STOP FEEDING HORSES THAT ARE NOT YOURS

[Pineapplechickenpizza]

Unbelievable that this is still a problem after all the hype on social media and the news but unfortunately it is.

Why do people think it’s acceptable to feed an animal that isn’t there’s? I don’t care if it’s an apple or carrot or just a few blades of grass. They’re not your horses- DONT FEED THEM ANYTHING.

If you feed horses in fields that are not yours, honestly, why do you do it?? Do you realise how your ignorance could make someones horse unwell?

Dreading summer holidays when more people are out for walks and think it’s acceptable to feed the horses in the fields

@gwenneh

Horses aren't just part of some "interactive country landscape" exhibit, no matter where they are in relation to the footpath.

I don't want to be in the same field as any animal stronger than me, but if I was on a public footpath and a horse came up to me, I'd "interact" with it and let it sniff me, etc, on the basis that this is what might be needed for it to decide I'm harmless and leave me alone. This is also my approach with strange dogs that come up to me - I stand still and let them sniff me. If they lick my hands I might try a pat.

I'm a townie who is sometimes in the countryside. I'm not going to know what to do unless I'm taught the correct thing.

Perhaps people should simply stay out of all fields where horses graze, whether there's a public right of way or not?

Public rights of was are usually necessary for one reason or another. We shouldn't give them up lightly.

“ f someone is determined enough to get into a field that they will climb over fences and gates, there’s nothing we can do to stop it. Instead of forcing horse owners to put up 10 foot fences with no gaps so people physically can’t get in, why can’t we just expect people to stay out in the first place.”

But how many people really are scrambling over double fences and gates, risking getting shocked by electric fences etc? That has to be very few indeed. I don’t know anyone who would do any of that. But I do know - and have seen while out walking - many people who casually feed a horse that comes running up to the fence or gate for a stroke/attention (obvs secretly hoping for food!) The vast, vast majority of people will respect clear boundaries and won’t resort to SAS manoeuvres just to give a horse an apple.

I don’t think anyone is suggesting you’re wrong for asking for your horse to be left alone. But it’s not realistic for many reasons. Some people have no idea it’s wrong. Some people won’t care. It’s not victim blaming to say that as the horse owner you need to take the steps necessary to keep your horse safe. It would be lovely if you could just pop a little sign up and trust people to read it and follow instructions - but we know that not everyone will.

Proper fences and protection will keep away the vast majority of casual horse feeders. And if you really have put up proper fences and protection but STILL have an issue then perhaps you need to think about moving your horse to a field further away from passers by. It doesn’t mean it’s your fault - but as the horse owner the consequences are on your shoulders, as you’ve pointed out.

Op, I'm not victim blaming here. On the contrary, I've said from the start that I agree with what you're saying, just disagree with how you're saying it.

For the record, I don't go around feeding animals that don't belong to me, so we're on the same page there. I also understand completely that for some people animals are like their children. For most, there is a distinction though, and as a group humans are speciesist. When I spoke about injury to children and animals being considered differently, I meant legally. Comparing feeding animals to feeding children, as you have repeatedly done, isn't an analogy that works for lots of people.

You have set up this thread as a rant against people who don't know the dangers of feeding horses that don't belong to them. You claim they are foolish and ignorant and entitled, as the dangers have been so widely disseminated on news and social media outlets. But, I think you are mistaken..I really don't think they have, unless you have a particular interest and such matters are on your radar. On the other hand, I grew up reading books where feeding apples and carrots to horses was mentioned as an enjoyable child-friendly activity. So, I do think there is some justifiable confusion there for many, particularly those unused to horses or other animals.

I agree with you that people shouldn't go around feeding other people's pets and animals. However, I do think that proper signs and fences should keep most well-intentioned and law-abiding people away from horses. Unfortunately, there is always a smaller group of people who will take the law into their own hands, and you will need extra security if you want to prevent them gaining access to your horse. There is no other option. It's up to you to assess the extent of the threat and protect your horse accordingly.

You do seem to be lumping everybody into one large, ignorant, entitled category which I find objectionable. The majority of people will respect informative signs and fences and will certainly not want to risk hurting an animal. We don't appreciate being told how stupid we are and I should think you will find this approach counterproductive.

Hmm I think people are genuinely doing it to be nice to the horses/thinking they're helpful to the owners as well as gaining their own pleasure from it. They don't mean any harm I think they're just naive and not clued up. Maybe some signs explaining would help.

@bumblenbean

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with educating people on things like this and indeed getting annoyed if your request is ignored.

