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.

@UmmH

Crumbs, I had no idea potatoes were poisonous to horses. Not that I was planning to feed one to a horse, but good to know anyway. Are there any other toxic foods for certain animals we should know about?

I know that rats shouldn't eat apple pips, so be careful if you are feeding apples to your pet rats.

Rabbits can't eat lettuce, everyone seems to think lettuce is good for rabbits but its the opposite

@SmeleanorSmellstrop

And for all you saying it is uneducated not to know, PLEASE. Not everyone knows literallery every fact in the world about every topic. Get over yourselves

So if you are uneducated about horses, and don't know anything about them (fine, of course, loads of people don't), why would you feed them? People clearly think they know enough to feed them shit.

I don’t like the nasty tone taken by people who assume that we should know this fact; it assumes we all grow up in privileged families that own horses.

It doesn’t take growing up in a privileged position to know that you shouldn’t mess around with other people’s pets. It’s not even about what you feed them - it’s the sheer entitlement of thinking you have a right to feed someone else’s animals in the first place.

@WinniePig

Sadly there is very little awareness of this issue. If you don’t grow up around horses, you may simply never know. Growing up, I would always take a carrot to feed the horse in the field that we would pass on our walk. My daughter did the same until I read on Facebook why we should not feed horses. Now we know not to feed horses and so we don’t do it but, if you’ve not been told, how could you possibly know? A carrot / an apple have next to no calories in them and a horse is a huge animal so most people will be surprised to learn that they can cause damage. I don’t like the nasty tone taken by people who assume that we should know this fact; it assumes we all grow up in privileged families that own horses.

You're not expected to know why certain things are bad for horses, but you should know that it is rude to feed somebody else's animal or child without permission.

But even that people only know if taught . Very little is instinctively known

@MadameBlobby

I don’t know why anyone would feed someone else’s animal. It’s ridiculous. They are not wild animals, it’s not like feeding ducks at the park.

I don't think you are supposed to feed ducks at the park(or anywhere else) either according to a post upthread.

Another reason why people without animals might get confused is because there are zoos and theme parks which get you to buy pop corn on the way in to feed certain animals - in the area there are geese, chickens, pigs, sheep, goats, donkeys, rabbits , guinea pigs, llamas...

I did catch someone feeding mine a sausage roll once. I was very polite about it and asked them not to. Was told to fuck off, they’d do what I want and that I was a stuck up bitch

Stuck up because you didn’t want someone feeding YOUR horse? I think non-horsey people believe we’re all rich twats to own whereas we’re all broke twats to own (teachers, students, security guard, works in Tesco, hospital receptionist, accountant on my yard) This therefore means that they can do as they please.

For those asking if you can stroke them, beware of the risks. If some stranger is stroking a horse, the rest of the herd may well investigate, cause a ruckus then when the herd takes off,,pray god you’re not in the way. I could post a very graphic injury picture that I got as an experienced owner. Just leave them alone.

Don’t feed them grass from their field, we don’t want them getting used to people hand feeding, they have bloody big teeth and nip.

@Terracottasaur

I don’t like the nasty tone taken by people who assume that we should know this fact; it assumes we all grow up in privileged families that own horses.

It doesn’t take growing up in a privileged position to know that you shouldn’t mess around with other people’s pets. It’s not even about what you feed them - it’s the sheer entitlement of thinking you have a right to feed someone else’s animals in the first place.

Yes. This!

I don’t know anything about cats, I’ve never owned a cat, so how can I be expected to know what they eat? Do I feed random cats any old crap? No, I don’t feed other peoples cats.

Would you be ok with me feeding one of your pets?

Would you be ok if I called you selfish, stuck up and told you to fuck off and I was going to do what I wanted anyway if you asked me not to feed your pet?

If you put huge signs up asking people not to feed your pet, would you be ok if people ignored those signs or pulled them down and fed your pet anyway?

No, didn’t think so.

Why do people think it’s ok to feed random horses?

