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

@AllOfUsAreDead

This thread makes me so glad my horse is nowhere near idiots who think they can feed him whatever they want.

Wonder how happy they'd be if we showed their 'darlings' pictures of dead horses that they had helped kill by over feeding them. May find it dramatic, but you are killing them by doing that and you should know that. Kid might be traumatised, but least they won't do it again.

Excellent. Seriously I am pleased there are some responsible horse owners on here who are able to keep their animals safe. Perhaps you could give the less responsible owners some advice?

[quote WildFlowerBees]@Soontobe60 yes I ride I have 2 of my own, I don't subscribe to the BHS way, labelling a horse as bad, good etc or exerting my control over them. I don't follow traditional methods, my horses and I are in partnership together. My horses shouldn't have to move away if it doesn't want to be touched. Their space should be respected like anyone else's. [/quote]
It’s a bloody horse! It’s not going to stand there tutting because someone is touching it, thinking ‘wish they’d stop touching me and respect my space man’… it’ll just walk away. The first time someone jumped in its back, did they ask permission? Do you, every time you get in it’s back? If you’re so insistent on anthropomorphising your horse, then stop putting a saddle on its back keeping it in a stable or field and riding it. Set the beast free!!!!

Again nobody is excusing idiotic behaviour but as shown time and time again , in various areas even the risk of losing one’s own life isn’t enough to deter people.

[quote BettyBag]@Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious

Obviously I would from now on because I wouldn't want to make an animal ill.

I guess now it's solved. Oh wait. I am just one of countless people who would behave like that without knowing its an issue. Indeed if I hadn't seen the thread I would still do it.

You can't dictate other people's behaviour therefor you are unable to keep your animal safe. You shouldn't own it. Simple as that.[/quote]

There's no hope for people like you. Narrow minded, entitled can't see the bigger picture. You sound like an awful person.

This thread makes me so glad my horse is nowhere near idiots who think they can feed him whatever they want.

Perhaps this should be a requirement for all horses.

[quote BettyBag]@Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious

Obviously I would from now on because I wouldn't want to make an animal ill.

I guess now it's solved. Oh wait. I am just one of countless people who would behave like that without knowing its an issue. Indeed if I hadn't seen the thread I would still do it.

You can't dictate other people's behaviour therefor you are unable to keep your animal safe. You shouldn't own it. Simple as that.[/quote]
You had to be told not to feed someone else's animal. Grown adults should not need telling to not feed another's animal. As a grown adult, unless there is a sign welcoming feeding, you simply shouldn't do it.
I haven't been told by a horse owner not to feed them, but as an adult, I realise they are kept by an owner who is responsible for feeding them. I'm also able to explain that to my child.

@SamphirethePogoingStickerist

Ah. *@SweatyPie* another distraction, whataboutery at its daftest. A cat wandering round versus a horse in a field.

No, I can't see any difference either!!!

Alright, thanks for the insult, maybe you can explain the difference to me @SamphirethePogoingStickerist

Most people respect not wanting to feed other peoples animals. If you're so determined for people not to touch or approach at all, use a sign or fence off the outer area of a paddock.

Also your a massive hypocrite if you think it's ok to touch a cat and not a horse. A cat is way more vulnerable yet you seem to take no issue.

@WildFlowerBees

I won't buy a dog, as much as I would love one as despite being financially able and having a lot of free time I don't think I have enough outside space for one.

My point is at least in respect of considering the responsibility of pet ownership I am apparently at better person than a lot of the horse owners on this thread.

Obviously if people ignore signs they are being dicks, but I think to assume that everyone who feeds a horse is being outrageously entitled - “how dare they feed my pet” - is way off.
For most people who aren’t knowledgeable about horses they will have grown up with the cultural assumption that it is a completely harmless thing to do and it makes the horse happy. They aren’t entitled, just ignorant (in the proper sense of not knowing something).
So I think the poster who said ‘campaign for it to be in the countryside code and national curriculum’ is spot on. In general I think kids should learn more about wildlife, animals, where their food comes from, etc.

I took my DD through a field next to horses once and she made a comment that grandad had said you can feed horses sugar cubes, I explained why that was wrong and you shouldn't feed other peoples animals etc.

I had no idea the horse owner was walking behind us and overheard, she very kindly allowed her to feed and brush her horses, we were with her for over an hour it was a wonderful experience.

I know this has nothing to do with the issue but it's one of those things my child still talks about 'the nice lady who let me brush the horses' and just shows if you respect people, they respect you too.

@MadameHeisenberg

You’re spectacularly missing the point.

No, you are. It’s already been pointed out numerous times that better education of the general public would be helpful but it won’t eliminate the determined idiots, so it’s therefore down to horse owners themselves to protect their animals from this specific risk.

You can scream ‘don’t touch my property’ until you’re blue in the face, but some people will still ignore you regardless, so you therefore need to find another solution. You. The horse is your property.

Also, with regard to educating the majority of people who are simply not paying attention to the fact the horse has an owner/feeding it can make it sick, it’s worth remembering that you catch more flies with honey…

But we do protect our animals from that risk. People still climb under several fences and through gates and signs and CCTV don’t work. So what do you suggest?

