To ask people to tell everyone they know NOT TO FEED HORSES THAT DON’T BELONG TO THEM

[YeahBabyYeahYeah]

I won’t post the article as it made me cry and may be more triggering for others, but the most beautiful pony is in the papers today. He died because someone ignored “do not feed” signs and fed him a fucking potato.

Why oh why do some people (who in this case clearly know fuck-all about horses if they are feeding them whole potatoes) think it is OK to feed other people’s animals without their permission?

AIBU to think there should be more awareness about this, especially with more people going for walks at the moment. It is never OK to feed a horse unless the owner tells you it is OK and approves the food.

[DoubleHelix79]

I once had to persuade someone not to feed a sausage to a horse. They seemed surprised. The horse in question probably would have eaten it as well, greedy little thing.

[Baycob]

@Purplethrow I know, but I think they don’t know. If you don’t have horses then you don’t really know. Horses love food and can be inquisitive, so people think “ oh he is enjoying this”.

It’s just like when something else is happening in our lives that we get frustrated at. If no explanation is given, it feels like someone is being a cruel or being intentionally obstructive. I think there is nothing wrong with enjoying horses, by looking or giving a little pat over the fence. I mean they are lovely animals that’s why so many of us love them! It’s about awareness!

What happened to that pony was terrible and unavoidable. But imagine a Walker came to pet the pony everyday then noticed one day the pony was caught in the fence and alerted someone? Then his kindness would not be misplaced. So having signs explaining these things are much better.

[WiddlinDiddlin]

@Fiadh79

I don't feed horses anyway, as I'm too scared. But can you more knowledgeable people explain, surely the horse is in the field eating grass from the ground, so what's wrong with feeding them grass? Is it the quantity with it being grass clippings?

Grass clippings have usually started to ferment, which is dangerous to the horse.

Horses can eat a far greater quantity of grass clippings than they would have if they were grazing that same grass, which can cause them to bloat and get colic (horses can't be sick) which can kill them as well as causing agonising pain.

Wet grass clippings can also squidge together and cause a horse to choke, more likely in older horses, and greedy horses who eat really fast.

Finally grass clippings can contain all manner of pesticides, lawn feeds, and machine oil that wouldn't be on the paddock grass. Its also usually far higher in sugar than the poorer quality grass horses should be living on (horses are a desert animal and NOT well equipped to live on the high sugar lush wet grass we have for lawns and for cows and sheep to eat).

[Frodont]

I have signs up on every gate and I'm considering taking them down as they just seem to encourage people to do it.

Someone dumped their grass cuttings in my horses paddock - dh went round to see them and said please don't do it, its very dangerous. He said but horses eat grass?! Was genuinely confused and really took umbrage.

Dh said it would coast over 3k in colic surgery and we'd be sending them the bill. They've never done it since. They did chuck loads of apples in there but I spent a happy 10 minutes chucking them back.

People are idiotic. I'm going to start feeding dogs raisins qnd chocolate when they go by I think.

[StepBackPlease]

@Fiadh79 as a pp mentioned there are various conditions (including laminitis) where horses/ponies need their food intake restricted - particularly lush, green grass.

My mum has horses and I remember her rotating them into different paddocks with military precision depending on how much grass they were allowed, especially when the Spring grass was coming through.

I can well imagine an average passer-by seeing a horse in a bare field with very little grass, taking pity on them and think 'Oh poor thing, I'll bring him my lovely fresh green grass clippings'. But the horse will be in that particular paddock for a reason and feeding them grass clippings is the equivalent of giving a diabetic a massive bar of chocolate and could kill them.

[Honeyroar]

Grass clippings ferment differently because of how they’ve been crushed when cut and cause colic, which is often fatal and incredibly painful to horses. Carrots have lots of sugar and are dangerous to horses if they have a disease called cushings (pretty common in older horses) which is a bit like diabetes. And feeding horses makes them run to walkers and squabble for feed. It can result in injury to the horses or people. (I had a few complaints about my horses barging people on the footpaths through my land, and it’s basically because people had been feeding them and the horses now assume all walkers have treats). If I shoved a chocolate bar into a toddler’s mouth “ “because he likes it” the parents would go mad. It’s the same!

[AdaColeman]

I'm not a horsey person in any way, but I would think the problem with grass cuttings is that you don't know what else it includes, ragwort flowers, shredded plastic, been sprayed with insecticide or weed killer etc etc.

[Beaniecats]

@YeahBabyYeahYeah

Yes, much as I could, and do, get equally wound up about people feeding wildlife, a horse is clearly someone else’s animal. Nobody would justify walking to someone’s house throwing random food into the garden for their dog, so why do people think they can do it to a horse in a field? They’re not swings in the public park for entertaining children for free.