No one expects you to know why you shouldn’t do it. It is not your pet, do not feed it.

@WinniePig do stop talking shit. I didn’t grow up in a privileged family owning horses. I saved for years to be able to afford on in my 30s. If some fucker fed mine something that harmed him (just how many passers by do you think gave a ‘harmless, hardly any calories’ carrot to that horse per day?!) I would take them to court to pay for treatment.

Privileged families! See Brigante9’s post re who owns horses, it’s true, we’re all bloody broke keeping them! No holidays, no new clothes, the horse is better dressed than me. Give over with your outdated Hooray Henry’s only can own and of course, we all go ripping round the countryside hunting poor ickle foxes. Not.

Why do reasonable posts asking people who know nothing about horses end up with those posters banging on about how privileged and rich us owners are? I bloody wish!

Does everyone that thinks that horse owners should have pages of signs describing the possible effects of feeding horses, (explanations about laminitis, Cushing's disease, the many different types of colic and their causes, choke, herd behaviour around food sources, natural herd behaviour, fight or flight instinct around threats, to name some) have signs on their property asking people not to feed their dogs/cats/other animals and the effects of that? Or do you expect they respect your property and not do those things because they're wrong?
Do you have signs on your front door asking people that come onto your private property just to be able to pet your snake to not feed it crisps? Or do you think no one has the right to walk onto your property and feed said snake without permission?
Do you have signs around your children's necks explaining obesity, tooth decay and allergies all the time or do you expect that people won't offer your children food without seeking permission first?

Many, many posters have explained the reactions they've had to face to face meetings and signs, ignored, ripped down and threatened/abused.

It's not my job to educate the general public on the finer points of the equine digestive system. And I don't need to 'get over myself' either. I need people to not feed a private animal on private land.
I don't expect people to know everything about horses, but I do expect for them to realise they don't know and act accordingly ie) not interfere with them.

[quote Cherrysoup]@WinniePig do stop talking shit. I didn’t grow up in a privileged family owning horses. I saved for years to be able to afford on in my 30s. If some fucker fed mine something that harmed him (just how many passers by do you think gave a ‘harmless, hardly any calories’ carrot to that horse per day?!) I would take them to court to pay for treatment.

Privileged families! See Brigante9’s post re who owns horses, it’s true, we’re all bloody broke keeping them! No holidays, no new clothes, the horse is better dressed than me. Give over with your outdated Hooray Henry’s only can own and of course, we all go ripping round the countryside hunting poor ickle foxes. Not.

Why do reasonable posts asking people who know nothing about horses end up with those posters banging on about how privileged and rich us owners are? I bloody wish![/quote]
I'm feeling you. I have just had to tape my wellies together with gorilla tape because I am broke after paying two vets bills.

I hate to say it, but even if you weren’t aware of the dangers of feeding horses, it’s pretty rude to just do it anyway. I know that toddlers like chocolate- I don’t go to the school gates and hand out unwrapped Mars bars (can you imagine!).

I’d suggest, if you come across horses in a field while walking with your dog, to put your dog on a lead and walk quietly through. If the horses run towards the dog let it go - the dog has more chance of out running them. I wouldn’t stop to pat them. My horses would get jealous if one was getting fussed, and you could end up in the middle of two 700 kilo horses fighting.

Most horses and ponies will know the “move over” or “walk on” commands, if you want to try and persuade them to get out of your path.

I’m a qualified riding instructor with 30 years experience and I don’t like walking through a field of horses I don’t know - I never feel quite safe. I know three highly experienced instructors that were killed in the field by horses kicking out with excitement.

I dunno I wouldn't walk through a field for the reason, that it's private property belonging to someone and as far as I was aware trespassing was against the law.. Any animal in the field is also private property of the owner. Only time I stroked a horse was at the safari park and those horses sat at the fence everyday looking to be petted.

@JamieLeeCurtains

Local twats are still feeding bread to swans and ducks at our local pond, despite signs saying not to as it's bad for the birds ...