You were victim blaming in your previous post, whether intentional or not.

You said you’d expect people to lock the door. I’d expect people to have secure fencing (whether that’s backed up with electric, double, cctv, whatever) that’s the same as locking the door.

But what about people who just break windows and burgle? Do we just move houses to avoid those people? No, because unfortunately it can happen everywhere so moving won’t help, and it’s not unreasonable to expect people should know better than to break a window to burgle a house.

The solution would be tougher laws for people interacting with horses that are not theirs. If you (not you directly, I mean in general!) feed a horse that isn’t yours and are caught on CCTV, it should be a £1000 fine (a fraction of a lami bill)

@ScaldedBy

Would you berate someone for stroking your cat if they came across it in the street and the cat approached them?

I wouldn't "berate" anyone for anything but I also wouldn't stop to pat someone else's cat. I'd just judge the owber for being irresponsible enough to let it wander in the first place...

Some cats need to roam. I'm not irresponsible for letting a cat do what it's allowed to do.

[quote BettyBag]@WildFlowerBees

I won't buy a dog, as much as I would love one as despite being financially able and having a lot of free time I don't think I have enough outside space for one.

My point is at least in respect of considering the responsibility of pet ownership I am apparently at better person than a lot of the horse owners on this thread.[/quote]
You’re not ‘a better person than a lot of horse owners’ when you were feeding horses you don’t own and potentially making them sick

@Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious

So? What's your point? People behave differently from each other and don't hold common beliefs? What a staggering insight.

Seriously though you are right. People all behave differently and have different beliefs which is something we have to take into account when responsibly caring for another living being.

Which is exactly my point.

[quote AProperStinging]@ForeverLooking

My horses don't exist to bring joy to someone else's kid at the expense of their own health and my vet bills.

What do they exist for? Why do you have horses?[/quote]
Did you really ask this? Jesus Christ.................

@PurpleParrotfish

I genuinely had no idea this was a problem until another MN thread a year or two ago. As a kid I was taught by grown ups how to feed grass to horses keeping my hand flat, there were loads of references in children’s (and some adults’) books about feeding apples to horses as a lovely thing to do. So as a city dweller it took me until my early 40s to find out that you shouldn’t do it and why. Lots of people don’t know. Maybe it should be taught in schools? I remember learning ‘shut gates you open, don’t leave litter etc’.

Same here. My grandad used to take me for walks to see some horses and we would always feed them grass from the other side of the fence.

I think this is similar to it no longer being okay to feed ducks bread - we always did, and so did everyone else.

Education is needed, in schools, not just on social media where things can get chalked off as hype.

@SweatyPie

I know I’m not the poster you’re quoting but I tried to explain the difference, I think it’s on the previous page

[quote Pineapplechickenpizza]@SweatyPie

I know I’m not the poster you’re quoting but I tried to explain the difference, I think it’s on the previous page [/quote]
Ah ok, thanks, I'll take a look!

@chalip

I took my DD through a field next to horses once and she made a comment that grandad had said you can feed horses sugar cubes, I explained why that was wrong and you shouldn't feed other peoples animals etc.

I had no idea the horse owner was walking behind us and overheard, she very kindly allowed her to feed and brush her horses, we were with her for over an hour it was a wonderful experience.

I know this has nothing to do with the issue but it's one of those things my child still talks about 'the nice lady who let me brush the horses' and just shows if you respect people, they respect you too.

Aw that’s so sweet!

@SweatyPie no worries! Apologies it might be on the page before that actually, I’ve lost track with the comments!

You do realise that horses aren't household pets don't you? They can't be kept in a home like a dog/cat.

Indeed, they are not household pets and this is why the general public don’t treat them as such. It’s why the ‘feeding a dog in a garden a BigMac’ is a stupid and meaningless comparison.

The fact that it’s not obvious who a horse in a field belongs to, means that people are more likely to forget that it actually has an owner and is indeed a pet. Most people, when politely reminded of this, would react appropriately and not feed it; especially if the counterintuitive fact of feeding it grass can make it sick, is also pointed out. As with many things, education is the key.

[quote Pineapplechickenpizza]@SweatyPie no worries! Apologies it might be on the page before that actually, I’ve lost track with the comments![/quote]
That's interesting, thanks for that. Again, most people don't know all these things with feeding/behaviour etc.

Horse owners - "Please don't feed horses you might encounter when out and about" (by way of signs, social media or verbally)

Public - "Why not? It's a nice thing to do!"

Horse owners - "It can cause illness, injury and behaviour problems with horses"

Public - "How very entitled of you to think that I should know that! Shame on you and your poshness, you're so entitled to think the general public should know that, keep your horse in a glass case if you don't want people to feed it, you only don't want me feeding it because you're precious and nasty and therefore I shall continue"

People ask 'Why not?' because they assume that a good enough reason cannot be given because they're convinced it all boils down to poshness and possessiveness, when the reasons are given people like to shout about horse owners being entitled thinking everyone should know this, but most are saying 'go and educate yourself' in response to being asked why and then being accused of entitlement when explaining.

@LindaEllen

Oh yeah, I can't wait for kids to have time in school wasted in order to keep a minority pet safe for their irresponsible owners. Teachers don't have enough to do already.