Horse Tail Thieves Strike Farm North Of Meadow Grove

Horse tail theft is sweeping the area and has now struck the Meadow Grove area. 

Brandi Qualset said her horse, Rosie, fell victim to having its tail cut either overnight Sunday or sometime on Monday. Qualset said she can't say for sure when it happened, but "my best guess was when I was gone" Monday from 3-5 p.m. 

"There are obvious cuts on both sides near the bottom. They left some in the middle," she said.

Cutting a horse's tail or mane automatically decreases the value of a horse significantly. 

Qualset, who runs Missy's Hope Equine Rescue Resource just north of Meadow Grove, said her horse pen is directly behind their house, meaning theft can occur anywhere - not just with horses kept in a pasture away from buildings. 

Just one of Qualset's horses was victimized. She said one of the older horses is very wary of strange people and would have retreated to the shed if approached.

"I suspect they didn't get much because Rosie doesn't like her tail touched," Qualset said. "She tends to tolerate it being handled for a short time and then will circle away from you once she has reached her limit.

Horse tail hair has become a high-dollar item on the black market. It is commonly used for show horse hair extensions, jewelry, stringed instruments, art supplies and pottery. 

A full horse tail can bring around $1,000, according to online searches.