But I have to say some PPs are really unnecessarily aggressive about it. Feeding them is one thing but getting so incensed about people gently stroking a horse’s head is especially baffling to me. Would you berate someone for stroking your cat if they came across it in the street and the cat approached them?

To the poster who said they hope someone gets their fingers bitten off when they stop to pet a horse - I assume this is hyperbole, but just in case it’s not, it’s a bit of an extreme reaction to positively hope that a child innocently petting a horse who came up to the fence should get their fingers bitten off

I fully agree as both a cat and a horse owner. I’ve no issue with anyone giving my horse or ponies a head scratch. I’d advise caution, as some horses aren’t a fan of it, but mine love a bit of attention. I wouldn’t even mind someone giving them a carrot if they asked. But again, it depends on the animal if that’s a good idea.

No one rich here, but I sacrifice any kind of social life, holidays, etc so my kids can have their ponies as they love them.

@Tilltheend99

Does that mean it’s ok for a random child free adult who doesn’t get much contact with kids to come up to your toddler in the playground, give them a cuddle and hand them a bag of haribo?

Completely ridiculous comparison. It’s important that people (mostly animal owners) are aware of best practice in terms of animal welfare but why is it that so many people who own animals are such miserable human beings in general?

Horse people in my experience are horse people because they aren’t people people. I’m that way, I love my animals, humans baffle me. Also horse care is so complicated. I don’t know how they survive as a species frankly! So it’s not being miserable, just aware of all the things that can go wrong.

Titbits are are no no for manners.
Double fencing is the safest way.

I just don’t get the urge to “Be a feeder”.
A family member’s horse taught me a painful lesson as a child-
I was allowed to give her carrots, that the owner gave me,but when they ran out, the horse bit me painfully on the chest.
Treats in the feed bucket after that.

@plominoagain

I’ve caught people picnicking in my field . No footpath in it and they climbed over two post and rail fences and through electric fencing to do it . They wondered why I went completely nuts . The reason was because they were in the same field letting their small child wander up to my VERY territorial pony , who would have no problem , not one , kicking said small child into kingdom come.

I’ve actually been to the inquest of a two year old child , who died after being caught in the crossfire of a kicking match between two horses , whilst being in a field their parents trespassed in. They were kicked in the head and died at the scene .

If you feed horses in a field , that kind of aggressive behaviour is eventually the result . I don’t even feed my own girls any treats in a field , not just because they’re both prone to laminitis , but I’ve seen the result . Never again..

We've had similar issues, although fortunately have never had to attend an inquest.

We breed horses, and keep our mares and foals on a field very close to our stables, next to a field with a public footpath. I have no issue with people looking at the (frankly gorgeous) babies over the fence from the footpath, but mares with foals can be lethal - quite literally.

Once person climbed over the fence into our field to get closer to the foals and her dog followed her through it. Bear in mind she climbed a fence into a field that had NO public access.

One of our mares (who hates dogs anyway) almost killed the dog because it approached her 3 day old foal and she could have killed the woman too. Fortunately we were close at hand to mitigate the disaster, but it was incredibly traumatic for everyone, and especially the dog who needed to be rushed to the vet. The woman then tried to make out that her stupidity was somehow our fault, despite the fence and signs saying private property and "Do not approach the horses".

Another mare we have, we never take foot into the field with her or give her treats, because she becomes dangerous and aggressive if she thinks you've got food and other horses are about.

Best course of action with horses in a field that are not yours? Look, don't touch or feed.

What hype? I’ve never heard of this.
Put up signs, and cameras as a deterrent

@SpidersAreShitheads

“ f someone is determined enough to get into a field that they will climb over fences and gates, there’s nothing we can do to stop it. Instead of forcing horse owners to put up 10 foot fences with no gaps so people physically can’t get in, why can’t we just expect people to stay out in the first place.”

But how many people really are scrambling over double fences and gates, risking getting shocked by electric fences etc? That has to be very few indeed. I don’t know anyone who would do any of that. But I do know - and have seen while out walking - many people who casually feed a horse that comes running up to the fence or gate for a stroke/attention (obvs secretly hoping for food!) The vast, vast majority of people will respect clear boundaries and won’t resort to SAS manoeuvres just to give a horse an apple.

I don’t think anyone is suggesting you’re wrong for asking for your horse to be left alone. But it’s not realistic for many reasons. Some people have no idea it’s wrong. Some people won’t care. It’s not victim blaming to say that as the horse owner you need to take the steps necessary to keep your horse safe. It would be lovely if you could just pop a little sign up and trust people to read it and follow instructions - but we know that not everyone will.

