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

But people don’t know that it’s not okay to feed a horse grass - if I hadn’t come across this thread I still wouldn’t know that it’s not okay. You can call me a moron all you like, but I don’t know what I don’t know.
The image of horses that I have grown up with comes from fiction and the media. That horses like apples, carrots, grass, sugar lumps and polo mints.
People are not trying to be cruel, or to hurt the horses. I couldn’t teach my children not to pick grass to feed the horse because I didn’t know myself. Now I know, I can share the information with them.

Not sure I agree. It’s a public right of way and we just stopped momentarily to let them look at us and sniff us really. We are totally responsible and I said stroke but we didn’t even really do that 🤣 I agree that most horses aren’t looking to be stroked though and they are looking for food.

I just feel there is never a need for anyone to be so rude though - just a polite/friendly comment would have been fine! I think if horse owners are that stressed about it they should have an extra fence. Maybe the countryside alliance or someone like that could release a general poster advising the public about appropriate behaviour because I’ve seen a few homemade signs and they unfortunately always come across as really aggressive

I don't. And also a horse once licked MY EYE after eating an apple and it got snot and apple in my eye.

Just don't.

@Salome61

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.

If you had thrown apples in to starving ponies you’d have done more harm than good.

@Branleuse

I never realised it was harmful to feed a bit of picked grass to a horse. I knew you shouldnt feed them grass cuttings, but feeding a horse a bit of grass thats right near is a nice feeling as I might get to stroke his nose and talk to him. Its a nice moment. I wouldnt do it to any great extent. The person above who said ' my horses dont exist to give your child pleasure' - what a strange thing to say. They dont exist to give you pleasure either. Put an extra fence up maybe so people cant reach if they cant even eat grass. Theyre not my ducks at the local pond either. I stroke the cats I see in the street. I honestly dont give a thought about who owns an animal when I try and interact with one. I will make sure not to give any future horses I see any dandelion leaves in future or grass etc, even if we are sharing a moment

You shouldn’t feed ducks either to be fair

@Gagaandgag

Not sure I agree. It’s a public right of way and we just stopped momentarily to let them look at us and sniff us really. We are totally responsible and I said stroke but we didn’t even really do that 🤣 I agree that most horses aren’t looking to be stroked though and they are looking for food.

I just feel there is never a need for anyone to be so rude though - just a polite/friendly comment would have been fine! I think if horse owners are that stressed about it they should have an extra fence. Maybe the countryside alliance or someone like that could release a general poster advising the public about appropriate behaviour because I’ve seen a few homemade signs and they unfortunately always come across as really aggressive

I don’t think you did anything wrong by looking at the horses. That’s not unreasonable. It’s people who interact and feed them that are the problem. Looking and saying hello is generally fine (depends on the owner though I suppose)

There are multiple comments on here about how double fencing, electric fencing, signs and CTTV does nothing to prevent people feeding and interacting with horses.

The homemade signs coming across as aggressive are probably desperation for people to stop feeding the horses. If you’ve ever seen a horse unwell with laminitis or colic then you would completely understand the why some horse owners would be so desperate to stop feeding

Friend’s horse died recently (colic) after some fucking idiots fed her grass cuttings (despite the “please do not feed” signs)
Please, please don’t feed horses without owners permission

Giraffes

Yes I do, hence the reference to assumed hyperbole. But your post was pretty angry so tbh anything is possible 🤷🏻‍♀️

@WaltzingToWalsingham we’re on the same page

LovePoppy so something nice for the human to do outweighs health of the horse?!

No, obviously not. But saying hello to a horse over a fence does not, generally speaking, endanger its health. Could also point out that riding and driving horses (and I've done both) has the potential to result in discomfort or injury to horses, even when they are well cared for.

@Elisheva

But people don’t know that it’s not okay to feed a horse grass - if I hadn’t come across this thread I still wouldn’t know that it’s not okay. You can call me a moron all you like, but I don’t know what I don’t know. The image of horses that I have grown up with comes from fiction and the media. That horses like apples, carrots, grass, sugar lumps and polo mints. People are not trying to be cruel, or to hurt the horses. I couldn’t teach my children not to pick grass to feed the horse because I didn’t know myself. Now I know, I can share the information with them.

But even if you think horses are ok to eat grass… it’s not your horse to feed anything, at all!

That’s the frustrating part.

Children generally like eating chocolate. That doesn’t mean that people can feed random children chocolate just because they thought they liked to eat chocolate? You can’t give other people’s children food without asking their parents first. It’s the exact same logic with feeding other peoples horses.

