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

@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

DON'T SHOUT, IT'S ONLY 6.19AM But seriously, I have never seen anything on somo regarding the randon feeding horses even tho I follow some 'horsey' people. However, despite years of campaigns and advertisements, drivers often don't slow down when passing horses, so how on earth are you going to stop the public feeding them? Horses are so fabulous, they are a magnet to many who don't have regular contact with them, so I can see why they are tempted.

Surely these animals should be properly fenced so that it is difficult to get near them, nothing worse than being on a walk and some horse is snorting over the fence.

@User7493268965

Surely these animals should be properly fenced so that it is difficult to get near them, nothing worse than being on a walk and some horse is snorting over the fence.

Are you serious? 🙄 🙄 🙄 Of course horses should be able to look over fences!!

What’s entitled about saying please don’t feed my animal that I pay and care for because it causes behavioural issues and makes them sick?

I was that pony obsessed child but like most things in life children (and adults) need to learn they can’t do everything they want.

Looking over fences is fine but not next to public walkway, they should be double fenced then people wouldn't be tempted to feed them and could look from afar

The responses on this thread are crazy. People are being given reasonable explanations for not feeding someone else’s animal and still arguing about it?

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

Yes I’m
Entitled in that I’m entitled to feed and pet my own animal. I would have thought that’s patently obvious! You, or anyone else just walking around, aren’t. Although as I said my horse is thankfully in a private field
No where near anyone but the idea that someone the horse owner needs to do MORE than signs, fencing etc to stop being being twats is just…. 🤷🏻‍♀️😂

I don’t know why people do this, it’s ridiculous. When I teach Countryside Code at school I add a bit in about not feeding any animals you come across.
There’s a public path bordering horse paddocks where I live. Always been double fenced but nice to stop and wave at the horses when you have small children with you. Since Lockdown walking they’ve had to plant huge prickly Holly bushes in the gap between the fences because some people were too thick or ignorant to take notice of the signs not to feed the horses (and reasons given in the signs, not just DON’T!!!!).

I don't feed horses, but I did grow up with books which pictured feeding apples and polo mints. People aren't morons because they've had contradictory information given to them from childhood. As a PP put it, you don't know what you don't know.

I've been educated, from this thread, about why they shouldn't be fed. I can do my bit and pass on that info.

I have never, seen any double or electric fencing, nor have I seen any education on not feeding horses. I'm surrounded by countryside and regularly walk in it. I have seen pleas for safer driving, because of the horses crossing roads and being ridden on road though. The message clearly isn't out there as much as it needs to be.

@Leonberger

What’s entitled about saying please don’t feed my animal that I pay and care for because it causes behavioural issues and makes them sick?

I was that pony obsessed child but like most things in life children (and adults) need to learn they can’t do everything they want.

Nothing entitled about saying ‘please do not injure this animal that I love’

But there has been lots on this thread about THIS HORSE IS MY PROPERTY AND I PAY LOTS OF MONEY FOR IT. That sounds entitled, to me.

Plus, the assumption that surely everyone knows about not feeding horses and therefore is wilfully harming them. Why would anyone outside horsey circles have a clue? As a PP noted, it’s not part of the Countryside Code that we were taught at school. People think they are being kind by feeding animals. Right, they’re ignorant, but why the tone of contempt?

Just put up a sign. Most people can read.

I still don’t get this ‘if you don’t want someone to pet them/feed them then make sure they are behind big fences so public can’t get to them. What a stupid thing to say, firstly most of the public are so entitled they ignore signs and fences and the other point, when you see a dog in a garden do you just put your hand in to pet it? Even if it came up to the fence would you still put your hand in and pet it and give it some food? Nope, you wouldn’t, so why is it different for horses? Horses have the potential to do way more damage than a dog.

@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.

Yes what about if a load of children or adults decided feeding the horse was a nice thing to do. And also if you take the horses health out of the equation I don't want my ponies fed treats by anyone as I have two young children who handle the ponies and I don't want them to learn that food comes from hands so my kids don't get accidentally bitten. Ponies who are fed lots by hand can turn nippy. This isn't including the health issues. My horses have been fed a load of things that just aren't good for them including leeks, a massive bucketful of apples which triggered one of them to get laminitis and also a McDonald's!

just put up a sign. Most people can read

You clearly can’t! Many, many people on this thread have said they have signs up which are routinely ignored. Not one person has described their horse as property but yes of course we own our horses just like people own their cats and dogs…the vet bills are just much higher!

