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.

Only ever used to pick the grass from outside their gates, but wouldn’t even do that now.

One of the ponies here was bottle raised. He already thinks that hands mean food due to this so I am very careful never to feed him directly from my hands. Food goes on the ground for him to eat because I like my hands with all the fingers still attached.
It does worry me that people will come on to my property and offer him things from their hands, what if he took a chunk out of someone? Even a small pony weighs a couple of hundred kilos, they can be very dangerous if they don't know you/you don't know their habits.

@thetemptationofchocolate it is a worry isn't it. We had one laminitic that bit, one oldie with barely any teeth, and one that was nasty around food to the extent that he'd kicked out and killed a sheep in a squabble over food once.

As such, we didn't hand feed at all. It wasn't safe. I dread to think what might have happened if the general public had decided they looked hungry and needed a "treat".

If I'd tried to explain all of that on a sign on the gate it would have been like War and Peace and no one would have read it anyway.

Yes CleanQueen, this one is PPID so I have to be careful what he gets to eat as it is. And he WILL snatch food from people - he once stole a whole bag of Mini Cheddars from an unwary builder.
The other pony here is much more sensible thankfully!

HikeForward what do you suggest though?

I honestly don’t know, as it sounds like you’ve done everything you can to keep your horses and property secure.

Oh and @hikeforward yea re pony in woods, I could have been more diplomatic but wasn't in a position where explaining nicely was my top priority...

@thetemptationofchocolate with the horses now, one barely eats horse food so she wouldn't eat human food. The other one is an equine dustbin so he'd happily chow down on a Big Mac if he got close enough to one.

Most of ours have been bottomless pits and could do a good impression of "starving" if they thought they'd get a treat.

In fact, one had been taught to "beg" by a previous owner. Very cute until he bit you when food was no longer forthcoming.

@cleanqueen123
Yea. I am really worried someone will try to gey on one of them. Pony should be ok, but the other 2, my gelding isn't safely sane, will panic and bronc and run, and the mare will do the same due to trauma around people on her back.

People send drones over the wall too to see what's in here and the only bit we are allowed to ride in is behind the walls. That can be interesting, particularly when working with very reactive Spanish horses, but the pony will also spook badly at something like that. I love them so much and I spent my whole life, up to early middle age, wanting horses before managing to get my own, but other people really spoil it...

Efficacy of signs though...at the end of the footpath nearby is a sign which reads NO CYCLING. You cannot miss the sign, nor can you miss the barriers across the entrance that are designed to stop bikes. The barriers over which every cyclist who comes down this lane lifts their bikes in order to cycle down the footpath, which, at the same point, is also signed as a 'footpath'. When the ranger tells them that it's forbidden to cycle down there he gets told to fuck off.

Signs only work if people would have been prepared to take notice of them anyway. There is a general attitude of entitlement that renders them at best, useless and at worst, almost akin to a red rag to a bull.

But the assumption is always though that horse owners are loaded, in fact when people find out I have 3, that is always their first comment.

Whereas, I earn a little under UK average salary now, and for years before a lot less.
However. I live in a shoebox. Tiny tiny house on a mixed social/keyworker housing estate in a very normal area. I can't remember the last time I bought clothes - still wearing stuff that is 20 years old. I have not been away, even within the UK, in at least a decade. I don't go out, or have takeaway, or lots of expensive electronics. I don't generally wear makeup. I last bought shoes 3 years ago.

Plus, dhorses live out all year and are usually good doers so less of a feed bill and no bedding costs. None are shod. The biggest cost tbh after my grazing rent, is the 3rd party insurance, necessary in case someone tries to ride one and gets hurt...

While theres a few horsey people together what's the best way to pass a horse in the car? I tend to slow right down and give them a wide berth but how far in advance do I need to slow down? Especially if I'm coming from behind? Sorry for the hijacking but thought its probably a good place to ask.

,@iwantacookie best, if possible, to slow down gradually until you are about 2-3 car lengths behind then pass as wide as you can (car width ish) and slowly, without loud revs.
If the horse is dancing around and the rider appears in difficulty, if you are approaching from the front it is sometimes best to stop altogether til the horse is safely past. I'm on the fence about turning engine off though, which is sometimes recommended in these circs, as it then creates a sudden nouse behind the horse when you set off again. If horse is dancing and you are behind, stay well well back, match horse's speed, ime riders on horses doing that usually find somewhere to get out of the way.

Basically, go slow, pass at around a car width and watch the rider for directio I guess.

