To wonder why people see large animal as public property?

[lastqueenofscotland]

I have two ex racehorses. Both slightly institutionalised, if you understand horse behaviour they are fine, but they aren’t docile or all that tolerant. They are also huge.
Both can be quite aggressive over food so we do not hand feed them at all.
They live with a family member of mine ina field on the edge of town. We’ve had a lot of issues over the 2 years they’ve been there of people trying to feed them anything and everything, ham sandwiches, and very concerningly on one occasion, a binbag full of grass clippings.
As one of them is VERY aggressive around food and the other has turned into a hugely fat blimp since his retirement from professional sport we put up signs on the field asking them to not feed the horses. This was largely ignored so we got some electric tape fencing and put it about a meter inside the post and rail. (With signs pointjng out this was electric)

Today someone has knocked on my aunts door fuming that her daughter has had an electric shock trying to feed the horses.
When my aunt politely pointed out that the blimp and the thug really don’t need anymore food this woman goes off on one about how we are stuck up snobs and her daughter enjoys feeding the horses so she will continue to do so.
What the fuck is wrong with people

You can't educate stupid. I don't get it either. Down the road from us is a pony in a paddock. I saw a woman feeding it most of a packet of mints. I explained it could be very bad for the pony and could have behavioural implications. She nodded. And carried on after I walked away.

People are idiots. Totally agree with you.

God people are so stupid. We used to have this problem with our horses too and put up electric tape. Luckily that solved the problem for us, I can't believe people went round it with yours. Maybe you could make the signs more pointed and say something like 'please don't feed the horses, you can cause them serious harm'. Or maybe 'the horses are both vicious biters'

It’s not just large animale - my dog used to have stomach problems and had to have a restricted diet but it didn’t stop people trying to feed her constantly when out walking. Some would get really quite nasty if I had to insist when they didn’t respond to polite requests not to feed her.

Of course YANBU. Some people are just twats unfortunately.

So the daughter is going to continue feeding the horses and continue getting electric shocks then? Weird people

DSs pony has almost eaten himself to death twice (greedy bugger). He has be to watched very carefully and kept separate from the other horses at times as he will gorge himself until he is sick.

But hey, someone's kid wants to stuff food in his face - but as long as they are happy, who cares if the poor animal is in agony and needs to be wrestled to the ground and have a tube shoved down his throat?

People are stupid. They're the same people who approach unfamiliar dogs with no consideration to the fact that they might not be friendly.

Is there a sign that says it's an electric fence? Personally, I find even docile horses intimidating; they're so big.

and the worst bit is, if the idiots people get injured whilst feeding your horses, you are actually liable.

if the idiots people get injured whilst feeding your horses, you are actually liable.

Not necessarily! There would have to be a duty of care which is unlikely unless OP is running the stables as a business.

I once found a family feeding my pony crisps! I politely explained that this was really not good for him and was told "oh he loves cheese and onion!". My horse, on the other hand was very nibbley and nippy if fed treats, and did bite someone who was feeding him mints, despite the signs asking not to.

There is a field near us with a footpath through it. I once watched a woman with two small children trying to feed a herd of horses carrots out of a carrier bag and they mugged her for it, she was very lucky not to get hurt. So stupid and so dangerous.
Why do people assume it's ok??. I had a dog run up to my horses back legs this morning. Owner cheerfully told me her dog was ok with horses. I cheerfully told her my horse likes to kick dogs.....

Is the electric fencing legal?

Obviously I would point out that they are not 'the' horses, they are 'my' horses, and the child should not be feeding them.

Goth it is only a matter of time before the thug takes a chunk out of someone. It makes me very anxious

The electric fencing is legal. I think every yard in the UK has electric tape fencing!

I had this issue a few years back and I just double fenced, the horses weren't bothered and people stopped feeding them!

I am noticing similar with cats.

On my local social media there seem to be four or five posts a day about a “found” cat that has appeared in the garden. They have fed it and it’s “starving”. It’s now been hanging around for a week getting fed and does anyone know who’s it is before they keep it?

It lives 4 doors down you idiot and it keeps hanging around because you are feeding it! It looks bloody healthy and as if it’s getting six dinners.

If it’s “skinny” it’s likely old or on a special diet and you feeding it whiskers — instead of the super expensive prescription renal diet bought by the owners who spend shitloads on vets bills— is damaging its kidneys.

Leave the cat alone. Don’t feed it. It will go away.

People are stupid. If they want to risk their kids getting more electric shocks then let them crack on!
I think people are like this with any animal tbh. An old neighbour nearly killed my diabetic cat because she used to take him in and feed him all sorts of crap. He only ever sat in the garden, he never ventured further, and neighbour would actually come and take him from the garden when we went out. I was fuming when I discovered what she was doing. I ended up having to keep him indoors because despite me telling her several times that he had diabetes and was on a special diet, she still fed him anyway. Some people just don't give a shit.

We went to a zoo about two years ago and there was a massive crowd around the giraffe enclosure, there were children and adults hand feeding them their packed lunches and the zoo keepers came running over to disperse the group. I cannot imagine what they ingested!

People who do this really are uneducated and down right moronic.

You need better electric fence OP. Can you attach it to the mains maybe? 🤣

It really,really, really fucks me off. Our all weather turn out paddock is at the top of the yard. It's what we use for fat club ponies and those recovering from illness ir injury.

It's also where the footpath ran past and despite signs asking people not to the general public still wanted to shove apples into my pony with cushing and laminitus.

We amended the sign in the end by asking them to leave any treats in a bag by the gate and we would give them to her in accordance with a vet prescribed diet. It did seem to do the trick. Though the amount and variety of stuff left was astounding and I wonder how she hadn't coliced. The usual maggoty windfall apples, carrots, random veg like broccoli and the odd half loaf of mouldy bread.

The chickens ate very well at least.

My God I would be knocking on her door and going mental that she was close enough to get an electric shock. Wtf is wrong with people?! Luckily my ex-racer is tucked away from strangers.

Could you put up a sign saying that the horses have a contagious disease? Nothing notifiable, just something suitably warty.
I've had to rescue people who wanted to pet the bull, take their dog to play with the calves and feed the (huge and very angry) ram. Now I just try to spot them early and say "If you do that you may die, but please yourself" . My indifference to their early and messy death seems to work!

I'd have to sit at the field and when they turned up, run screaming at them like a banshee and just stand there screeching until they left. Every time. I'd quite enjoy this, but then I'm slightly unhinged.

Just tell them that the horses have rabies. They won't know the difference but it

will keep them away (maybe).

Hate walking my lab anywhere except my local circuit where other sensible people walk. I don't even carry treats, because my dog is content with verbal praise. Doesn't stop her killing and eating vermin though. She's a very efficient hunter-killer.

Woman sounds like typical pond life. Honestly! You do not feed other people's animals without their permission, doesn't everyone know that and what is snobbish about your aunt telling her so.