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

I don't think it's taught in schools is it, Plantstrees?

Well said.

Unfortunately some people to think that "right of way" means they can do what they like, regardless of what else the land is being used for.

You still need to use your common sense. If your right of way crosses a field of cows and calves, that are blocking your path, then turn back. Or if you're with a dog and the field is full of newborn lambs, turn back.

You may have the right to cross those fields but you're also under obligation to keep the animals safe too. If your presence is going to upset them, spook them or cause them harm, then you need to use your brain and walk elsewhere.

You have the right to cross the fields safely, you don't have the right to just barge through regardless of what harm you might do to the livestock or crops that are living and growing there.

You've made it very clear that you don't want anyone interacting with your horse in any way. If I knew that someone felt like this, then I certainly wouldn't go near their horse.

However: in my experience of growing up in a rural area (I've since moved), several years of working with horses and being qualified do so, most owners don't have a problem with a passer by having a chat with their friendly horse. This really isn't remotely comparable someone feeding a horse sandwiches or lawn mower cuttings. Of course, if someone puts up a notice asking people to keep their distance, this should be respected (I've literally never seen this though).

I can see that there might be a problem in tourist areas where some footpaths are being heavily used by visitors, but this doesn't apply to most areas.

Yes. Except the horses are there because the owner either owns or rents the land. If you had a public footpath that went past your car and someone did something to your car, you’d be rightly annoyed and the law would be involved. You don’t have to have a car.
also, Horses are living beings. It’s not about the owners rights v the walkers. It’s the horses right to not be harmed.
and I said, often the problems with horses and people in the same space is created by the people.

Good question. You shouldn’t. I agree. Which is why people should leave horses alone!

I agree it needs more publicity.

Well I've just asked my colleagues at work if they knew that fresh grass cuttings, apples or polos were bad for horses. They had no idea...

The part where you can’t Ignore the horse?

I know. I absolutely know that. I just think people are human and only have so much patience. I don’t shout but I’ll not polite anymore because I’m so over it. I do agree with you that calling people names doesn’t help anyone. But you can see by the minority who refuse to just leave things alone that aren’t theirs that some people won’t ever learn.

The countryside code is abundantly clear about leaving horses and other animals the fuck alone! I don’t see what else there is to say 🤷🏻‍♀️ hadn’t seen that before but now I have I think all discussion here is moot.

@TheOriginalEmu
we have similar re our driveway and I fully understand. We’ve done signs etc; everything. I don’t have disabled children but one was extremely ill
for a period. Lots of doctors appts and chance of a and e trips. Used to get extreme rage about selfish bastards blocking me in but then I am probably just entitled, expecting no one to use my dropped kerb…

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/oldham-horse-pony-dead-sign-19650592

This was all over various media sites, and a few threads here last year.

There are always lambing threads here, facebook pages full of distraught farmers.

Ha the drama of mumnetters, where all dogs are vicious, jump on strangers, frighten their kids, and now we have the horses who are regularly attacked and dying from all the horrible ignorant wildlife lovers!

I live in the countryside, and walk amongst the sheep, cows and horses, with my dog, and never experienced an angry farmer or owner. I wouldn't feed a horse or any other animal (including ducks) but will certainly pet them if they appear friendly? Why? Because its nice to do and feel confident with my careful approach to it. One time last year, we passed about 50 young cows on the path. They came to us and got very close and to our surprised, loved being petted, so much they all followed us for about 10mns. It was a lovely experience, all about being in the country. We passed the farmer and he laughed with us.

Oh realise is so much more friendly, relaxed and welcoming and oh surprise, accident free, than mumsnet!

Depends where you are in the country, but a quick Google brings up dozens and dozens of local newspaper articles.

including this one www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/gran-who-kept-feeding-neighbours-22220277.amp about a woman who was given a restraining order after she continued feeding horses when she’d been explicitly told not to.

It was all over our local press and judging by the news stories I’ve just found, lots of local news papers ran with stories.

Uppercase thread titles should be reserved for, 'WE'RE ALL ABOUT TO DIE IN AN ASTEROID STRIKE!' or 'TSUNAMI COMING!' not overfeeding a bleeding horse 🤣

Yes. I agree. I’m all out of patience.

These people I catch feeding my horses have trespassed in the first place and are somewhere they shouldn’t be, have usually climbed over a locked gate, are ignoring perfectly polite and clear signs - and more often than not have been asked to pack it in more than once.