*@Beaniecats* you must be so sad, he looked beautiful. If you know the owner, I hope she is able to take a tiny bit of comfort in how many people are saddened by her loss and angry about its needlessness.

I knew of her as she had been posting for months on our community groups asking people not to feed her ponies no one listened. I messaged her to say how sorry etc and she is very traumatised and completely devastated

[Sparklingbrook]

As PP have explained grass cuttings are really bad news for horses. Plus it's essentially fly tipping isn't it-tipping your unwanted stuff onto someone else's land.

[00100001]

@Baycob

But actually most people don’t know. They think they are doing something kind. There is even an advert from the government here saying “feed the birds, being kind to nature is being kind to yourself”.

I think what would be better is putting a sign up saying please don’t feed my horse XYZ because it will make my horse sick. If Lots of people feed my horse and it can get horsey diabetes ( laminitis). Why don’t you call him over instead, his name is X, and give him a big pat! Alternatively, you could write a sign advising people that your horse bites or kicks.

These signs that just say DO NOT FEED THE HORSES, seem passive aggressive and make people more likely to try to do the opposite! You catch more bees with honey than vinegar!

LOL.


People do whatever the fuck they please, no amount of honey will stop the twats that stop off at the stallion's field in the village and feed him whatever crap they like. The owner has even accosted them "in the act" told them they were making his horse sick and overweight.


They still do it. Entitled twats.

[Frodont]

@Baycob

But actually most people don’t know. They think they are doing something kind. There is even an advert from the government here saying “feed the birds, being kind to nature is being kind to yourself”.

I think what would be better is putting a sign up saying please don’t feed my horse XYZ because it will make my horse sick. If Lots of people feed my horse and it can get horsey diabetes ( laminitis). Why don’t you call him over instead, his name is X, and give him a big pat! Alternatively, you could write a sign advising people that your horse bites or kicks.

These signs that just say DO NOT FEED THE HORSES, seem passive aggressive and make people more likely to try to do the opposite! You catch more bees with honey than vinegar!

Oh fof goodness sake! It's not a matter of having to charm people round to your way of thinking! Just don't do it!

[Hoppinggreen]

Apart from it being dangerous for the horse - I spent 12 hours (2 on 2 off) walking a very expensive thoroughbred so he wouldnt go down after a workman feed him a cheese sandwich- it encourages the horses to see every human as a food source, which can be dangerous for them too. I have seen horses chase people because they think they might have food and give each other a nasty kick robe first in line for the food.
PP is right, there’s no way you would feed someone’s child without permission, in fact I never even give another dog a treat without the owners permission so why people think it’s ok to feed horses is beyond me.

[DontGoIntoTheLongGrass]

You can fix stupid. My mum and gran feed horses at the fields near us as "they look so sad and lonely". Ffs. I've told them not to do so but DD comes back from walks with them pre-covid with "we were feeding the ponies!!". Does make me angry but obviously my mum and gran know so much better than I do you see

[thosetalesofunexpected]

Hi Op
That's fxcking Terrible horse dying like that !

I think there needs to be signs in a field Saying not to/or Prefer not give Foods to horses !

Or a Signs in Horses fields saying only certain vegetables/and or a particular fruits in a certain quantity is Allowed Only to feed horses !

Whatever signs is most effective in getting this message across !

Also Horses Charties/Animal welfare protection charities should speak up more and be pro active
on these kinds of issues such as visiting Schools and communities centres etc,

Even going online to spread this message further !

Also ongoing Tv adverts about this particular issue with Horses would be quite a powerful way to bring it this message to the public eye !

[StepBackPlease]

I work for a national network of conservation areas and was on a call with colleagues from across the country today to discuss how the hell we can deal with the huge number of incidents like this - as well as crops being destroyed by people not sticking to footpaths, bird nesting sites being destroyed, inconsiderate parking, irresponsible dog ownership and just general shitty behaviour going on across the country at the moment.

Some of the verbal abuse some Rangers have received out and about has been shocking. COVID has unveiled a depressingly strong vein of 'I'll do what I like, don't you f*ing dare tell me I can't' in the UK.

[TheSandman]

@TurquoiseDragon

It's still a problem because people don't like being told not to do it. As if they are entitled to feed the animals because it's for the kids doncha know, almost public property, and you're being a spoilsport telling them not to.

Some really ignorant people around at the moment.

No there have always been ignorant people.

Ignorance is not knowing.

