Rash of horse mane weaving in the UK- pagans?

There's concern in the United Kingdom in Dorset and surrounding counties about 20 horses that have mysteriously had plaited manes appearing over the last 3 months. This has been happening on nights of high wind and  rain, with some owners believing that the wind is driving the horse manes into sorts of plaits or knots.  At first some horse owners and the police thought this was a gypsy tagging trick, to mark horses for future theft. But the horses were not stolen. (Really getting that much gypsy horse crime these days, Constable?) Voices of reason in the local horse community mentioned that these plaits are normal in horses manes, and intentional plaiting is an urban myth. Then Dorset area police research came up with the idea that pagans are 'weaving' or using 'knot magic' with these horses! Continue reading →