Thieves go after horse tails

Horses in Bannock County are under watch after a horse near Lava Hot Springs had its tail cut off last week.

The Bannock County Sheriff’s Department is currently investigating the situation, adding extra patrols in the area. It would take two people to do, one person to bait the horse while the other cuts the tail off, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

The horse isn’t harmed when its tail gets cut off, however it is more susceptible to bug bites since the tail helps swat them away.

There are no leads right now, but Chief Deputy Jim Dalley says there is potential profit with horse hair.

“Sometimes the horse hair is used for crafts,” Dalley said. “Sometimes it’s used for musical instruments, so apparently it has some value that way.”

If caught, the tail-cutters could face trespassing and animal cruelty charges.