Farm Workers Allegedly Steal Mean Mare

RECOVERED 10/9/06!!!!

This mare was stolen from a 11-year-old boy a week before his birthday on Oct. 8, 2006 ~ this young man needs a huge birthday present!

Flash is HOME!!!! Two suspects have been arrested with charges pending!

We are waiting on the complete story, but Debi and I have spoken to the parents, and the mom was waiting to pick up her son from ball practice to tell the great news! (READ MORE BELOW)

Pending charges, we cannot release all the details, but the suspects were KNOWN to the victims from previous farm work. Suspects were linked to Flash's theft through other stolen property including livestock and cows! One subject has only been out of jail a short time for stealing saddles!

Flash has been to the vet - in ONE week, her shoes had been pulled and replaced, she has lost 200-300 pounds, and it's obvious that she had been ridden hard from the saddle and sweat marks. She is also somewhat sore, but otherwise, in good spirits.

Flash also has two new stablemates! For his 12th birthday, Flash's owner received two horses from his grandfather, who was just sick over his grandson's loss.

It's hard to have an ending much happier than this!

The Taylor's expressed their appreciation to the Weakley County Sheriff's office for being diligent and finding Flash, and to all the wonderful NetPosse members that offered their support, encouragement and help! Jackie says she is telling everyone she knows about NetPosse! ~ NetPosse 10/9/2006

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We are having a good night tonight, NOT anything like last Monday night. I picked our son up from ball practice and took him to the farm. My husband told our son to go into the barn and help him feed the horses. Our son opened up the stall and looked at Flash, did not say anything, went around her to her white marking on her withers and said,"You found Flash"! He led her immediately out of the stall and him and his dad started washing and rubbing on her. They returned back to the barn a few minutes ago (3 hrs from the first time) and went to see her again. She seems to be doing good, we think she knows she is home.

These two young men had stolen a horse trailer, our horse, and cows from different farms in this area. The owner of the cows called this morning and reported the stolen cows and our Weakley County Sheriff's Department called area sale barns to alert them. About 50 miles from us they took the cows in the stolen horse trailer to the sale barn and was caught. They first denied knowing anything about our horse, but later confessed to stealing our horse.

Flash was nervous and did not want load in our trailer. She was skiddest and would have probabley ran off without being held.

One of the young men had recently been in jail for stealing saddles. He had worked previously at a lumber shed and delivered lumber to our farm for a new barn. He had seen Flash at this time. He had even asked my husband for a job. Sometime later after that he was arrested for stealing saddles. We do not know if stealing Flash had anything to do with him being on our farm at an earlier time.

Flash has already been taken to the vet. They had new shoes on her and had rode her hard this week. She probably has lost 250-300 pounds also. She has several marks from the saddle, sweat marks and seems sore in her muscles in her legs. But she is okay.

We were glad to hear one of the deputies tell us that the suspects told them that she was the meanest horse they had been around. He said he told them that was hard to believe because she was an 11 year old boy's horse. Our son had hoped that Flash would kick and give them a hard time (maybe his wish came true of that).

We want to thank the Weakley County Sheriff's Department and Millie Binkley from the Ag Crime Unit for there long hours of searching for Flash.

We want to thank anyone for all of the long, hard work that has been done looking for Flash. It definitely takes alot support from people to get the word out.

Thank you Debi, Angela and Stolen Horse International for your support and such quick response to getting our horse on the web page. We have recommended everyone to you and told them how concerned ya have been. The flyer and write-up was great. We will keep you posted on the charges pending and try to send you a new picture.

Thanks again.

The Taylor's

P.S. Please do not give up searching for a stolen horse. Somewhere, somebody knows something and might eventually talk.