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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

STOP FEEDING HORSES THAT ARE NOT YOURS

956 replies

Pineapplechickenpizza · 18/04/2022 21:25

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 fieldsSad

OP posts:
WildFlowerBees · 18/04/2022 23:04

@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.

SelfishLove · 18/04/2022 23:05

@ThreeLittleDots

I think if people see horses in a field that's razed to the ground, and the horse is straining to get some grass under their electric fence, the passer-by may offer them some without knowing about laminitis etc?
Just don't
bumblenbean · 18/04/2022 23:06

@Throckmorton as I said in my post I have no issue with horse owners not wanting people to feed their horses and I understand the reasons why. A lot of the comments have been perfectly reasonable.

My comment about aggression was in response to the PP who said anyone who had the audacity to even pet a horse should have their fingers bitten off.

AcrossthePond55 · 18/04/2022 23:07

Neighbour up the road just spent $$$$ to get a new fence erected 10 feet inside his original fence to stop people from feeding and in some cases 'bothering' his horses and cattle. I don't understand why people can't keep away from other people's animals be it horses, cows, dogs, or gerbils. We have a rather 'unaccountable' rescue Dachshund and we have to warn people to not just walk right up and try to pet him, but to let him come to them. Some people get offended rather than understanding that the owner's instructions need to be honored

If it isn't yours, look but do not touch, holler, or 'chunk' at them!

Giraffesandbottoms · 18/04/2022 23:08

Agree with a PP that horses are often coming over for snacks or treats. And nudging you isn’t necessarily wanting a stroke, it’s being bossy and asking for a treat. Which it’s probably
Not supposed to have! And actually feeding them
Encourages bad behaviour (my mare gets VERY bargey and rude if given something in the field). Thankfully she is no where near a public path but the entitlement of some people on this thread has really riled me.

Thursday37 · 18/04/2022 23:08

@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.
Double fencing does absolutely fuck all to stop people. We do it, but it really doesn’t stop people or deter them in the slightest.
HangingOver · 18/04/2022 23:08

Oh dear, this was me when I was a teen. It was neglected by my parents were too scared of the owner to report it.

Teddah · 18/04/2022 23:09

I absolutely would not feed any animal without permission. I do think signs are helpful though. I was definitely a young adult when I learned not to feed grass to horses. Not that I would have done it but it wasn’t something I knew. I reckon there are people who would genuinely be mortified to know they were harming horses and would stop.
Unfortunately there will always be selfish, mindless idiots. :(

WaltzingToWalsingham · 18/04/2022 23:09

@Pineapplechickenpizza
@Throckmorton

But it is aggressive to hope that people who simply stroke your horse (not even feed it) get their fingers bitten off, and it's completely uncalled for. I don't feed horses because I know not to, but as pp pointed out, many people were taught to feed horses with a flat palm as children and dont know that this can cause problems. Some horse owners on this thread have managed to explain the issues nicely. Others have been plain rude and unpleasant.

Giraffesandbottoms · 18/04/2022 23:09

@bumblenbean

Do you understand that not everything is literal in this world? I was making a tongue in cheek comment out of annoyance. Playful annoyance, if you will. horses do bite though.

ScrambledSmegs · 18/04/2022 23:11

I used to have riding lessons as a child, and have been nipped on the leg by a pony that took a sudden dislike to me (he was a cranky bugger anyway). You really don't want to bitten even speculatively by a horse, there's a lot of power in those jaws.

I wouldn't feed a horse I didn't know. My neighbour has miniature donkeys in a paddock within a massive private field - we still see random people who've jumped the fence trying to give them clumps of grass. There are signs everywhere saying not to feed them as it could kill them but for some reason these trespassers people don't think grass counts.

plominoagain · 18/04/2022 23:11

I’ve caught people picnicking in my field . No footpath in it and they climbed over two post and rail fences and through electric fencing to do it . They wondered why I went completely nuts . The reason was because they were in the same field letting their small child wander up to my VERY territorial pony , who would have no problem , not one , kicking said small child into kingdom come.

I’ve actually been to the inquest of a two year old child , who died after being caught in the crossfire of a kicking match between two horses , whilst being in a field their parents trespassed in. They were kicked in the head and died at the scene .

If you feed horses in a field , that kind of aggressive behaviour is eventually the result . I don’t even feed my own girls any treats in a field , not just because they’re both prone to laminitis , but I’ve seen the result . Never again..

