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

Of course preventing harm to my animals is my priority. However, that also means my horses need to graze. Grazing land is in decline across the U.K. and finding grazing that is away from people and rights of way is really difficult.
my own yard is mostly away from the public, but it’s the exception rather than the norm in my area.
so, I can’t not graze horses, they literally need it to survive. There would be no issue with the horses being dangerous or aggressive if people just left them alone.
i don’t have a choice to put horses to graze. People do have a choice to interact and mess with them.
🤷🏼‍♀️

People do have a choice to interact and mess with them.

I think there's a real disconnect between horsey people and non-horsey people, which isn't fully understood even by the horsey people on here who think all of us non-horsey people are idiots.

We've already established that many (most?) non horsey people have no idea what to do with a horse if it comes up to them. I have learned on this thread that I shouldn't feed them, probably shouldn't pat them, but if a strange horse is following me and nudging me in a field am trying to cross, I'd be terrified and have no bloody idea what to do. Should I run? Climb over the nearest hedge? Stand still and let it sniff me? Make loud "shoo" noises and wave my arms? Lay down and play dead? Smack it on the nose to make it leave me alone? I'd probably try to climb over the nearest fence to get away from it. I rally don't know what I'd do if a horse came up to me while I had a leashed dog with me Other equally ignorant townies might see that as a cue to pat and fuss and maybe do more. But in both cases we wouldn't have initiated the interactions, and may not want to "mess" with then at all. Sometimes we don't have a choice on interaction, but the interaction is forced on us from the horse - or, strictly speaking, through the horse by the owner.

I live in the countryside, and I would never walk through the middle of grazing animals, whether that be horses, cattle or even sheep. I'd give goats a wide berth as well .

Seriously though, I was always taught to stick to the field edge. You not only avoid treading growing crops, but if its a grazing field, the idea is you have a fence to climb over (or through) to escape if necessary. I'd climb the fence if cattle or horses surrounded me. I'd go back the way I came if it wasn't possible or simply not go that way.

There are a surprisingly high number of deaths and horrible, serious injuries caused by grazing cattle to people walking through their field. And don't act confrontationally - confrontational to grazing animals generally means facing them straight on and looking into their eyes.

I would far rather do all of that than walk through the middle of a field and I don't think that many public footpaths were quite designed for leisure use by the size of towns that often now surround them!

@ArcheryAnnie whatever you do, don't run. The average small pony can outstrip Usain Bolt without raising a sweat so you're just going to get into a race you cannot win. I would keep interaction to an absolute minimum. Keep walking where you want to go, as quietly and calmly as you can. A horse might cross your path in front of you - it's common behaviour in horses to try to push each other in a desired direction. Just pause, veer slightly, but ultimately keep heading for where you want to go. Generally I would head towards the nearest climbable point in the field. Unless the next field contains cows.

Any flapping or shooing is likely to wind animals up. I trust most of the horses I know, but find other people's horses can be a bit dubious, for whatever reason. Calmly walking where you want to go whilst ignoring them is your best bet.

I live in the countryside, and I would never walk through the middle of grazing animals, whether that be horses, cattle or even sheep. I'd give goats a wide berth as well

Unless you want to make a huge detour (often miles) you don't have a choice in many areas, though.

Seriously though, I was always taught to stick to the field edge. You not only avoid treading growing crops, but if its a grazing field, the idea is you have a fence to climb over (or through) to escape if necessary. I'd climb the fence if cattle or horses surrounded me. I'd go back the way I came if it wasn't possible or simply not go that way.

A right of way doesn't mean you can go wherever you like in a field, though. You have to (by law) stick to the path, and very often, that path is diagonally through the centre of a field as that's the quickest route to get you from A to B. It's actually illegal to ignore the footpath and skirt round the edge of the field like you describe.

There are a surprisingly high number of deaths and horrible, serious injuries caused by grazing cattle to people walking through their field. And don't act confrontationally - confrontational to grazing animals generally means facing them straight on and looking into their eyes.

According to this article in the guardian: "Between March 2000 and March 2020, 98 people were killed by cattle in the UK, according to the HSE. Of those, 22 were members of the public, with the rest being either farmers or farm workers."

So 22 members of the public in 20 years - barely one person per year. Considering there are over 9 MILLION cows in this country, that's a TINY percentage. Dogs kill more people than that in a year.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/sep/23/farmers-union-issues-warning-after-teacher-trampled-to-death-by-cows

Not again! I swear that there's an annual thread on this subject. Why won't the public listen?