Once you have informed someone. 'Don't feed other people's horses because it might kill them' They know and are no longer ignorant.

If they keep on doing it they are stupid.

Unfortunately there are an awful lot of stupid people about too.

I recently had to dissuade my DS and his friends from feeding a pony which had become one of those passing things at his Primary school. The message was soon spread that it wasn't a good/kind thing to do like they thought.

[smoothchange]

@Isadora2007

YABU as this was amply covered in the first lockdown for some reason. Sorry.

What the fuck

This is a huge problem and has been for absolutely years. OP is not unreasonable in mentioning it.

[Ylfa]

What the fuck is wrong with people? Why would anyone do that? 😡

[Hollywhiskey]

I once caught the postman dumping a carrier bag full of vegetable peelings in my pony's field (including toxic stuff like potato peelings, but even the carrot peel was dangerous to her because she had cushings disease and laminitis). I asked him not to do it again and explained how dangerous it was and he had the cheek to argue that he had the owner's permission?!?! Er, no, that would be me, and no, I never gave it.
It's simple, you just never feed other people's animals (or children!) without their permission. You don't know what allergies or special diets they might have.

[Iknowwhatudidlastsummer]

@Isadora2007

YABU as this was amply covered in the first lockdown for some reason. Sorry.

clearly not enough as idiots are STILL doing it!

Plus animals get killed that way even out of lockdowns you know...

We need more awareness about it, there should be an assembly about it in all primary schools. Parents can be idiots, but children can be very good to call them out.

And a mention of balloons or lanterns too...

[StrugglingICUnurse]

I didn't know that OP, generally too scared to get too close to a horse. Thank you for spreading the word.

[Leeeeeeeeeeeeeee]

I have the same problem with my dog! every one of my neighbours shove a scabby cheap dog biscuit into his mouth when he's in the garden.....he has allergies! Maybe I should go & post his runny poo through their letterbox?

[sanityisamyth]

@Fiadh79

I don't feed horses anyway, as I'm too scared. But can you more knowledgeable people explain, surely the horse is in the field eating grass from the ground, so what's wrong with feeding them grass? Is it the quantity with it being grass clippings?

If the grass has been left to ferment (which it will start doing as soon as it has cut and left in a heap), then it will give the horse colic (tummy ache) when it eats it. This can kill the horse directly if serious enough, but horses tend to roll and thrash about with colic to relieve the pain. This can cause the intensities to get twisted which is generally fatal if it isn't operated on to straighten the gut out, or to removed the dead section.

[bluecheesefan]

Can you imagine the furore if people went around feeding other people's dogs with chocolate?

DON'T FEED THE HORSES

[maxelly]

If this thread educates/informs just one person about not feeding horses, then that's great. If you already know not to and don't, then thank you . This time of year for it is particularly bad as although there are fewer walkers and picnickers out and about than in summer, the horses look particularly pathetic and the fields are quite stripped/bare of grass so the temptation is there for people who are trying to be kind/helpful to want to feed them.

Ours currently spend a large portion of their day hanging around by the fence line that a footpath runs along looking particularly appealing/hungry and of course its a vicious circle, if they get 'paid off' just a few times a day with something sweet/nice, they'll absolutely spend all day every day there doing it. Even if its just a handful of grass that someone's just picked to lure them over which won't do them any harm, I'd rather people didn't as it encourages their persistence. They can get quite bolshy as well and I worry for the safety of any little children that might have been brought out to feed the cute ponies, as said cute ponies would absolutely chomp on a stray finger, not aggressively but certainly if it was mistaken for food. Our yard owner has put laminated signs the length of the footpath up nicely asking people not to feed them, explaining that they are well cared for and fed and explaining the damage inappropriate food or just too much food can do (surely this meets the 'better honey than vinegar test?), but it doesn't seem to deter everyone. She's also put up an inner electric tape to stop the horses barging at the fenceline but all that seems to have done is encourage some people to 'dangle' their DC over the fence to feed them/pat the ponies/have their picture taken which is even more dangerous - I would hate a child to get dropped or trampled not least because I am sure the parents would find a way to make it the yard-owner/horse owners fault! I caught some of them at it the weekend just gone when I was turning out, and they weren't particularly grateful for the kind advice about keeping their DC and the ponies safe, I even let the children pat and stroke my quiet mare who stood nicely and accepted the fuss despite being pretty keen to get to her mates, but they wanted me to say I would let them feed her from their suspicious carrier bag of what looked like sandwich crusts as well, when I said no and they should try feeding the ducks in the public pond instead they seemed to think I was being stuck up/selfish, grrr...