Dunnoburt · 18/04/2022 23:13

Sorry...... 🤦‍♀️🙋‍♀️ Friendly cow petter here!....not interested in anyones horses thankfully!

SantaHat · 18/04/2022 23:14

Talking of feeding animals… once more for the cheap seats in the back… don’t feed ANY animals that aren’t yours…
news.sky.com/story/amp/spearmint-the-seal-taken-into-rehab-after-being-fed-sandwiches-and-doughnuts-by-people-in-plymouth-12590622

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 18/04/2022 23:15

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

Well yeah but it's an animal, they're unpredictable look how many dogs don't just walk away and instead bite

LovePoppy · 18/04/2022 23:16

@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.

so something nice for the human to do outweighs health of the horse?!
thenightsky · 18/04/2022 23:16

[quote Throckmorton]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[/quote]
Awful. Everyone who thinks it is ok to feed horses they don't own or are responsible for should read this Sad

Namechangenumber1 · 18/04/2022 23:16

I'm glad most people don't mind if I give their horse a pet. I have actually been bitten by a grumpy donkey once for petting his nose, I didn't get annoyed or kick off with the owner, as it was my own bloody stupid fault. I'd give up a finger to pet his nose again though. Maybe I'm just daft, I got bitten by a wild hare a few years ago that I fussed, foolishly assuming because it hadn't ran away that it was fine with me being there. I was also in the (very) local papers for fussing an animal at the zoo that very nearly took a finger or two off. Reading this back, I think maybe I'm just a liability.

Salome61 · 18/04/2022 23:17

Not everyone is good to their horses, and it is often difficult to find out who owns them.

There were three horses in the field near us, no shelter, snow, and no hay. They were just in a field and had to go down a steep slope to a fast running stream to drink.

I knew not to feed them but it was obvious they were starving, they were eating the trees. I eventually tracked the owners down and offered to buy hay but too late, one of the horses died. I now wish I'd at least thrown some apples in.

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 18/04/2022 23:17

Maybe I'm just a wuss, the closet I'll come to stroking any animal that isn't mine is the occasional neighbourhood cat. They have smaller teeth!

Saying that , I'm a bit scared of cows when I have to walk near them and they come up to you and I've never heard of anyone being bitten by a cow

Original poster
Pineapplechickenpizza · 18/04/2022 23:17

[quote WaltzingToWalsingham]@Pineapplechickenpizza
@Throckmorton

But it is aggressive to hope that people who simply stroke your horse (not even feed it) get their fingers bitten off, and it's completely uncalled for. I don't feed horses because I know not to, but as pp pointed out, many people were taught to feed horses with a flat palm as children and dont know that this can cause problems. Some horse owners on this thread have managed to explain the issues nicely. Others have been plain rude and unpleasant.[/quote]
Excuse me have you quoted me by accident? I never once said that I hope anyone who stroke horses get their fingers bitten off. I explained that biting can be a risk around horses which is why I prefer people don’t pet or feed them at all to prevent them getting hurt- I never once said I hope people get bittenConfused

OP posts:
Merrymouse · 18/04/2022 23:18

@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.
Animals, including ponies, roam freely in many parts of the U.K., and it’s always a bad idea to feed them without the owner’s permission.
gwenneh · 18/04/2022 23:19

@plominoagain

I’ve caught people picnicking in my field . No footpath in it and they climbed over two post and rail fences and through electric fencing to do it . They wondered why I went completely nuts . The reason was because they were in the same field letting their small child wander up to my VERY territorial pony , who would have no problem , not one , kicking said small child into kingdom come.

I’ve actually been to the inquest of a two year old child , who died after being caught in the crossfire of a kicking match between two horses , whilst being in a field their parents trespassed in. They were kicked in the head and died at the scene .

If you feed horses in a field , that kind of aggressive behaviour is eventually the result . I don’t even feed my own girls any treats in a field , not just because they’re both prone to laminitis , but I’ve seen the result . Never again..

Our yard is gated, situated back off of the road, double fenced with post & rail AND electric -- and still people manage to get in with the horses.

My guy is 17hh, a draft cross. And while he generally has very good ground manners, he will absolutely forget them if you hang around too long and stuff him full of food. A trespasser would have no way of knowing this is one of his behaviour quirks, and he might nip.

If he nipped someone, and that someone was in his field, and that someone decided to yell or scream as a result, he probably could lash out and kick someone. And then we have a lawsuit.

Needmoresleep · 18/04/2022 23:19

Pony was fed a roast dinner by a stranger.

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