Iwantacookie Thank you for asking and for slowing down! It's really scary riding out on the roads nowadays and many riders don't do it unless they absolutely have to, or are training a young horse, or getting a horse fit with trotting work; it's really , really great when car drivers slow down.

www.bhs.org.uk/advice-and-information/common-incidents/riding-on-the-road/advice-for-motorists

Please slow down to about 15 mph as soon as you see a horse on the road and hopefully not necessary, but please be prepared to stop altogether in an emergency.

I always try and raise my hand to thank passing motorists , and thank them verbally and smile, but please be aware that sometimes if riders have their hands full, sorting out the reins etc and the horse is a bit antsy, they may not be in a position to do that, but please don't assume that they are not very very grateful!

Basically in general, horses get spooked by sudden noise, sudden movement and things they can hear but not see. So it is just a question of avoiding those.

Although my horse got scared by the absence of a pile of leaves and panics when he farts loudly so...

@whydobirds

Although my horse got scared by the absence of a pile of leaves and panics when he farts loudly so...

@whydobirds drones?! That's a whole other ballgame. We get a lot of remote control cars and kites around here. I've had more than one idiot drive their toy car at my horse

While theres a few horsey people together what's the best way to pass a horse in the car?

As slowly as possible, wait until you have a clear stretch of road so you can give them maximum space.
If you see a large bunch of riders and/or hounds, pull over and wait for them to pass if approaching, same if they’re trying to cross the road. There could be 30+ riders following on very excited horses.
Anyone galloping on a road is either with a trail hunt, out of control or having some emergency so hang well back or pull over. Thank you.

@riceuten

It's the same with ducks and bread - when the Council put up polite signs, they were someone took to social media and said it was ABSOLUTELY DISCUSTING - that they'd been feeding the ducks bread for decades and no Council was going to stop them and "Did they know how upset my kids are, eh, eh ?"

I know this isn't the point of the thread but the RSPB have confirmed that feeding bread to water birds is fine. There was even an official statement from the queen's swan marker to say that it's perfectly fine to feed bread.

The rspb say that small amounts of bread are ok for ducks

But what had happened locally is that loads of kids were feeding a small population of ducks sometimes while loaves of bread at a time

Thanks for clarifying. I rarely come across them but when I do I'm always nervous I'm going to do the wrong think and scare the horse and make it throw the rider.
Nice to have some guidance from people in the know.

@Iwantacookie as long as you've slowed right down, given them as much room as possible, and are overtaking in a sensible place I.e not round a blind bend then you're doing the right thing.

If you're in any doubt, for example if the rider doesn't look particularly in control, the hang back and give them a chance to sort themselves out.

And please don't be disheartened if a rider doesn't say thank you. As another poster said, it might not be safe to take their hands off the reins. Trust me, we're all grateful not to be driven at or mown down.

And please don't be disheartened if a rider doesn't say thank you. As another poster said, it might not be safe to take their hands off the reins. Trust me, we're all grateful not to be driven at or mown down

Definitely. DD always tries to at least nod her thanks, but sometimes she’s just concentrating on keeping her pony calm that she can’t let go of her reins or take her eyes off her pony.

Pony is pretty good on the road and as long as people don’t hoot, rev their engine and give her plenty of room and slow down she’s absolutely fine, but DD does have to keep pony listening to her so putting her hand up to say thanks isn’t always easy

It’s bikes that we’re having the most problems with at the moment. Since the first lockdown our bridleways have been really busy with cyclists. Hardly any slow down or give them any room - pony is fine until the 100th bike whizzes past her too close, and she’ll have a bit of a moment.

Any cyclists reading - it would be great if you could call out or ring a bell as you approach, and slow down and give them plenty of room

@Springersrock totally echo your comments. We had a pony that was an absolute saint on the roads, except for cyclists.

Unfortunately our route to the forest was a popular cycle route for road bike riders and also the route for their various races.

You'd be riding along perfectly happily and suddenly find yourself in the middle of 50 bikes!

In keeping with the theme of this thread, I've just heard that the yard manager has had to padlock another gate on the yard in the hope of deterring people from letting themselves in to use the private track rather than the footpath.

There are signs on all of the gates saying that it's private property and there is no public right of way.

I can only assume they don't want to get their shoes dirty and want to walk on the tarmac/gravel track rather than the muddy footpath.

The consequence of this is that we now have no where on the yard to ride on and will have to ride out down the not especially safe road.

This is why horse owners are frustrated.