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.

Who voted YABU to this?

YNBU OP. In our village there's several fields with horses and only one with express permission to feed them and only carrots at that. Doesn't stop the amateur walkers from trying to feed the others which expressly state please do not feed the horses on the gates. I'd put a sign up underneath saying it makes the horses ill, there's cctv and anyone found doing it will be sent the vets bill.

We had a lovely gelding who was given treats by a dog walker who regularly walked through our field. It gave the pony the most awful manners. He would actually mug anyone trying to walk through our field (which was only so they could let their dogs shit in it. It wasn't on a walking route or even a nice short walk. It didn't take you anywhere either)

Luckily, physically the pony was okay and not prone to colic or laminitis due to the snacks but anyone, especially the dog Walker in question, trying to walk in the pony's field was promptly stopped and pockets searched forcefully. Gloves, lighters, cash and cig packets would be pulled out and thrown.

The main culprit for starting it got mad at this off and demanded we do something. We shrugged and told him that walking in our pony's field was not mandatory. Probably best he toileted his dog elsewhere.

My husbands niece came to my mum's farm and brought her friend (both adults).
I almost had a heart attack when caught them giving the ponies handfuls of dying grass (not hay!). I asked them what it was and found that they'd been plucking it up from the cobblestone yard. The grass was dying because the whole area had been sprayed with weed killer the day before!

Thankfully the ponies didn't suffer any effects but they could have easily taken out half a dozen animals.

All the ponies had full hay nets. They were not hungry. There was no need to give them anything at all. Stupid, stupid bloody women!!!

Horse died near us from this

@olderthanyouthink
I’d be much more worried about giving a horse colic and a £14k vet bill landing on your door mat than your daughter being a bit wary of them...

But what about my poor entitled toddler dd who loves horses and just wants to feed your horse lots of donuts, cake and pie because it's looking unloved?!

I've tried to pass the message to my mum and nana who feed horses but it falls on deaf ears and an attitude of "I know best"

@lastqueenofscotland A) I didn't know horse colic was a thing, I just don't go near big strange animals B) I'm still more worried about DD getting hurt than anything else C) MIL is getting the bill because I'd have been standing well back and not feeding the big strange animal.

[quote olderthanyouthink]@lastqueenofscotland A) I didn't know horse colic was a thing, I just don't go near big strange animals B) I'm still more worried about DD getting hurt than anything else C) MIL is getting the bill because I'd have been standing well back and not feeding the big strange animal. [/quote]
Colic is a thing where their intestines twist up to the point the intestines rupture and the horse dies in absolute agony. There is thrashing and head wounds where they throw themselves against whatever is near by. I've seen it - it's horrific and heart breaking. If you've stood back and not prevented your MIL teaching your daughter that it's ok to feed animals you don't own, then you are just as culpable. Also, if you let your small daughter near a horse with food in her hand, there's a risk of her being seriously injured. If you won't think of the horse, think of her.

[quote olderthanyouthink]@lastqueenofscotland A) I didn't know horse colic was a thing, I just don't go near big strange animals B) I'm still more worried about DD getting hurt than anything else C) MIL is getting the bill because I'd have been standing well back and not feeding the big strange animal. [/quote]
So as long as you don’t get the bill all’s good?

So selfish.

Jesus, I didn't know feeding the horses were potentially lethal and it's not something I'm likely to do because I don't go near them!

MIL has ridden/looked after horses so I would hope she would know about things like this. Apparently not.

I am constantly wary of her having food in her hand around dogs in the park

Do people not realise that horse owners spend a fortune on appropriate feed in the right amounts with the exact nutrition required..does that not pass through their tiny brains. Let the owner feed and treat their own animals. It’s ok to say hello, might even be ok to have a wee pat but that is it.

"I am constantly wary of her having food in her hand around dogs in the park"

If you are wary about what a dog could do, you should be even more worried about what a horse can do. They can and do bite, they have about a 10 ft reach with a kick, and they have heavy lumps of iron attached to each foot.

Raising awareness is good. Rudeness isn’t.

But horse owners need to take some responsibility too I’m afraid. Putting your horses in a field with a footpath through it is not a good idea IMO. Either someone will feed them regardless of the sign (they shouldn’t but let’s be realistic they do) or they’ll get chased/kicked/mugged for carrots and sue you for injuries. Horses and footpaths don’t mix well!

