I have a CF

[Nixandwotsit]

Never thought it would happen to me... a couple of weeks ago a lady came to my yard where I keep my 3 horses to collect a free item I'd offered on FB. She brought two little girls with her... and of course they were ecstatic to stroke ponies. They were also quite shrill LOL! I had to steer them towards the most easy going pony because one of mine isn't all that tolerant, another is poorly so not feeling friendly, but the pony lapped it up. It was a tense time for me to be honest. I put the big intolerant horse in a stable. I had to keep dragging them away from poorly old horse. Made pointed comments about time to go and walked to their car so they had to follow me.
As they were going the kids started talking about coming back... one was asking about coming to ride... Mum was saying maybe they could come brush and give them carrots. I told them they aren't really that sort of horses, not completely easy going. I didn't have insurance to cover children visiting. If you gave the pony carrots you could cause him to get ill (lamminitis). I was very polite.

Yesterday I arrived at the yard, saw a car parked outside. Go to the front and find the three of them on the yard - where my 3 nags are free roaming, screeching, patting, all very excited. Intolerant horse is being a saint thank goodness, poorly horse is looking miserable and trying to hide in a corner. I was nice, but I told Mum that they absolutely can't come and visit alone and actually, I'd rather not have regular visitors. I repeated the bit about insurance and added that the weekends at my yard are my "quiet time" and I like it that way. I have no idea if they'd fed carrots - mum said not.
Today - I'm sat on the yard with a cuppa, surrounded by my herd. I hear a car pull up and who should appear around the stables? The three of them plus dad.
I'm quite assertive so I stood up and as dad was opening the gate I walked towards them with my hand out in a stop gesture and said "No!". Carried on walking through the gate and stood between them and it. Told them that I have a sick horse, I have a horse that isn't particularly kind, I do not have insurance and they are trespassing. Dad was loud - accusing me of spoiling the girls' day - they weren't doing any harm. I just kept repeating "please leave" and they did with many passive aggressive comments between them and little girls wailing.
Tonight on the local FB group - a pointed post about the joys of being in the countryside, how wonderful it is when kind people welcome children who love animals. You get the picture.
I am so not being unreasonable, but I thought it might amuse you all. They'll get a shock, I'm moving to a new yard on Wednesday.

If they are stupid enough to reappear.. tell them clearly and within earshot of the kids, that...

'Well of COURSE you should buy your girls a pony, what a wonderful thing to do. Yes its a shame they can't play with mine but they will LOVE their own... GOODBYE...'

Guarantee he's never coming to see you again, he won't hear the end of it.

Oh my god. Always tends to be people with children too ‘oh my children love horses’ oh right then why don’t you buy riding lessons or maybe your own horse...

Used to really annoy me when I had my horses that people would just ignore boundaries especially those with children, animals are not toys or amusements.

Wow!

"Joys of living in the countryside..." Sure, when someone else is is doing all the work and paying all the bills.

If they are so desperate for their little dears to interact with animals, let them rent some ground and get their own pony. Except, I wouldn't wish those kind of people on any animal.

@Glenthebattleostrich

I'd have to reply to the post with a comment about people upsetting your ill horse and how worried you are that they would get hurt. All very passive aggressive and pointing out that horses are bloody massive and can do serious damage.

I don't quite understand your point... but I'm sure it's well made. :-)

I can't (or won't) get passed the mental imagery of you sat with a hot drink surrounded by your gorgeous horses 🐴🐴🐴 sounds like an idyllic way to spend a Sunday!
Good luck with the move to the new yard!

@Soubriquet

Christ. That isn’t just CF, that’s just rude

I would put this on their fb post.

Horses are not giant fluffy puppies. They have the potential to do real damage

Yes, I've seen that article, poor little girl.

I cut your original post down a bit but post innocently -this has happened to me...........

ie. I had a mum turn up to my yard with her two children...........et etc poor horse, not public etc and then exactly as you wrote -including coming back unannounced etc.

