual means of keeping your animals safe

Horse Deals investigates the means of identification that can help keep horses and ponies safe

Almost every day new reports are received of suspicious activity around horses. People casing yards or fields, taking photographs, putting plaits in manes — it appears that all our horses are now considered easy targets by thieves.

So what can we do to make our precious animals safer and more identifiable? Although all foals now have to be microchipped, that still leaves an awful lot of horses in Britain without any means of identification at all. Hot branding is still used in some European countries but has lost favour here. In fact, the Scottish parliament is currently discussing banning the practice altogether.

In the past, lip tattoos and hoof branding were also used to identify horses, while, although effective, blood typing and DNA testing are time-consuming to check, so wouldn’t be obvious deterrents to thieves.

The main choice nowadays seems to be between freeze marking and microchipping. Freeze marking kills the hair, leaving a permanent white mark — or a black one on grey horses. Having your horse freeze-marked and putting a sign to that effect on the field gate may be enough to deter a potential thief, but brands can sometimes be tampered with or disguised and may fade or become blurred over time.

Security company Freezemark uses a three-character mark and also gives clients the option to personalise it. The company keeps a database of every animal it marks and if any go missing, details are immediately circulated nationally.

Many vets now advocate microchipping. The chip, which is around the size of a grain of rice, is implanted into the nuchal ligament on the left-hand side of the horse’s neck. Every horse has an individual number, which can be viewed with an electronic reader linked to a database.

Microchips are tamper-proof, but for them to be truly successful, the database records must be kept up to date and the scanner be the correct type for that chip, otherwise it could go undetected. There is also the potential for microchips to migrate away from the implantation site.

An awful lot of horses in Britain have no means of identification at all

A microchip reader is linked to a database

You aren’t on your own in trying to see off the thieves. Although their resources are stretched, many police forces now have dedicated Horsewatch officers, who specialise in fighting equine crime. The police recently issued the following answers to some frequently asked questions about stolen horses:

• What should I do if I think I’ve seen a horse being stolen?

Don’t put yourself in any danger, but try to note anything useful such as car or lorry numbers, details of the horse and descriptions of people involved. Then contact your local police force and Horsewatch co-ordinator.

• How can I contact Horsewatch in my area?

Check the links on website www.ukhorsewatch.org.uk/ or e-mail your details, stating which area you live in, and we will find who your co-ordinator is for your region and ask them to contact you.

• What if there’s no co-ordinator for my area?

We’ll find the nearest coverage for you a. There will always be a Horsewatch co-ordinator caretaking your area.

• How can I be sure that the horse I’m buying isn’t stolen?

It’s a legal requirement for all equines to have a passport. Ensure you see this and the details match the horse for sale. Most horses should now be on the National Equine Database, which you can also check to ensure it isn’t out on loan and therefore shouldn’t be for sale. If the horse has a freeze brand, check the mark with all freeze-branding companies. Also, check the Stolen Horse Register at www.stolenhorseregister.com. Do remember, however, that the register may not be complete, as it isn’t linked to the police national computer.

• I’ve seen a horse that looks like one listed on the Stolen Horse Register, but I’m not sure and I don’t want to make a fuss. What should I do?

Recovering stolen horses is a job for professionals. Contact your local Horsewatch by phone, via their website or by e-mail and we’ll investigate your concern. We go on many wild goose chases, some of which can lead to useful information. We need and appreciate the public’s help, and will not judge you as alarmist if you contact us with your concerns.

Although the final choice is yours, if the unthinkable happens and your horse disappears, a means of identification will make a crucial difference. It’s now something every horseowner in Britain should bear in mind.