Thieves clip hair from horse tails, perhaps for use in human extensions: "I hope they rot"



KANSAS CITY, Kansas -- They're defenseless animals, and Christine Mason said she's going to stick up for them.

Mason owns one of 12 horses stabled on a plot of land near Quindaro Park in Kansas City, Kansas.

Over the past six weeks, Mason and other horse owners have noticed hair missing from the tails of six of the 12 horses.

"This is my girl. This is my horse, Apache," Mason said.

Mason believes thieves are clipping hair from their tails -- perhaps to use the hair as extensions for human hair.

"Whoever's doing this, I hope they rot. She doesn't deserve that. She hasn't done anything to anybody," Mason said.

A horse's tail hair is for more than looks. Mason explained horses use it to protect themselves from insects and to communicate with other horses.

"Horse tails, when they're cleaned really well, are just as soft as hair. Regular hair," Mason said.

Mason and other horse owners have reported the thefts to Kansas City police, but so far, there are no clues as to who is doing this.

"It's crazy. It doesn't make sense," Mason said.

Albert Walker, known as "Grandpa" to his fellow horse lovers is a caretaker of sorts at the stables. He said he's seen horses with their tail hair cut all the way to the cartilage at the tip.

"How would you like it if someone came and whacked one of your hands off? Or one of your arms off? You use that to defend yourself with," Walker said.

Mason said she fears it will take some horses a decade to regrow their useful tail hair.