Then add on that they came back aggressive and exactly as you wrote it perfect etc..............

I'd suggest local petting zoo and link to it. Make it clear wild animals and other people's pets are just that.

this did give me a giggle. How can the parents be so naive as to the dangers of horses though? I’m sure they’d have felt quite differently had one of the horses kicked them.

Reply to the FB post to say you're delighted they've posted and kindly supplied you with their name, as now you've got their name to give to the police if they ever show up again.

To answer some posters -
It's my yard in that I rent it and have done for some time. Not a livery yard, nobody else there.
It really is my little bit of heaven. My horses free roam between field, yard and shelter. We get along fine and most days I'll spend time chilling with them while I have a cuppa.
The new yard is somewhere with a part livery arrangement, so it will make life easier for me, but will not be as idyllic. As we get older we have to compromise...

Poorly horse probably won't be with me for much longer, so he deserves all the chill time he can get.
It would be really hard for CF's to get access to the nags on the new yard, so that's a bonus.

I’m always astounded by the audacity of these types of people, like the rules don’t apply to them!

I used to pay a fortune for riding lessons at a posh yard and I, a known, paying, fully grown adult was not allowed near the horse that I rode every week without a member of staff present in case I got hurt, so why people would want their children near unknown horses is beyond me.

Crazy people

They were awful ' good on you!

The brass neck of some people is astounding. All they have to say to the children is "these aren't pet horses so we can't stroke them". Job done. They are raising entitled little so and so's.

@OmgIcantbelieveshedidit

I cut your original post down a bit but post innocently -this has happened to me...........

ie. I had a mum turn up to my yard with her two children...........et etc poor horse, not public etc and then exactly as you wrote -including coming back unannounced etc.

Then add on that they came back aggressive and exactly as you wrote it perfect etc..............

I'd suggest local petting zoo and link to it. Make it clear wild animals and other people's pets are just that.

It's horrifically common isn't it? It's probably fortunate that next weekend they won't find any horses. My next level of response sinks to the "It's not a fucking petting zoo" level. I'll warn the people taking my place over, their horses are huge and highly strung eventers!

Would they also let themselves into your garden to play with your dog?

Horses are owned pets, just because you see them in a field doesn’t mean they’re community property!!

I get what PP was saying

Then:- “it’s lovely to go for a walk in the country side and see all the animals. Shame not everyone is so friendly”

You:- “it’s a shame some people don’t realise pet horses are not for the public to play with. Especially when one can be a bit grumpy and the other is ill. Even more a shame that the public won’t listen to the horse owner isn’t it? Wouldn’t want those kids to get hurt”

We spend most of our weekend fending off CF who think it's their right to trespass on our private land annoying ours.

Some people think have this notion that they take a run out into the countryside, and all the land, and anything on it belongs to them to wander around to their hearts content... The brass neck of some is just astounding ☹️

*I

They sound like spectacular CFs and also, as others have said, very ignorant of the dangers involved.

Complete CFs! I’m not surprised tho. I used to keep wonder pony near a main road, on the edge of a housing estate.

The CFs that thought it was their RIGHT to feed the horses… not only did they ignore multiple signs saying do not feed, followed layer by signs explaining WHY, there were then multiple incidents where the fuckers had the audacity to get gobby if politely asked to stop!

One guy with two kids threatened to punch my 72 year old father when he politely asked him to stop feeding the (fat native laminitis risk) ponies (that we’re trying to kick the shit out of each other to get the food).

I'll warn the people taking my place over, their horses are huge and highly strung eventers!

That will be a shock to the CF's!

You could have suggested a tenner a stroke!!
Or told them find a bloody farm and pay entry!
Shame you can't put cctv up to see their faces next week end!!

I'm staying out of the FB post, my satisfaction comes from knowing I'll not be there next weekend. I was tempted to link to an article about that little girl kicked by a horse that someone was walking out though.