AIBU to yell at the next person I catch...

[Pleasedontfeedme]

Yes it is a clickbaity title but hopefully what I'm saying might educate people who weren't aware...

AIBU to yell at the next person I catch feeding/throwing food and treats into the field where my old semi-retired pony is supposed to be happily living out the rest of his years?

Ok, I already know I'm being unreasonable but lockdown has made the footpath at runs along the perimeter of the field busier than I have ever known it.
OP (old pony in this instance) has some health complications now and has to have a pretty strict diet these days, he also seems to get fat on thin air and owing to his age and an old injury meaning he can't work off the calories like he used to and so a controlled diet is crucial in keeping him healthy. Yet EVERYONE keeps feeding him, I was only there 30 mins or so today and in that time I spoke (politely I might add) to 2 families giving him apples, carrots and treats, which may seem harmless but each one is akin to giving a toddler and chocolate bar (best comparison I can make). Fine if one person does it, but I'm not their 24/7 to stop everyone else and it's making poor OP a ticking timebomb, I worry I'm going to go see him one day and it's going to be his last, to put it bluntly.
I've got signs around the field saying please don't feed him, I speak to people and try and educate. Some people are really lovely about it and apologetic, others I've asked time and time again. Its not just apples and carrots, some people are throwing random kitchen waste in which is not suitable to be fed to him ( some foods cause colic or horses bolting food down can choke) and some people throw grass clippings In (again can cause colic). Before people suggest, he can't be fenced away from the path, plus from previous experience it doesn't deter people anyway ( I've caught people having a picnic In the field, sharing it with him before).
I just want the public to realise that whilst feeding other peoples people's animals may seem harmless, they might have specific dietary requirements or even just the owner doesn't want you to (some start to bite or it can cause injury if there's a couple of them getting aggressive over food).
I've started posting on local Facebook groups in an attempt to educate (near us one horse has died which was shared widely across Facebook as a result of being fed something she shouldn't have) and yet people are still doing it.
So yes IABU to lose my shit with the next person I see but hopefully the message will reach more people by posting on here.
(Sorry it was a bit of a long winded post!)

People are soooo annoying. Put up a really explicit sign and say there is cctv. Buy one of those fake cameras you can get them for about a tenner.

Fake CCTV camera with sign also big sign warning feeding pony will make him ill and people will be prosecuted.

@Honeyroar

You could put a few posters up of your intentions to do what you've proposed with something like
"If people don't stop feeding and interfering with these horses, for their safety I am going to have to change the lay out of the field so they can't be accessed. This is going to impact them but less so than being fed things that horses should not be fed by people who don't realise they are putting them at risk. I really don't want to have to do that but I also don't want to see my horses suffer because people keep feeding them inspite of repeated requests not to. Please help me to keep my horses happy and healthy by admiring them from a distance and not feeding them anything. Thank you!"

I don't know if it would work but it might be worth a try before you go to the time and expense of moving stuff around. I don't know if it would impact on your horses at all to do what you need to but it might be worth appealing that so that people understand that it's their actions that are causing this.

It’s so annoying! We keep our horses at home and the footpath that runs alongside their field is luckily fenced off with a big hedge so no one can get to them that way however our neighbours are horrendous! We have found all sorts of food in with them such as leeks, cabbages, any number of carrots and apples, potato peelings and even midget gems! My mare is laminitic, the first bout started after I found probably a carrier bag full of apples in with her. God knows how many she had already eaten. We have been round numerous times to ask them to stop but they carry on. The woman even has the cheek to say that my mare loves her so much , I’m like eh no, she is just greedy! Stupid, thoughtless people. I’m soaking their hay daily and they are there feeding them midget gems!

It’s terrible that people are feeding your lovely pony. I’d never feed anyone else’s animal but I’d like to ask whether you dislike people giving them a quick stroke?

There’s a lovely pony near me that comes up to the fence for attention and I sometimes stroke them briefly but I always feel like I’m doing something wrong and the owner will berate me if they see! This has never occurred.

I don’t bother them when eating, definitely do not feed them and it’s all on the pony’s terms but I’d still like to hear your view

I personally don't mind people stroking him as much as they want, he loves the attention. If I saw you stroking him I'd probably come and talk to you to check you weren't feeding him but other than that I'd have no issues.
Obviously I can't speak for other people but I think if the horse/s come up to the fence to you and your not encouraging them then I can't see you upsetting many owners buy saying a short hello to them. If there's more than one horse and the attention looks to be causing any jealousy (they might start barging each other about) then stop.
With Covid 19 though I wouldn't fuss other peoples animals in case of cross contamination, it's probably unlikely but I think at the moment it's best to be cautious.
I appreciate its probably all such a minefield for those who arnt horsey, hopefully this thread will help clear up what is ok and what is not.

A friend of mine posted a picture of her feeding a horse grass she had pulled from the verge. I commented that she shouldn’t do that and her reply was that he wanted the grass but couldn’t reach it. He was in a field full of grass

Literally put a sign saying “I’m OP I have specific dietary requirements and have been made ill from what some people feed me because I can’t eat treats some other ponies can have so please don’t feed me” and make it LARGE having grown up in the country I totally agree that despite people having loving intentions they just don’t understand that “just one” when it’s from everyone who walks past becomes a big problem.

Funnily enough I used a similar argument when MIL offers me chocolates and cake etc “oh just one won’t hurt” which is true but if I just had one from everyone who offered every time they offered it isn’t one it’s lots.