Just wondering if horses are more dangerous when they're accompanied by foals? Family members who farm have often told me than cows with calves can be more dangerous than bulls. I'm guessing that it's the same for horses, but just wanted to check with the experts on here.

In the guardian article linked upthread a farmer was prosecuted for putting cows with calves into a field with a public right of way when someone was badly injured as a result. The need to be careful is obviously important both for farmers and the public. Farmers and horse owners have the advantage of being a lot more knowledgeable when it comes to their animals of course.

Just wondering if horses are more dangerous when they're accompanied by foals?

They can be, it depends on the mare. I think they're a bit more domesticated than cows and so a bit more chilled out about these things, but I have known some mares be very protective. The only thing I've seen in a field though is a foal wander towards a person and the mare call them back to her. I've encountered more problems in a stable where you're closer to the foal and a mare can be very protective but members of the public wouldn't be there.

As a general rule though I try not to get between mother animals and their young. If my path lies between them, I skirt round or wait until one scurries towards the other, then continue. The worst problem I've had is with red deer. Hinds are very, very protective of their young but they hide them so you're trying to avoid the calf without a clue where it is, whilst a hind is charging you. That can be interesting.

but if a strange horse is following me and nudging me in a field am trying to cross, I'd be terrified and have no bloody idea what to do.

Don’t run. It’s a race you won’t win. Don’t flap or shriek, as that will probably wind them up or spook them.

Personally, I use a very firm voice and say “back”. Mine will back away. Pretty much all horses I’ve ever been in contact with will know to back away

Also, turn slightly away from them, don’t completely turn your back, but sort of sideways with your shoulder slightly raised and keep walking calmly. Mine will recognise from my body language that I’m done and I’m sending them away

Thank you very much WisherWood and everyone else giving advice on what to do. I grew up in the countryside, but am not used to dealing with horses or other livestock. I would tend to be very wary around them though.

This is really good advice. Most horses understand "back" or "stop" and will generally listen if you stand your ground and act confidently.

I look after a horse regularly and even the first time I met him, he was surprisingly obedient and did everything I asked of him, lol.

I used to feed a neighbours horse apples with my kids, with his full permission. I wouldn’t do that now, in fact as the kids are older and I enjoy trail running and walking, I avoid horses ( and cattle) wherever possible.

ive never been threatened by horses, though we have had close run in with cattle. Obviously I’d never run through a cow field , I always walk. We have had aggressive bullocks and cows on occasion run up to us( we have no dog) other than turn back if you see cattle in fields ( I do that if I can as I’m scared of them now) how do you deal with aggressive cows. Sometimes if the walk is a long circular walk turning back is impossible. I’ve heard you put your arms out and don’t turn your back on them?

Thank you, WisherWood and alloalloallo, for the excellent advice. (I can promise you I couldn't run anyway, as currently disabled, and TBH would have a very hard time climbing a fence, too!)

it depends on the mare and foal but generally you’re right, they can be a lot more dangerous when protecting their young, especially around people they’re unfamiliar with.

I don’t think mares and foals should be in fields with public access where possible, it’s less stressful for the mare and safer for the public. Although I know this isn’t always possible unfortunately! Where they have to be in fields with public access there should be specific signs so that the public know there’s a mare and foal and to exercise more caution than normal and to leave the foal alone so as to not stress out the mare.

I don’t think non-horsey people are idiots. Not in the least bit. And if anyone asks me for information on what to do when confronted by a strange horse in a field I would give the advice you have had here. Happily and kindly. However, the interaction is not forced on you by horse owners usually, it’s forced on you by the very people you are defending through this thread- people who have interacted with them before!
My horses go out well mannered and not likely at all to bother humans in their field unless they are called. In fact, even in a herd where other owners go into their field to catch their animals, mine won’t bother as they know the only person who’s gonna give them anything is me. Horses are not stupid. With the correct training that’s how they will behave. But if members of the public were to go into their field and interfere with that, that’s not my doing.
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it’s forced on you by the very people you are defending through this thread- people who have interacted with them before!

I haven't been defending them. I have been trying to explain why the current disconnect exists, and have been suggesting measures which may help to prevent further harm.

But if members of the public were to go into their field and interfere with that, that’s not my doing

But however the horse learned its bad habits, once it has those bad habits, it's still your responsibility. You can't wash your hands of the consequences of any actions your horse then takes, however unfair you deem it.

I wondered if it might be useful for those who don't know, to read of what happens when a horse gets choke, or colic, or laminitis. All three can be fatal, and all three can be caused by eating the wrong thing.