I don’t shout, swear or fling insults. I’m just not that polite anymore.

Especially when randomers end up arguing with me as to why I don’t want them to feed my horses -because they think they know better, or because they think it’s a nice thing to do, or because my horse “looked sad”, or because I’m just snobby and stuck up and will make their child cry - they clearly don’t give a fuck about making my child cry when her pony is being treated for colic again because, someone has fed them something they’ve been asked not to several times already.

I honestly don’t care about people making a fuss of them, my oldie has a little repertoire of tricks she likes to show off if she thinks she’ll get something out of it. The only thing that worries me about it is that if one thinks the other is getting something good, then they’ll kick the crap out of each other. An arthritic OAP with injuries that require lengthy box resting would mean I have to seriously consider putting her to sleep.

@alloalloallo that’s the same woman who was charged with assault for throwing rhubarb at her brother/brother in law and hit him in the eye 🙈

I know and understand about not feeding horses.

But I do think that you need to understand that this is not what used to be taught.

I am 54. All my childhood we were taught the countryside code (far more than I've ever seen it in the last 30 years) and at the same time, taught that the way to feed a horse was with a handful of grass and a flat hand etc so it didn't catch your fingers.
I would not think twice about giving handfulls of grass on a flat hand, or stroking a horse, until I was well into adulthood. I did riding lessons at school, and one school friend had a horse and I occasionally rode with her, and still didn't know you shouldn't give a handful of grass. She fed her horse polos, so I thought they were OK to feed too.

In fact I only really got it when I was staying with my parents aged 30+ and her neighbour rented the field across the road for her horse, and my mum's garage as a stable. My kids were little and we spent many happy hours standing on the gate chatting to her as she sorted the horses out. She used to knock on the door and ask if my kids wanted to give her horse his hay etc etc.
Through that contact I then learnt about laminitis and the danger of even handfuls of grass. I then taught my kids to never give them anything.

So I think that 'feeding the horses' is an embedding in our culture as 'feeding the ducks' You try telling people not to give bread to ducks and you are met with fury etc.

So I am not surprised that people still try and feed the horses handfuls of grass.
I think we probably need a lot more publicity around it. Especially as since lockdown people are coming into the countryside who have not been there for years if at all.

I understand the frustration, and the bloody barefaced cheek of people ignoring signs. In just think there are some deeper ingrained cultural things to unpick.

To those complaining about the aggression, shouting, swearing etc and saying that it's not the best way to educate people - well I agree, however many of the people we're dealing with don't actually want to be educated, they want to feed the horse.
I've faced this more than a few times - on private land, with people having scaled a locked gate or the fence and walked through the yard (past the farmers house) to the field, ignoring the signs on the way.
When caught and asked not to, the inevitable answer is "Why?" - but they don't really want to know why, they don't want to be educated on equine behaviour, on colic, on laminitis and I've been told I'm talking bollocks more than once, they want to have a moment in the sunshine with the pretty pony, take a selfie or two and then not think about any concequences.
I've even been told that they're not interested in horses when I've tried explaining why it's a bad idea to climb into a field with horses you don't know, and electric fence, kept on private land, and feed them - so 'not interested' that a glimpse of them from the road has brought you all the way up to the paddocks and here you are then?!

Some people have listened and engaged with it, but by and large they're just pissed off they got caught and get arsey and aggressive when asked not to, the 'why' is deflection from most at being caught, not a genuine request for the information.

i would like to say I didn’t know about ducks and bread until embarrassingly recently!

You can feed ducks oats or peas though (according to RSPB)

@SoftSheen

like porridge oats?! And peas like garden peas?!

oats would be very helpful actually - I’ve been going to the pet shop to get seeds but my son has a bit of a duck obsession so it would be nice to not have to go daily 😃

Yes, just plain porridge oats and defrosted peas :)

@Giraffesandbottoms if you really want to know about ducks. look up zefrank1 "True Facts About The Duck" Very educational and very short, we were shown many of his series at university as ice breakers as part ecology degree`s they are all true, but you will never ever look at ducks the same again 😂 (PS Not child safe).

@SoftSheen

thank you so much - that’s excellent and incredibly useful information for me!

@ZerotwoZero
if this is about duck rape, unfortunately I know about it 😆🤦🏻‍♀️

Extremely stupid . . .
www.google.com/amp/s/www.farminguk.com/news/amp/third-walker-killed-by-cows-within-space-of-one-month_56660.html