Horse Hair Stolen: Montana Thieves Chase Tail

The Associated Press

BELGRADE, Mont. -- A Montana woman says she knows it sounds mean, but she hopes her horse at least tried to kick the person that cut the hair off her tail.

Belgrade-area resident Alisha Novotny tells KTVM-TV (http://bit.ly/mUoMYa ) that she noticed her mare, Raz, was missing the hair from her tail last Sunday morning.

She says it looks like whoever did it "just grabbed pretty fast and chopped."

Novotny says horse hair can be valuable — especially white hair like Raz's — for making belts and bridles and key chains. She says she felt "violated" when she realized a stranger had been in the horse's pen.

Gallatin County authorities say this isn't the first time a horse owner in the area as found an animal missing hair from its tail. Officials with the Belgrade Police Department say it's been an ongoing issue for about six months.

Comments

[DebbyM]

08:02 PM on 10/13/2011

And for anyone thinking of getting a horsehair bracelet---don't do it! I had one once,thought it looked great, until I realized that the disgusting smell was coming from the bracelet. When horses pee, the hairs often hang in the way and apparently, the smell doesn't wash out and your body heat seems to activate it. Yecch!

[lenguss]

02:56 AM on 10/12/2011

In Montana they hanged horse thieves. Perhaps they could hang the horse tail thief from a lower branch.

[rMatey]

11:06 AM on 10/11/2011

Are you sure that this story isn't connected to the Amish haircutting gang???

[karen lyons kalmenson]

12:45 PM on 10/11/2011

are you a neighsayer;-D

[kayatz3]

02:24 AM on 10/11/2011

Well, in this case, it's too bad the horse didn't kick 'em where it counts! What is Wrong with people? Have they had no parents, did they grow up in the woods alone? What?

[floodberg]

10:02 PM on 10/10/2011

Geez, what sort of low life would do this?

[jaspdohertylaw]

07:58 PM on 10/10/2011

i've been chasing tail my whole life- what is the big deal

[michmg08]

11:49 AM on 10/11/2011

lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[karen lyons kalmenson]

12:45 PM on 10/11/2011

but i hope you don't make a foal out of yourself;-D

[freewalk9]

07:49 PM on 10/10/2011

Even with a tail, a horse needs to be protected from flies. Fly repellents are specially formulated for horses and fly masks and sheets are also made for non-chemical protection. Other options include feed-through treatments and fly predators for the property. I know a woman who uses garlic...it does not work well.

Shame about the horse's tail but as others noted, it could have been worse. Go to You Tube and look for Tom Russell's "The Sky Above The Mud Below."

[victoriaregina16]

06:57 PM on 10/10/2011

At least the horse is alive and safe - could have been worse...

[oberlinkay91]

05:02 PM on 10/10/2011

Bummer it was stolen but atleast nothing worse happen!

[glennranch]

04:48 PM on 10/10/2011

If I caught anyone doing that to my horse they would be dead.

[Pierre Fontaine]

02:24 PM on 10/10/2011

I feel bad for the poor horse's tail being stolen but I am glad that was the worst of it - I love horses =)

[Jean Dalton]

02:13 PM on 10/10/2011

My horse had his tail stolen twice. Took him 4 years to grow it back. No one thinks that they need their tails for the flies.

[Montana 123]

05:04 PM on 10/10/2011

I was going to ask how long does it take to grow back. Is there anything you can do to help with the flies when the tail is cut short?

[jaspdohertylaw]

08:43 PM on 10/10/2011

you could wipe the horse's bottom

[Roan Badger]

02:10 PM on 10/10/2011

If they want horse hair I will sell them some.

[Ray Russelburg]

01:15 PM on 10/10/2011

That horse shoulda kicked them right in the jiblets!

[karen lyons kalmenson]

12:46 PM on 10/11/2011

floatem scrotum

[Annette Hammond]

01:12 PM on 10/10/2011

For Petes Sake! What's next? Chicken feathers.

[oberlinkay91]

05:03 PM on 10/10/2011

Lets not push our luck... I may have to start locking up my chickens