I’m shocked, shocked, that so many people feed other people’s random horses as they walk by?! WTF?! I know nothing about animals or horses but would never, ever do that. Giving them carrots or apples?! Who does that! It’s such a weird thing to do, I’d love someone on here to come on and explain why they do it. Just admire the view and leave them be?

Write on a big sign. Sniper hiding in the field. Next person caught feeding the pony will be used as target practise. 😉

Generally, if you can see that the field is maintained (manure picked up, ragwort pulled, for example)

Many of these morons have no idea what ragwort even is...

@Pleasedontfeedme
I’m a vet student but not at all horsey! I haven’t been fussing any horses since COVID but did during uni holidays when I was missing vet school ponies.

I’m glad to hear you wouldn’t mind, I find it difficult as some dog owners for example don’t seem pleased if you ignore their obviously excited dog on a walk and others don’t like when their dog is fussed. I’m guessing horse owners are the same meaning each owner feels differently about it.

I would always speak to an owner if I was approached.

I also think the Facebook page linked at the start of the thread is great but really you shouldn’t have to go to those lengths to stop others feeding your animal. People think they’re being kind but a sign should really put them off, but evidently it hasn’t.

I feel for all you horsey owners out there. Grew up in the sticks, so know the rules. Although I’m always happy to give a horse a quick pat & stroke if they’re friendly enough. What I would really like to know is who are the 5% entitled numbnuts who voted the OP IBU?

Boils my piss! We have a local neighbourhood news thing and someone recently asked 'does anyone know whose cat this is?' along with a photo and the fact that they'd been feeding the cat (which looked perfectly healthy and well fed in the photo and was probably just a 6 dinners Sid). Don't feed other people's pets, you don't know if they're diabetic or have health issues. Unless the poor thing is obviously starving and homeless, leave it alone! Saying that, I have inadvertently fed some of the local unneutered toms who have sneaked in through our catflap in the hope of some pussy(!) - but my 3 girls are all speyed - and have alleviated their disappointment by stuffing themselves on my cats' food (and spraying some piss)! We now have a microchip activated catflap. Up your arses cats!

Make signs large and explicit.
MY PONY lives in this field, he is under a strict veterinary diet and every FOOD given to him extra to his diet WILL KILL HIM.
So PLEASE DO NOT FEED - IT IS CRUEL.

Harsh I know but best I can think of

YANBU at all. Your horse, your rules.

No more polite signs.

"Do NOT feed the pony. He has a serious health condition and is on strict medication and diet".

We have a pony in a field in our village which we never feed. It's not our animal therefore it is not ok, period.

I would say that I don't understand people who go around randomly feeding other peoples horses/donkeys but actually I know exactly why they do it: they have a romanticized idea of walking in the countryside and feeding twee apples and carrots to the pwitty pwony with their ickle cherubs... they've actually not the 1st idea of what they're doing.

I certainly wouldn't judge you for telling them to fuck all the way off.

I've never actually fed someone else's animal, but I didnt realise how dangerous this could be until a horse owner posted on my local FB page.
I did used to stop beside them, and stroke if they were near enough. She explained how dangerous that can be for the horse too, so now I've stopped doing that.
If someone wont listen when you've explained something then they are an entitled twat.

I don't agree it's caused by good, but misguided intentions or any belief they are doing something nice for the horse. It's entirely about their feelings, their enjoyment, their ego that they've done something 'nice'. Let's face it, if it was about doing something nice or helpful they'd be contacting a sanctuary to donate. In the same way that I don't randomly feed local cats, dogs and dc, I just buy extra and give it a local rescue and the food bank.

Just say,

DO NOT FEED MY HORSE. HE IS SICK AND EATS SPECIAL FOOD ONLY

IF I CATCH YOU, ILL SEND YOU THE VETS BILL

NOW STOP IT.

I'd be spray painting him with the Purple spray as well as putting up the signs and putting out the boxes.

There are some selfish hard of thinking idiots out there.

Maybe lie slightly and put up sign saying
Please don't feed me. I have allergies and treats may kill me.

I'm thoroughly fed up with idiots leaving the bridleway / road and coming up the drive into my fields to harass my horses. Feeding them, poking them, holding their kids up to squeal at them, generally making a bloody nuisance of themselves on private land. I fence the horses back, and then find people letting themselves into my resting field so their kids can get closer and squeal at them some more.

Plus idiots letting their loose dogs in to shit in my field / driveway, and - in an impressively stupid move today - swing off my youngest horse's tail while she's working. They're very lucky the dog isn't dead - though my goodwill is now very much singing with the choir invisible.

I'm tempted to lurk in the field with a super-soaker and pick the buggers off as they trespass. It may not just be "water" in the tank either... (I'm joking - I don't own a water pistol, but I can dream)

Water pisstol
Sympathy.
Can you download a picture of a horse suffering? Often, children are quite sensible if they think the animal will be hurt and will educate their parents.

My aunt’s pony who was kept near a footpath was a lovely but naughty little bastard. After a while, he started biting people hard if they didn’t feed him fast enough.

There's literally no point putting up signs. They will not act as a deterrent. People are feeding your OP because they find it entertaining and they love doing it. It makes their day to feed him. You'll never stop them with your signs. They enjoy it too much so they'll turn a blind eye to your signs and will choose to not see the harm.

For the health and protection of your OP you'll have to find a way of making it physically impossible for anyone to feed him.

People like what they do so will do exactly what they like.

It's a horrible situation so good luck.

Non-horsey person here. Please do put up polite signs to educate us non-horsey folk. Embarrassingly I had no idea that feeding grass etc was so bad. It won’t stop all idiots but if I saw a sign now I’d intervene if I saw someone ignoring it.