@AProperStinging ‘exceptionally wealthy person’?! You’re just perpetuating the nonsense. I’m a teacher, not some rich person. I did all the chores myself because I couldn’t afford the bills for a groom to do it. Most of the owners at my yard are average earners, one’s an estate agent, one is a groundsman at the local college, another an accountant. Behave.

I think there is a need for more education on this topic, and a social media campaign is a great idea.

Foe those thinking horse owners are aggressive wankers, we really are not. We are just tired of this. Since the first lockdown there had been an enormous increase in people coming to visit and feed the horses. Someone threw the equivalent of a fruit bowl in a field in our yard. And when you're going in to retrieve the food it's hard to predict how a herd will react to that. Its just dangerous for everyone.

Re stroking a horse over a fence ... our pony looks cute but can decide to bite for any random reason. I shouted at my child (who knows better) for fussing her own horse over an electric fence - if the horse had been zapped there would be a lot of rearing and bucking which would be incredibly dangerous. I need our horse to respect the fences.

I started lockdown asking people so politely to not feed the horses, to not picnic in their field, to not climb on the farm machinery to get a better view, to not let their dogs loose in the field. Two years on I just shout at people their actions could kill a horse.

I don't feed horses and wouldn't, they aren't my pets to feed. I don't feed other animals unless it's at a place where they sell the food for them and are happy for them to do so. My child likes horses, but we look from a distance. I don't touch, if they come up, I move away. Horses are unpredictable, they could bite. If a random person gets bitten, then I hope they (or parents) don't complain. It will have been entirely of their own doing.

@Marynotsocontrary

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.

This, in spades. The first thing I thought on reading the OP was “what social media hype? What news?” I’m 41 and this is the first “don’t feed horses” message I’ve ever seen, outside of city farms or attractions with specific signage. I’m sure the messaging is loud and clear if you follow horsey people on social media, but it’s not escaping the echo chamber.

For the record I don’t feed horses, but I remember being taught to – my grandmother liked to offer them Trebor extra strong mints – and stories, literature, TV, films etc are full of people feeding horses. Unfortunately I think you have to accept that having a horse comes with “having to deal with the entitled and not very bright public”, who will ignore signs and fences and generally aren’t great – people are terrible!

But I think it would help to step outside the horse bubble for a bit and see that most people just have no idea.

It must be beyond frustrating to be breaking down exactly why strangers should not feed your horses and have people get snotty about it and argue with you that they should be allowed to do something that may injure or kill your horse.

There are four horses in a field behind our house. I can see their stables as well. They are well cared for, have enough to eat and don't need anything from anyone else. There are signs on the gates to the footpath asking people to please not feed the horses, so clearly some people have been trying to do that.

We have signs - when I pointed them out to someone the response was “Oh yes, I saw those, I chose to ignore them”. How the hell are you supposed to deal with attitudes like that?

Most of the owners at my yard are average earners, one’s an estate agent, one is a groundsman at the local college, another an accountant. Behave
Horses used to be something only the elite had, and owning a horse does give an impression of wealth or being financially comfortable.

Now a lot more people have them. To be fair though, the jobs listed aren't NMW, so it's not beyond scope to think owning a horse is financially unachievable for a lot of people. Especially with the examples of outlay given in this thread.

Oh glad it's a nightmare isn't it. I had a laminitic which was bad enough, but the big sports horse I had would've taken fingers off quite happily. I used to find bloody cooking apples thrown into their field!

@Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious great post and @IncompleteSenten also great post

Genuinely people don’t know this. I didn’t. I’ve never fed a horse with my children (too scared of teeth), only admired them, but I do remember as a child my mum doing it. We’re educated people and there was never a thought that it was wrong, only kind. No signs to tell her otherwise, I guess?

I feel bad now - will make sure my children do know about it.