branding

[just_4_kixx]

Most of you have read my story now about what happened to the mare I have pictured in my avatar. If you haven’t please do.

What are your feelings on branding minis? Would you hastate on purchasing a mini if it had a brand on it?

 

[Pepipony]

No, I wouldnt hesitate , meaning if it had one it wouldnt change my interest. I would however make sure its a clean sale, not stolen. We live down a private road, and there have been a couple times that I know someone tried to steal one or more of my horses. So, I got them branded, freeze brands.

Dont know your story, have been away a few weeks, will go take a peek.

 

[just_4_kixx]

have you had any problems selling your mini's with freeze brands on them?

 

[Marty]

What has happened to your horses is horrible and I do hope you get the red mare back home safely and soon.

I see that in your State of Montana that you just don't seem to have any other choice but to brand your horses. My friend has a string of Arabians and they are all freeze branded underneath the mane, high up across, right where the mane begins to lay over where it does not show. No, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a horse that was branded as long as it was done like that and not anything unsightly. So sorry you are going through such an ordeal.

 

[Christine]

I have bought horses branded before not miniatures and like Marty would not hesisitate to do so again as long as it is not obvious now me personally i would not brand my horses I flench when they pull out the needle to inject the tracking thing i dont like to hurt my horses bleeding heart for animals.

 

[crponies]

Branding my ponies is something that I do think about from time to time. I definitely would not be turned away from buying a horse with a brand. I think the controversy in the past on this board has been the legality of showing a branded horse if it was something that would point out the breeder or owner. I don't like the idea of a hidden brand as to me that would defeat the purpose of branding. I guess in your situation it would have served its purpose but I don't see how it would deter theft if the thieves don't see the brand or stop sale/slaughter if people don't lift the mane to look.

 

[TinyMiteVillage]

I freeze branded all my horses, big and minis. The only thing not branded is my dwarfs. All mine are branded on the left hip with a TMV. I have not had any problems in selling one with a brand. I, too, have had a horse stolen and I was fortunate enough to get her back. But still it is scary when you go to feed and one is missing..........

 

[Reble]

Question on branding, is it ok in showing to have a brand on them?

Than the judge would know who owns what?

Just wondering. Any comments !!!!!

 

[Bluerocket]

I would consider doing freeze branding on their inner thighs - that way it is not too obvious but still a place you can see it. I don't like it under the manes - not sure why - but I don't

JJay

 

[shane]

does it put the judges off? i want my two horses branded, but the brands here are a large type brand, also what happens if someone where to steal your horse and change the brand eg.. 3ci into 8ol just a thought

:

 

[just_4_kixx]

When I was at the State Brand office a few months back, we had six places we can brand on. Jaw, hip, & shoulder. The brand can be on either right or left side. Once the brand is registered, you can only place it in one place.

I'm very intersted in finding out more about showing mini's with brands. If it's the only way we can protect them, I would hope that we can show them with brands. If they won't let us, I'm willing to see if we can get it changed, but if that won't work, I'm willing to not show, to protect my horse.

 

[billiethekid40]

On the jaw? Never thought of that place for a freeze brand. That spot WOULD make it easy to cover up in the ring with tack or black makeup though.

 

[HGFarm]

Here is Arizona, brands have to be applied for and registered with the AZ Agrigulture/Livestock Department.

The brands have to be renewed by the 'owner' every so often (used to be every 10 years but I believe it is more often than that now) We had a brand registered in our name. ONLY the livestock owned by that person is allowed to use it.

The brand comes assigned to where you are allowed to put it, along with the earmarks used on the cattle. Our horse brand was on the left shoulder, the cattle over the right ribs. I have seen brands on jaws, hips, etc....

You will sometimes see cattle here with three or four brands, that were sold, etc.. and rebranded at the new ranch. You are not allowed to run unbranded cattle here. They become 'mavericks' and property of the state!!

Cattle have tough skin, horses are much different to brand as their skin is thinner. If the iron slips on the hair, or the horse moves, it can cause a splotched brand that is disfiguring and hard to read. Many horse owners out west went to freeze branding horses, as it was a neater cleaner brand and not nearly so stressful on the animal.

