Tails cut from horses in Post Falls

POST FALLS — Two horses left in the pasture at a Post Falls ranch Friday night had their tails cut, allegedly by a trespasser.

According to a Kootenai County Sheriff's Office report, the property owner left two of her 16 horses outside over night. When she went to check on the bay-colored quarter horses on Saturday morning, she discovered obvious signs that their tails had been cut.

"One of the horse’s tail hair was cut off approximately 3 feet, and the other was cut off approximately 2 feet," the report reads. "(She) stated it looked like a 'hack job' and believed the tails were cut with some sharp object."

The owner, according to the report, also noted that one of the tails appeared to have been cut from underneath, as though the perpetrator was attempting to hide the hair they cut from the tail. According to the report, the owner of the horses told deputies she believed the tail was cut by an individual intending to sell the hair.

"(She) informed me she saw a news story about people cutting horse tails off for money," the report states. "One of (her) friends had also previously seen horse hair advertised for sale on Craigslist."

There were multiple "No Trespassing" signs on the property, according to the report, and deputies advised the owner to look into purchasing game cameras for the property if she was fearful that the suspect(s) would return.