To remind you not to feed horses

[lastqueenofscotland]

It doesn’t feel like it but summer is approaching.
While out and about PLEASE don’t feed horses unless you have express permission from the owner
Not carrots, not polos, no not even long grass from the other side of the fence, there is probably a reason the horse is in the field with the shorter grass.

Horses can’t burp or be sick, so a minor stomach upset can quickly turn into colic, which can kill them, they can suffer from laminitis if they eat too much sugar (which can be from grass he se why not to feed them grass from the other side of the fence)
They can also be really aggressive around food and can do some real damage to you/DC even from the other side of some post and rail.
More and more frequently I’m hearing horror stories about horses who’ve died/miscarried foals/cost owners tens of thousands in bills due to colicing all after being fed by well meaning strangers.
Please please please don’t do it.

Abso-bloody-lutely.

And never EVER grass clippings. They can ferment inside the horses’s stomach and cause colic which can kill them.

Absolutely.

Very well said, OP.

Some friends of mine who kept heir horses in a field by a lane put up a sign saying ‘Danger : Horses Bite’, but it still didn’t deter all the idiots.

Totally agree.

Also don't let your dog play in the horses fields. Your dog may end up dead if the horses don't like dogs, or your dog will hurt the horses and you'll end up with a massive vet bill.

Also which person actually voted yabu? They clearly hate animals.

@Susie477
That doesn’t surprise me. We’ve had a lot more walkers passing since lockdown and ended up having to put up those 8ft metal railings they have round building sites a ft or so inside our fencing... someone knocked on the yard owners door to complain about it!! People like that were the exact reason we’ve had to.

also, horses in fields on public footpaths become a bloody menace if they associate random humans with treats

Abso-fucking-lutly

One of ours has just being diagnosed with cushings. We have signs up and everything and people still wnat to get their kids to feed the ponies apples and carrots

If it's not yours don't feed it.

There are horses in the field alongside one of my favourite walking routes.
They tend to head for the fence when they see a human, hoping for treats.
They get a smile and a wave from me.....

And no fucking bread rolls either. They aren't ducks

YANBU

Good rule is if you don't own an animal then don't feed it.

i have an allotment that is next to a public footpath. i have very large covered chicken run (that is against the paddock fencing next to the walkway)
people kept throwing food in to my chickens, i found jam sandwiches, pasta, spaghetti bolognaise, cereal etc!!. it looked like someone that live in front was feeding my chickens all the remains of her kids meals. (however she wasnt the only one there were other people as well)
i had a few chickens get sick and 2 chickens died. i put up a very large and clear sign saying please do not feed my chickens. so for about 1 month they stopped. but then they started again! and someone keeps throwing mouldy grain in for them too! its so frustrating!
some people just dont care!

Yes to this!!

A few years ago my fat bastard lamanitic pony was muzzled - the amount of posts on the local Facebook page about the 'poor pony' not being able to eat the treats they liked to give them when out walking

Oh good god.

If you voted YABU I am so sorry you are stupid.

The person/persons who did vote YABU do you have tge conviction to say why on the thread? Or will you just hide behind the anonymity?

Also please don't feed any of the feral ponies on Exmoor, Dartmoor, New Forest, Welsh hills or anywhere else. These ponies can get ill from eating this food but also it attracts them to humans and to the roads where they get killed by cars.

Thank you OP!
Please also don’t remove grazing muzzles. Us owners are being mean and starving our horses!

Oh dear, fail!
us owners aren’t being mean

Omg @Polkadotties I can’t believe someone would do that... Though I’ve had a few friends send pictures of horses with fly masks on and ask what they are/said they look cruel

@InpatientGardener

And no fucking bread rolls either. They aren't ducks

Bread is really bad for ducks too!

@BrightYellowDaffodil

Abso-bloody-lutely.

And never EVER grass clippings. They can ferment inside the horses’s stomach and cause colic which can kill them.

Can I ask, what's the difference between a horse eating grass which it has basically clipped itself with its teeth and grass which has been clipped by a mower?

YANBU at all OP, but as a non-horse-owning townie I beg you to put up more informative signs than "Don't feed the horse". By all means have that up in massive letters but please put some small print up underneath. I was into adulthood before I realised that meant "Don't feed the horse ANYTHING" and wasn't just aimed at plonkers trying to post a half eaten bacon sarnie through the fence. It's an opportunity to educate the well-meaning but ignorant like me.

I feel the same about "Do not feed the ducks" at our local pond. Would it kill them to write a few sentences about WHY? I'm sure children would get their parents to read it to them and everyone might learn something as opposed to just thinking the council are killjoys or it just means not to feed them chips.

And by laminitis we mean.. A bone inside the horses foot twisting or sinking causing excruciating pain for the poor horse.

Grass clippings have started to ferment. This releases gas when the horse eats it and as horses can’t be sick or burp, it gets nasty quickly.
It risks choking, chemicals may have been applied to the lawn, there may be weeds in the lawn that are poisonous to horses

@PerspicaciousGreen grass clippings start to ferment once they have been mown. If a horse was to eat the already fermenting clippings the gas build up will cause colic which can be fatal.

Grass cuttings might have poisonous weeds or herbicides in it. It might have started to ferment.

@PerspicaciousGreen, you shouldn't feed other people's livestock or pets anything.

@PerspicaciousGreen

You can use google. Animal owners are not responsible for your education, just ensuring you don't feed their animals. If you want to know more please take responsibility and find out of your own accord.