A HORSE lover whose animals were stolen is urging owners to get them freeze-marked.

Jackie Dowley said it was lucky her mare and Shetland pony were found, as they had not been given the distinctive identification numbers.

She is now backing West Oxfordshire and Vale Horsewatch’s campaign to get owners to mark their horses.

Mrs Dowley’s horses were stolen from their paddock in February.

She said: “We never stopped crying from the day they went missing.

“You spend nights awake wondering where they are, who they’re with and how they’re being treated.”

After a campaign to track the animals down, involving horse owners, neighbours and the police, the animals were found in a field in Somerset.

They were not freeze-marked but were found because Mrs Dowley was able to accurately describe them.

They have since been freeze-marked.

Mrs Dowley, who lives near Bampton, said: “Now the unthinkable happened to us, in hindsight we should have had the freeze-marking done before we did.

“I’m not saying that it would stop the theft of your horse, but it’s a very good deterrent.”

Only three horse-related crimes have been reported to police in the area during the past year, but the Horsewatch group said it was still vitally important to mark equipment.

The group works with owners and Thames Valley Police to share any information about horse and equipment thefts.

Chairman Diana Harris said: “It’s very important that people mark their horses and their tack.

“The police always say ‘mark it or lose it’, because if it gets stolen and it’s marked, the police can recover it.”

Marking works by freezing the horse’s skin to make the hair follicles produce white hair.

Pc Simon Towers, the wildlife officer for Thames Valley Police, based at Witney, said: “We always welcome anything that can reduce crime.

“We recommend people sign up for Horsewatch if they are a horse owner and are not already members.”

For more information about the Horsewatch scheme and freeze-marking, call Ms Harris on 01993 402844.