horse thief
Steals mounted animals
A horse thief is someone who steals horses.
Before automobiles, horse theft was among the most serious crimes in rural America—horses were essential for transportation, farming, and survival.
The offense was often punishable by hanging.
They strung up horse thieves in those days.
The term now appears mostly in historical contexts or as a measure of untrustworthiness: I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw a horse thief.
- rustlerOne who steals cattle
- outlawFugitive from justice
- criminalPerson who breaks laws
- theftUnlawful taking of property
- larcenyUnlawful taking of goods
posse · felony · frontier justice · highwayman · wanted poster · lynch mob · hanging · desperado · gallows · stealer · cattle drive · equine · ranch · frontier town · folk hero · escape artist · Jesse James · Butch Cassidy
- Old Westcowboy, cowboys, cowgirl, sheriff, sheriffs
- Westernscowboys, western, outlaws, sheriffs, western novels
- Wild Westcowboy, howdy, sheriff, giddyup, lawmen
- Outlawsoutlaw, bandit, desperado, highwayman, robber
- thievesrobber, burglar, pickpocket, shoplifter, cat burglar
horse thieflawman
Enforcement officer
sheriff · marshal · horse owner · rancher · bounty hunter
horse thiefhorse breeder
One who raises equines
horse owner · horse trader · stable owner · rancher · horse dealer
horse, thief, horses, horsed, horsing, horsy, horsey, horseback, horseman