... And despite the very obvious rat problem that they are now creating. The bloody things are running out of bushes to snatch dropped bread crumbs. These same rats will now over-breed and destroy the local bird populations.

And yet still the twats throw their dangerous mouldy bread to the beautiful water birds because 'it's fun for the children'.

They (the adults) need prosecuting for endangering animal welfare, especially the horse feeders, and where there are warning signs.

Our local park with a huge pond (lake?) has a wee coffee van that sells duck food. It's a great idea and then they actually get something decent to eat too.

@Honeyroar

I hate to say it, but even if you weren’t aware of the dangers of feeding horses, it’s pretty rude to just do it anyway. I know that toddlers like chocolate- I don’t go to the school gates and hand out unwrapped Mars bars (can you imagine!).

I’d suggest, if you come across horses in a field while walking with your dog, to put your dog on a lead and walk quietly through. If the horses run towards the dog let it go - the dog has more chance of out running them. I wouldn’t stop to pat them. My horses would get jealous if one was getting fussed, and you could end up in the middle of two 700 kilo horses fighting.

Most horses and ponies will know the “move over” or “walk on” commands, if you want to try and persuade them to get out of your path.

I’m a qualified riding instructor with 30 years experience and I don’t like walking through a field of horses I don’t know - I never feel quite safe. I know three highly experienced instructors that were killed in the field by horses kicking out with excitement.

Great post

I didn’t grow up with horses either.

They weren’t on my radar until DD2 started riding. We started with a share, then a loan. We saved for years to be able to buy her her own and we were very lucky to get what we did with our budget.

I’m permanently skint tbh, along with the rest of the owners at our DIY yard.

I never feed horses and wouldn't allow my daughter to do so. Is it oK to gently and appropriately pet them or is that also a bad idea? DD rides, I used to but have never had my own horse. If you tell me not to touch them, I will follow that direction even though I love to do it.

@Springersrock

I didn’t grow up with horses either.

They weren’t on my radar until DD2 started riding. We started with a share, then a loan. We saved for years to be able to buy her her own and we were very lucky to get what we did with our budget.

I’m permanently skint tbh, along with the rest of the owners at our DIY yard.

I grew up with horses, but only because I was at junior school with the daughter of the owner of a local riding school. I learned about horses by earning 'work for rides' after school and at weekends. I then trained to be a yard manager, as a working pupil, working 7am-6pm 5 and a half days a week, to 'earn' my training, and my birthday and Christmas presents for about 5 years were exam fees and necessary equipment. I 'earned' £20 a week, the rest was board and lodging and training. Was barely enough to keep me in Tampax. I now have a retired horse that I took on when his owner couldn't manage him, but couldn't bear to part with him. He lives on her farm for free, she fed and kept him, I paid for anything above basic care, like shoes and competition fees. A bit like a part loan I suppose but she's called him 'mine' for years. I worked damned hard to learn what I did, he is my social life, my enjoyment, my hair and nails done, my holidays, my new clothes.

So don't anyone, dare, dare tell me I'm fucking privileged.

When I was in the US people would feed them hard candy. Seriously.

And yes it's awful. Everyone knows about ducks so why not horses?

I’m sorry, all the people who are suggesting wordy notices explaining why people shouldn’t feed someone else’s horse are in the wrong. The owner of any animal does not owe the public an explanation as to why the public cannot treat their animal as entertainment. A simple ‘Do Not Feed the Horses’ should not cause offence, and nor should it be questioned or ignored. It is just asking people not to do something, and if there is a sign up then it is usually because people have been feeding the horses and the owner does not want them to do it. You would not walk up to a random dog in the street and start feeding it entirely inappropriate titbits from your pocket without expecting it’s owner to ask you not to do that, the same goes for horses. Just because the owner can’t see it happening doesn’t make it allowable.

Posted too soon and left the most important bit off -

So don't anyone, dare, dare tell me I'm fucking privileged

As an excuse to do what you like with other people's animals on other people's land!