I would not hesitate to buy a horse with a brand- providing the brand is porportionate to the animal and not disfiguring, if I was going to show it.

 

[HGFarm]

Shane, you would have to have your brands custom made of a size to fit a mini - the problem with that is if you are using hot brands, if the metal is close together, it makes 'hot spots' which smudge or burn the skin too much, as horses are very thin skinned compared to cattle.

 

[slaneyrose]

I have bought horses branded before not miniatures and like Marty would not hesisitate to do so again as long as it is not obvious now me personally i would not brand my horses I flench when they pull out the needle to inject the tracking thing i dont like to hurt my horses bleeding heart for animals.

I had a horse stolen 3 yrs ago, she wasnt freezemarked but the one in the field that they left behind was!!! we didnt have a freezemarking service here in Ireland with a data base register so I started one up. Christine, you may be squeemish about having it done but it is only a little uncomfortable for a few seconds and compared to what is likely to happen to your horse once it gets into the hands of theives....nothing at all. ALL my minis and my arab x mare are freeze marked and the foals are done at 5mths on the shoulder with a small neat 2" brand. marks under the mane dont deter theives the way a visible one does and i have actually been complimented on mine by judges in the show ring and have never been placed down because of it. Untold cruelties can and often do take place to stolen horses as just for kixx found out.....and her mare may never recover.....for the sake of a few seconds of discomfort??? No comparison for them or for you and what you will suffer if yours are stolen. I would encourage everyone to do it for the sake of their horses.

 

[sassy1]

If you get a good blacksmith/farrier to make up your brand in a smaller size to suit minis, they can "vent" the brand so that it doesn't create a "hot spot" that holds heat. A lot depends on brand design too. As a general rule, "fussy" brands hold more heat than cleaner ones.

Here in Australia, most of the Breed Societies insist on brands. Some Societies allow microchipping for Society identification and some don't, but our biggest shows (State Royal Agricultural Shows) inspect brands as well as measuring every animal, led, ridden and harness.

We worked with the farrier and he made us some lovely brands. My stud brand would only be just over 1 and 1/4 inches high and the number brands would only be an inch high.

The number brands are made up to put on a backing plate so that all the number brands go on at the same time - much neater

I personally really dislike large brands on any animal and if you brand minis at a youngish age you need to remember that the brand grows with the growth of the animal!

:

I am thinking of changing over to freeze branding but if I do I will have the iron held on a little longer so that I get a bared brand instead of a white one.

 

[slaneyrose]

does it put the judges off? i want my two horses branded, but the brands here are a large type brand, also what happens if someone where to steal your horse and change the brand eg.. 3ci into 8ol just a thought

:

Lynda you can get a 2" one (Sundance has my brand ...a celtic S....on his left shoulder (and it hasnt been a problem for him in the show ring ;-) ) as do all my horses. You can also get a micromark which is 1.5" looks like an omega sign and alerts others that your horse is microchipped, the only problem with that is (as has been pointed out) there are many different companies and they all have different readers so even if they do try, may not be able to....plus the places these stolen horses end up dont usually even have a reader....

Also, to answer your question on the brands being changed, you can have a personalised one done like mine, or with one or two letters etc and each company`s designs are slightly different so it would be almost impossible to change a number without making it look "wrong".

 

[sassy1]

The Alpha Angle System of freeze branding is possibly one of the few systems of branding that can't be altered. It would be more than obvious if someone tried.

The link below is well worth reading

http://flwildhorse.org/flfreeze.html

 

[just_4_kixx]

for those who do brand, what age do you brand you colts at?

I asked the same question about changing brands. There isn't a fool proof way to protect our animals. If someone does change a brand, they can be charged. From what I got when talking to the brand officers is, non brand horses are stolen 90% more then non brand, because it is hard to change brands, and not get caught.

 

[dangerranger]

Just A question for those that know, How is freeze branding done? do they use a stencil? or is it done free hand? Could you use the same stuff that they use to freeze off warts? Inquiring minds want to know! DR.