HORSES are being targeted by pagans in rituals that involve plaiting their manes to add power to prayers, police believe.

Hysteria has been sweeping the horse-owning community as more and more animals are being found with plaits in their manes.

Most owners thought the plaits were being put there by thieves who mark the ponies during the day, ready for stealing later.

Despite the number of calls to report the bizarre practice, police say there is no evidence horses are being taken.

Police stress there is little to worry about.

PC Tim Poole said: “We can’t completely rule out the possibility of theft. We did have intelligence from Avon and Somerset Police that it is a gypsy trick, which it may or may not have been.

“But we have some very good information from a warlock that this is part of a white magic ritual and it is do with ‘knot magick’.

“It would appear that for people of this belief, knot magick is used when they want to cast a spell.

“Some of the gods they worship have a strong connection to horses so if they have a particular request, plaiting this knot in a horse’s mane lends strength to the request.

“The fact that this rash of plaiting coincides with one of their ceremonial times of year adds weight to the theory.

“This warlock said it is a benign activity, albeit maybe a bit distressing for the horse owner.”

Members of Shipton Riding Club have been receiving increasingly bizarre emails warning not only of plaiting but blood letting.

Committee member Harriet Laurie, from Askerswell, said: “There has been an absolute furore whipping up about plaits in horses manes.

“The wild rumours that have been circulating about these plaits range from gypsy thieving pre-amble to satanic worship – the Shipton Riding Club email has been overloaded with them.

“The fact that the police are advising horse owners that this is a benign pagan ritual plus possible ‘copycats’ is good news I suppose – though rather odd.

“I must say the pagans in our area must be dedicated – the night before we found plaits in three of our horses’ manes on one of the wildest nights on record.

“Field shelters were blown over, corrugated iron roofs flew across the fields, rain pelted down and yet three horses, including one who is almost impossible to catch, were ‘plaited’, all in different fields... and it’s a walk of about a mile and a half to get to them all.

“It would be more restful if they were to ask permission first. It is a bit alarming to think of strangers creeping about one’s animals at night.”

Pagan witch Phil Robinson from Swanage said pagans were not involved.

He said: “Some people play at Satansim and this may be related to people messing about, but it is worrying if people think it is related to paganism – we have a bad enough press as it is.”