Laminitis is inflammation of the soft tissue that holds the inside of the hoof to the outer wall. There's a bone in the middle and if the soft tissue gets too damaged that bone drops down through the sole of the foot. At this point there is a very small chance the horse could recover but most have to be put down. It is incredibly painful for a horse.

Colic is sometimes a blockage in the gut, sometimes a twisted gut, sometimes excess gas. Horses can't vomit, so what goes in has to come out the other end. Depending on the cause and the severity, they can get over it but some have to be put down. Also a very painful experience.

Choke is when food gets stuck in the gullet. So they can't breathe properly or swallow, and you get saliva coming out of the horse's nose. It can resolve on its own but mostly needs a vet visit, sometimes the horse has to be put down. Frightening and painful for the horse.

It's plain that most of those here who have fed horses belonging to others think that they are doing a nice thing, but now that you know what the outcome could be, I hope that you might change your minds and just enjoy looking at them instead. Some horse owners can be horrible but their horses don't deserve this.

thetemptation that's been explained already on this thread, a number of times. I think most of us non horsey people here (not all, but most) have been grateful for the information, and have learned a lot on this thread. Some of us have also been trying to explain how the current situation may have come about, and what might help in mitigating harm in the future.

Yesterday people pretended to be related to my daughter when questioned by the yard staff about why they were hugging (and probably feeding) her horse 🤨. They have been reported to the police. People are honestly nuts!

Some of the advice upthread is good - stay calm, try to get out of the situation with the minimum of interaction, don't flap or shout, etc - but ultimately there are no hard and fast rules for staying safe on the ground around horses because you really need to be able to read the horse's body language to work out how best to respond in a lot of situations and that's something that takes experience and even very experienced horse owners don't always get it right.

It's why I wouldn't turn my horses out on a field with a PROW running through it, and it's also why a lot of horse owners get angst-ridden when they see people interacting with their horses, especially if they're trespassing to do so. I'm a friendly horse owner who often stops when out to let people meet my horses, but I've been known to holler at folk to "get orf my land" when they've been climbing gates to get in with the horses. I think sometimes these people have a small amount of knowledge or experience with horses and that makes them think they know how to behave, so they'll be safe to do it, the rules won't apply to them. It's really important to remind people that, with horses, as with anything, a little bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing.

That doesn't relate to the OP who was on a legal right of way, though. Hopefully the horse's owner will take steps to ensure this sort of situation doesn't arise again - it is their responsibility, no matter what the cause of the behaviour.

Yes, I’ve had people tell me very confidently that they are friends with the owner and they have permission when I ask them to stop feeding my horses.

I’m like “err…hello? No you’re not and no you don’t”

Makes a nice change from being told to fuck off, called a cunt or that I’m a snotty, stuck up bitch I guess

Ugh, waded my way through to page 30, but am giving up reading.

I don’t have horses. But am banging my head on the proverbial brick wall at a lot of the responses on here.

bottom line is - please don’t feed ANY animals that aren’t in your care. If there are animals that you see, while out on your daily business, that look uncared for - then call the relevant authorities.

with regards to interaction - many are saying along the lines of “it was interested in me, it initiated contact, it followed me, it nudged me”. All implying that the horse wanted interaction/affection from (general) YOU. Maybe it’s because of the X amount of people beforehand that have wandered past and fed it treats?

It’s surprising the number of people who are doubling-down in their defence of feeding horses. The majority of horse owners on 5his thread have tried (repeatedly) to explain why it’s best to admire from a distance. Why can’t people understand that?

A good friend of mine has horses. She’s not rich, but fortunate that where they are kept isnt bordered by public footpaths. I STILL ask her, every time I visit, if it’s ok to approach them, strode them etc. They are her charges, she knows them best, I’d never just rock up and interact with them.

MN is weird - any animal thread will always have obtuse/goady posters. Loads that hate cats/dogs/horses and will post in a way designed to rile up owners of said animals.

horse owners seem to get an extra “chip” added to the shoulder - you’ll always be deemed as Uber rich, snobby etc! Often far from the case, but no point outlining why.

horse owners seem to get an extra “chip” added to the shoulder - you’ll always be deemed as Uber rich, snobby etc! Often far from the case, but no point outlining why.

@Furries i agree, even people who’ve had horses on this thread are saying that horse owners are all well off. It’s simply not the case. The horses on my yard are not show ponies or anything flash, mostly they’re Welsh cobs that are used for driving, we have maybe 2 that are a bit more ‘expensive’ but still not the thousands abd thousands some assume. 2 of the ponies were bought at auction for under £50.
the assumption that horsey people are snobby rich people couldn’t be further from what we are!