@Gagaandgag

Not sure I agree. It’s a public right of way and we just stopped momentarily to let them look at us and sniff us really. We are totally responsible and I said stroke but we didn’t even really do that 🤣 I agree that most horses aren’t looking to be stroked though and they are looking for food.

I just feel there is never a need for anyone to be so rude though - just a polite/friendly comment would have been fine! I think if horse owners are that stressed about it they should have an extra fence. Maybe the countryside alliance or someone like that could release a general poster advising the public about appropriate behaviour because I’ve seen a few homemade signs and they unfortunately always come across as really aggressive

And how many times do you think horse owners might have tried the ‘polite comment ‘? I have , and have been threatened and told “go fuck yourself , you snotty cunt “ - more times than I could blink at . And you wonder why they get defensive . How many extra fences do you want , when THREE , two of which are electrified aren’t enough . When the signs saying “please don’t feed the horses because they will die “ are ignored ,and worse , ripped out ?

I don’t feel there’s a need for people to interfere with my pride and joy . And yet they do .

Those people who say it's ok to feed other peoples animals is it ok to feed other peoples children!
I don't have a child so can I go up to a child in a buggy lift it out and hug and kiss it and feed it chocolate and sweets!
Can I use your car without asking, go into your house and make a cup of tea!
I don't think so, so why should animals be any different. It's it's not yours don't touch, or ask first!

My aggression is in response to the unbelievably entitled posts at the beginning of this thread. I can’t believe it needs spelling out not to feed or touch an animal
That isn’t yours, but to be told it and given reasons and argue/ask why someone owns the animal if not for others is just…it’s beggars belief.

Sorry to hear this is your experience! Maybe I’m naive in not realising how out of order people can be but we wouldn’t behave like that personally. We just want to enjoy the countryside and respect it but I guess this woman in our village doesn’t know that.
Of course owners like yourself must get frustrated if things like that are happening

Giraffesandbottoms If you keep your horse next to a public footpath, and it is inclined to be sociable with people (as many are) then it is very likely that it is going to be interacting with the people walking past. Much the same as some cats like to be petted by strangers in the street.

@SoftSheen

Giraffesandbottoms If you keep your horse next to a public footpath, and it is inclined to be sociable with people (as many are) then it is very likely that it is going to be interacting with the people walking past. Much the same as some cats like to be petted by strangers in the street.

My neighbour's dog might like interacting, but that doesn't mean I'd go grab some chicken bones and feed them over the fence.

Because dogs eat bones, right? That's what all the kids' books say, isn't it?

Horses aren't just part of some "interactive country landscape" exhibit, no matter where they are in relation to the footpath.

gwenneh I don't think anyone on this thread is trying to defend people feeding horses inappropriate items, certainly not me.

But even if you think horses are ok to eat grass… it’s not your horse to feed anything, at all!
Yes, I understand that. But my point in that, up until now I thought it was perfectly fine to stroke a horse’s nose and offer it a handful of grass, because no one has ever told me differently. It’s a bit like feeding hedgehogs milk and bread, until they ran the information campaign people thought they were doing the right thing.

This reminds me of a friend (also a horse owner) who used to give horses polo mints, I wouldn't do that as the teeth look too big but its odd that she so freely fed another persons horse a polo.

gwenneh Horses aren't just part of some "interactive country landscape" exhibit, no matter where they are in relation to the footpath.

Of course not! No-one is suggesting they are.

I don’t think people have any concept, no matter how much it’s drummed into them, that this genuinely causes deaths and major illness for these horses. I lost my last horse to colic. We had a horse on deaths door, flat out, laboured breathing with colic last week.. miraculously he survived somehow. My horse can be out in the field for an hour extra or slightly richer grass comes through then he will come in from the field very warm and swishing his tail and I just know it’s very quickly going to escalate into full blown colic 🤦🏼‍♀️ Just sooo glad my horse isn’t anywhere near a public path that someone can feed him!

@SoftSheen

gwenneh Horses aren't just part of some "interactive country landscape" exhibit, no matter where they are in relation to the footpath.

Of course not! No-one is suggesting they are.

And yet not very far back in the thread we've had the argument that "I didn't KNOW it was an inappropriate thing to feed a horse!" and "well they're close to the footpath and come over, so..."

Also.. people who’s houses back onto fields thinking they can empty their lawnmower into the horses field constantly.. Freshly cut grass is one of the worst things for them 🤦🏼‍♀️

@Sarah13xx

Also.. people who’s houses back onto fields thinking they can empty their lawnmower into the horses field constantly.. Freshly cut grass is one of the worst things for them 🤦🏼‍♀️

Oh no! That's what caused the death of one of my aunt's horses.