Horse theft

Horse theft is the crime of stealing horses. A person engaged in stealing horses is known as a horse thief. Historically, punishments were often severe for horse theft, with several cultures pronouncing the sentence of death upon actual or presumed thieves. Several societies were formed in the United States to prevent horse theft and apprehend horse thieves. However, horse theft continues to occur throughout the world as horses are stolen for their meat, for ransom, or in disputes between their owners and other persons. Before the invention of the automobile, horses were considered essential as there were few ways to call for help and travel long-distance.

Horse theft today is comparable to automobile theft, a crime punishable by felony jail time.