Double fence - so we run a line of electric fence a few feet inside the boundary fence. We waste grazing. It develops into a mess of nettles because it's not getting eaten down. And people throw their apples, carrots and other crap over it anyway. Keep them in fields that don't back on to footpaths or residential areas... well wouldn't that be a luxury? Where are all these fields away from civilisation? My herd get fed over a fence that isn't in a residential area or backing on to a footpath by the way. We should make our fields and paddocks inaccessible to walkers. How exactly?

Not ideal I know, but a double fence deters at least some people. I’ve seen fields with very high boundary fences then a tall hedge as the outer fence, so you can’t touch the horses or get close (I know people can throw food in but they rarely do it if they can’t touch the horses or see them eat, and they may not even realise horses are in there).

Generally the desire to feed horses seems to come from people wanting to pet them and ‘befriend’ them or get their kids doing the same, so if the horses are out of reach/sight that makes the field much safer. I know it’s a pain to lose some grazing land to a double fence but better than random people feeding them. It’s as if people see them and think ‘ooh furry horsies to stroke and feed’ and don’t stop to think they actually belong to someone as they’re alone in a country field. Or people stop to admire them, horses come rushing up to the fence for food/attention, so next time they come armed with carrots and bring kids etc to look at them.

The type of electric outer fence with several wires so it’s hard/impossible for people to squeeze through?

Inner fence you could have solid panels at the bottom and close knit bars between the poles to stop people putting hands or food through, and to stop horses trying to get at the nettles/weeds etc.

CCTV and signs up warning people it’s private property with CCTV? Why are they trespassing over your land if there’s no footpath? Can you not secure the gates so they can’t access it? ‘Beware of guard dog’ signs, ‘these horses bite’ signs etc. Not failsafe but all good deterants.

Choosing fields on farms or livery yards that have no public rights of way through them. Unless you’re in the middle of a city they’re not too difficult to find IME.

I have just seen which pony this post is about. Absolutely heartbreaking. The little lad was an absolute superstar. I can't imagine what his owner must be going through.

And to think he'll have willingly gone to say hello to those who fed him... and then killed him. Horrific.

I think the reason us horse owners come across as rude sometimes is because we've reached the end of our tether with people thinking our horses are fair game to touch/feed/ride without our permission.

Unfortunately signs don't work, and as this thread has proven, we're often told to fuck off if we ask people nicely to stop whatever it is that they're doing.

It should be simple. If it isn't yours, please don't touch it or feed it.

You don't have to be educated about horses. You just have to understand that you shouldn't be touching something that doesn't belong to you.

I’m a qualified riding instructor with 30 years experience and I don’t like walking through a field of horses I don’t know - I never feel quite safe

I’m NOT a qualified instructor, but I am a highly experienced competition rider with over 40 years experience around horses, and I would also not feel happy walking through a field of horses I don’t know. I would look for any alternative route with the route through strange horses being my route of last resort. Most horse owners would also rather use any other field to turn their horses out in than one with a right of way through it, as they understand that many people do not understand the risk they take when walking through a field of large animals of any sort. Most horses are gentle, but you cannot overlook the fact that out in a field they are ‘off duty’ and have a pecking order that they will happily fight among themselves to maintain. Ive seen my own lovely horses taking lumps out of each other over who gets to stand on the mound in the middle of the field. It doesn’t take a very vivid imagination to come up with scenarios that don’t end well if a person were to offer one of them something edible and the others all wanted a share of it! Lots of people are good at reading a dog’s body language and would not walk up to a strange dog that is giving off ‘back off’ vibes. Not so many are as clued up on horse body language. And because of this, the safest rule of all is do not approach or touch horses you do not know. And if they are loose in a field, even if you know the horses - be careful and alert. Even now I keep a close eye on my children catching their horses in from the field. It amazes me that people who are not familiar with horses would need it explaining to them why they should be careful around an unknown and unpredictable half ton animal.