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 actually don’t mind if someone would like to stop and say hello to any of mine, although they are not easily accessible so it’s highly unlikely. I often stop to talk to people walking past my field, but they only ever want to talk about our sheep!

Example: www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/dam-of-foal-who-died-after-sandwiches-found-in-her-field-lost-to-colic-days-later-737323

Another example www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/devastation-as-clydesdale-broodmare-dies-nine-months-after-her-colt-from-suspected-public-feeding-736466

Oh and never mistake shetlands (shitlands) for sweet like angels. More sass than anything twice their size and far too cunning. If any of mine were likely to murder your kids it would be the shetlands.

damages the good will that most people feel towards horse riders

I don’t give a damn if you don’t have good will towards me. Anyone who thinks it’s fine to feed an animal they know nothing about is a moron. Or pet or go near an animal far bigger than them they know nothing about. Moronic.

I would not pet a dog without asking the owner because 1) it’s polite 2) I have no idea what the dog is like. I certainly wouldn’t feed it.

You have no idea what the horse can or can’t eat, and what it will or won’t do if petted.

@ForeverLooking

Hahaha

Another one www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2021-03-10/pony-dies-after-being-fed-kitchen-scraps-at-gloucestershire-beauty-spot

In my experience, ponies, horses, donkeys usually come rushing over to people not because they are super-friendly or want patting. They are coming to see if there’s food to had. Too often there is.

I love horses. I stop to look for sure, but I do move on if they come walking over. For the reason above.

Look don’t touch, basically.

@Gagaandgag the likely problem with the owner glaring is that if the horses are encouraged to the fence line where people pass, is that they can literally beg for treats and more people will want to feed them and assume it's OK. Horses can get quite bargy/nippy if they think a treat should be in the offing. So it's best they don't think passers by are nice and give them a scratch or have a treat (We fence ours off from the gate to avoid this scenario) . The problem will come if the horse thinks that was nice and hovvers by the fence line then several passing people DO give treats to the nice horse, and then the next time you take your daughter to see the nice horse it then is not so nice to your daughter because he thinks your daughter should have a treat like everybody else.

I would recommend go and ask the owner if your daughter can meet and stroke them.

@polkadotties of course I wouldnt feed a horse ragwort fgs. I know what ragwort is and what a dandelion is. Im not going to do it again anyway. Sad about it though

I have no idea what to do with horses, so when I see a friendly one I just give them a nose rub. I assume that’s okay…

OMG I am really horrified to see this . I regularly pass a horse on my daily walk and he trots up to the fence and stick his head over and I pet him . I often feed him apples! I thought they were good for them!!!!

A lot of horses don't like being patted or having their muzzle touched. They may come and say Hi but it doesn't automatically mean they want touching.

If you don't know what to look for you might get bitten, I understand why people want to touch they are beautiful creatures but as far as I'm concerned they have and should have autonomy and I give them respect. They aren't a decorative ornament they're sentient beings, it's a privilege to be in a horses presence if they so choose. Enjoy the moment but perhaps without needing to touch.

[quote Branleuse]@polkadotties of course I wouldnt feed a horse ragwort fgs. I know what ragwort is and what a dandelion is. Im not going to do it again anyway. Sad about it though[/quote]
I’m glad you’re not going to do it again, seriously thank you. When you feel sad about it just think about all the horses you could have made unwell by feeding them. Trust me, a horse feels a lot more than sad when it’s crippled with laminitis

Not read all the replies, but YANBU

The owners of horses are responsible for their welfare. You can put up signs, post all over Facebook and shout at us on MN, but ultimately it’s your responsibility to ensure your animals are safe. Most places where horses are kept around where I live, which is rural, use double fencing with an electric fence to keep the horses away from the side of the field where pedestrians / members of the public can easily get to the horses.

Well this thread has opened my eyes. I’ve always stopped to Pat horses or let them sniff me. I had no idea it made people so cross. I thought it was just being polite and friendly.

Maybe some people but we aren’t like this.

@Gagaandgag - totally get why you felt uncomfortable. But I don’t think the onus was on her to ask you to stay away from her animals. It’s her field and her donkeys? I expect she was hoping you would take the hint and move on. She probably gets this a lot and is fed-up of it - she doesn’t have to explain/justify anything to anybody.

@WildFlowerBees

A lot of horses don't like being patted or having their muzzle touched. They may come and say Hi but it doesn't automatically mean they want touching.

If you don't know what to look for you might get bitten, I understand why people want to touch they are beautiful creatures but as far as I'm concerned they have and should have autonomy and I give them respect. They aren't a decorative ornament they're sentient beings, it's a privilege to be in a horses presence if they so choose. Enjoy the moment but perhaps without needing to touch.

Do you ride your horses?

If an animal didn’t want to be touched, then it’s perfectly capable of walking away.

Amen.

My very fragile EMS pony has to live at a very expensive yard that is bankrupting me where her small bare paddock is out of reach to anyone unless they are part of the yard. It’s the only way to keep her safe from people that try to feed her. She’s deliberately kept ribby (but is not actually underweight, but looks so compared to the majority of horses that are slightly fat).

I’ve had issues with people removing her muzzle and trying to feed her at other yards. She’s lovely (and my world) but she’s actually very food aggressive because of her regime and it’s dangerous to be around her with food if you don’t know what you are doing.

But I know I fed ponies treats as a clueless pony obsessed young child so I understand why people do it. But I wish they didn’t. People just have very little knowledge and think they know best.

@Gagaandgag - and the owner would know you aren’t like that how? Like said unthread, maybe talk to the owner and ask next time?

@Soontobe60

The owners of horses are responsible for their welfare. You can put up signs, post all over Facebook and shout at us on MN, but ultimately it’s your responsibility to ensure your animals are safe. Most places where horses are kept around where I live, which is rural, use double fencing with an electric fence to keep the horses away from the side of the field where pedestrians / members of the public can easily get to the horses.

Yeah we’re responsible.

That’s why it’s so frustrating that people feel they have the right to feed horses and interact with them when it can make them unwell or cause accidents.

What about when people have double fencing, CCTV, electric fencing, hundreds of signs but people still throw food into the field? Or worse, climb under the fencing or over the gates and go into the fields? That isn’t an unusual situation. So what do you suggest horse owners do to stop people like this?

The public have a responsibility to leave animals that don’t belong to them alone

I had no idea that you shouldn’t pick some nearby grass for a horse. I won’t do it again, not that I do it often. The Welsh cobs near me are more interested in scratches under the chin tbh.
Thanks for posting this information. But please don’t assume that everyone knows this, or is a moron (as someone posted) for not knowing this.

I’d never knowingly hurt an animal, and I’ve never been told or taught this, despite living near to horses and having ridden horses since childhood. Seems like this information needs to be more widely discussed.

Polkadotties I hope most people can tell the difference between grass and ragwort. Horses generally aren't interested in ragwort anyway, it's mostly a risk if it's dried in hay.

Lots of completely OTT comments on this thread...

@WildFlowerBees

A lot of horses don't like being patted or having their muzzle touched. They may come and say Hi but it doesn't automatically mean they want touching.

If you don't know what to look for you might get bitten, I understand why people want to touch they are beautiful creatures but as far as I'm concerned they have and should have autonomy and I give them respect. They aren't a decorative ornament they're sentient beings, it's a privilege to be in a horses presence if they so choose. Enjoy the moment but perhaps without needing to touch.

While that's true in some cases, many horses solicit attention and will actively nudge you until you give them a stroke