Proper fences and protection will keep away the vast majority of casual horse feeders. And if you really have put up proper fences and protection but STILL have an issue then perhaps you need to think about moving your horse to a field further away from passers by. It doesn’t mean it’s your fault - but as the horse owner the consequences are on your shoulders, as you’ve pointed out.

I have seen people climb over double fences (with their children) to try to pet sheep. Sheep!

As a woman in my early 30s. I've never in my life heard that you aren't meant to feed horses.
I don't particularly like horses and am allergic so I can't say I've ever actively fed horses but how is someone meant to know this unless actively searching for it. I've never seen news headlines, social media posts. Never ever. So on that basis YABU..because it obviously isn't known to everyone.

Ugh, @Quiettiger. I can only imagine how adorable all the foals look. I'm so envious. :o

Signs don't work if the people reading them are arrogant and stupid enough.

@Heathyou

As a woman in my early 30s. I've never in my life heard that you aren't meant to feed horses. I don't particularly like horses and am allergic so I can't say I've ever actively fed horses but how is someone meant to know this unless actively searching for it. I've never seen news headlines, social media posts. Never ever. So on that basis YABU..because it obviously isn't known to everyone.

They don't belong to you so why would you feed them?

But people don’t know that it’s not okay to feed a horse grass - if I hadn’t come across this thread I still wouldn’t know that it’s not okay. You can call me a moron all you like, but I don’t know what I don’t know

This.

I can see where you're coming from OP but you are saying it in such an aggressive way.

Positive awareness raising will always work better than shouting at people.

YANBU. We had people actually attempting to put their child on our ponies when they were loose in the field. When I caught them they made excuses that their child just wanted to sit on one. People seem to thing animals in fields are public property.

I never feed horses, the owner should do that, I don't particularly like them anyway.

I also wish that people would feed their own cats so that they don't come into our garden to scoff all the hedgehog food.

People seem to thing animals in fields are public property.

And people who pay for horses think they are their property, ownership of sentient animals is bloody weird.

@SoftSheen

A pony will not get laminitis from a child feeding it a couple of handfuls of grass. Not every child has the luxury of regular contact with horses, or animals generally, and this is a nice thing for them to be able to do.

Giving armfuls of hay/buckets of carrots- obviously YANBU.

There's a large field of miniature shetlands up the footpath behind our house. During lockdown it became so popular for parents to take their kids up there to feed them that they became dangerous and were at risk of trampling people to get at food (path crosses the field). In the end the owner had to get rid of them before someone was badly hurt.

@Patchbatch

People seem to thing animals in fields are public property.

And people who pay for horses think they are their property, ownership of sentient animals is bloody weird.

Mmm-Wha?

Stop feeding horses.

Perhaps people should simply stay out of all fields where horses graze, whether there's a public right of way or not?

Maybe people shouldn't keep their horses in fields that are public rights of way, I would probably report them as they can be dangerous animals.

I had a huge problem with this during lockdown. I had one big fat pony who was muzzled to restrict how much she could eat (laminitis!) and I actually had someone remove it as it looked cruel. She stuffed her face and was very sore when she came in.

I also found both ponies started getting really bitey if they had any hand fed treats at all. I fed them nothing other than from a bucket but found they started biting pockets, fighting and charging the gates whenever someone came past. We fenced them further inside the fence line in the end so they wouldn’t be touched. At a cost of about £500 per month I certainly didn’t pay for them for someone else to enjoy

It’s not limited to horses either, my poor dogs get grabbed and touched by about 10 people per walk if I’m not careful enough about getting in the way!

This thread has confirmed my belief that people who have horses are entitled wankers.

I say this as someone who would never feed a horse in a field.

I've never fed a horse, in a field or anywhere else. Horrible things. Urgh.

I'm delighted yours is/are in fields. Far too many of the ugly brutes are on roads, or worse, on pavements.

We have a pony for my DD on a part loan. One of the other horses on the yard recently had to be pts after getting colic because someone (we we know who) fed them an entire bag of going rotten apples. They were discovered by one of the grooms just as they finished the bag, the woman mouthed off and called the groom rude names but the next day the poor horse was colicing badly and after a very bad day had to be PTS.

If you’ve never seen a horse or pony with very bad colic you wouldn’t believe the state they get into. As a pp said they can’t be sick and this poor hose was just sweating and walking up and down the box trying to outrun it’s pain. I didn’t see the end but was told it was bad.

All because some self entitled twat thought it was ok to feed apples.