Same with fields without public access. If you care about your horses make the field secure, even if that means higher fencing and cattle-type electric fencing to keep people out. Big signs warning of the voltage. Do not feed the animals etc. Make the gate higher too or have an inner fence.

In an ideal world everyone would know not to feed horses. Everyone would understand and care. But it’s far from ideal.

Some fool in the New Forest put a roast chicken dinner in a pony’s field 😮 www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/pony-fed-roast-chicken-dinner-undergoes-5500-colic-surgery-743134

BeneathYourWisdom - what if that is the only field you have available to you?

@BeneathYourWisdom

Raising awareness is good. Rudeness isn’t.

But horse owners need to take some responsibility too I’m afraid. Putting your horses in a field with a footpath through it is not a good idea IMO. Either someone will feed them regardless of the sign (they shouldn’t but let’s be realistic they do) or they’ll get chased/kicked/mugged for carrots and sue you for injuries. Horses and footpaths don’t mix well!

Same with fields without public access. If you care about your horses make the field secure, even if that means higher fencing and cattle-type electric fencing to keep people out. Big signs warning of the voltage. Do not feed the animals etc. Make the gate higher too or have an inner fence.

In an ideal world everyone would know not to feed horses. Everyone would understand and care. But it’s far from ideal.

Sorry but I've never read so much shite in my life.

If you've stood back and not prevented your MIL teaching your daughter that it's ok to feed animals you don't own, then you are just as culpable. Also, if you let your small daughter near a horse with food in her hand, there's a risk of her being seriously injured

Yes to the risk of the child being injured. Horses can easily take off fingers or headbutt or bite a child. Don’t let your MIL feed them or let your child go near.

But why the rudeness to this poster who stated she didn’t know her MIL was doing something wrong? LOTS of people don’t know.

Loads of people have no interest in horses or their digestive systems. They haven’t been raised with horses, or educated about them in school. They’re just big annoying things on footpaths that chase you! They don’t know what colic is, they’ve never witnessed it, they’ve never called the vet at 3am to have their beloved pet shot because someone fed it grass from the wrong side of the fence. That’s not stupidly. That’s not knowing.

They don’t know the consequences and a sign saying do not feed isn’t enough sadly.

Sorry but I've never read so much shite in my life

And I’ve never read such rude posts. Are you trying to give all horse owners a bad name?

We need to educate and we need to protect our animals better from those who don’t know or care.

Not call people idiots for not knowing or threaten them with vet bills. What good does that do?

Best not allow my dogs in my garden in case some dickhead on the pavement throws them a chocolate bar huh?

Maybe the farmers should tell the government to fuck off and block up all the footpath accesses? Footpaths are EVERYWHERE. Maybe the farmers/horse owners should cut off a chunk of the land they own and move their fencing inwards 10 ft and keep all people who have rights to walk through the land, outside of it. Bearing in mind they're supposed to maintain access for walkers at their own cost so it'll be an extra piece of land to maintain.
I also bet some proper size safari park style fencing will be simple and cheap enough to put up, right? I mean, 19m of shitty 3ft high fencing in my garden was quoted at a grand, I'm sure farmers and horse owners can chuck hundreds of thousands into new fencing.

SMDH.

Oh and Scotland? Right to roam. Have a look.

I'm surprised so many people feed horses that they are not familiar with! Why would they do that however well meaning!

BeneathYourWisdom - what if that is the only field you have available to you?

Then I would say the field is unsuitable, and any responsible owner should not be using it if the public have access and ignore signs.

If you can’t afford a suitable field or are not prepared to move closer to one or drive further to get to one... perhaps owning a horse isn’t a wide decision?

Oh for goodness sake

It’s their field. They can put what they like on their field. It’s up to you to not feed the animals

They aren’t your animals so why would you feed them?

Friend’s pony is very prone to laminitis and at times has to wear a special muzzle. Passing walkers take it off !

@SirVixofVixHall

Friend’s pony is very prone to laminitis and at times has to wear a special muzzle. Passing walkers take it off !

When I was young and uninformed, I would have fed people’s horses and ponies

There wasn’t as much info about it like there is today

But I still would never have removed a muzzle or fly head guard as I would have thought they would be there for a reason

Some people are just idiots