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 am afraid of horses. They appear enormous to me, and as this thread confirms, can be unpredictable and may bite or kick if they feel inclined to.
We have some lovely countryside walks and many public footpaths. Unfortunately, many of the public footpaths run through the fields that horse owners graze their horses in.
Those horse owners have asked people not to feed or touch their horses, as is their right, but non horsey people dont know how to manage when the horses nudge them and approach them.
If I was to use those footpaths, I suppose I would just keep walking but the horses are still touching the person, nudging and walking across the field with them.
I have chosen not to walk on any footpaths that go through a field with horses in, because I dont know how to make sure horses stay away from me. I dont want them walking near me. They frighten me. I dont want horses touching me or nudging me.
Seems horse owners dont want people touching or feeding their horses.
Perhaps people should simply stay out of all fields where horses graze, whether there's a public right of way or not?
That's my suggestion anyway and it works for me.

We have horses in the field that boarders our garden. Genuine question, why does feeding them make them ill?

gwenneh Other posters feel that stopping to have a quiet chat with a horse that has approached you, and maybe giving them a neck rub, is completely unacceptable (I disagree). No-one is suggesting that it's OK to feed horses lawnmower cuttings or enter their field to have a picnic.

@Giraffesandbottoms

Ffs you shouldn’t be sharing a moment WITH SOMEONE ELSE’S PET. Honestly wtf

Wow what a strange attitude to have. When someone shows my pet attention and gets joy from them it makes me happy.

@HeArInGhandsgirl11

We have horses in the field that boarders our garden. Genuine question, why does feeding them make them ill?

Have a read through this thread and you’ll find the answers, quite a few people have given various explanations.

@SoftSheen

gwenneh Other posters feel that stopping to have a quiet chat with a horse that has approached you, and maybe giving them a neck rub, is completely unacceptable (I disagree). No-one is suggesting that it's OK to feed horses lawnmower cuttings or enter their field to have a picnic.

It's no more OK than it would be to pet a strange dog without their owner present.

You have no idea if the animal is aggressive, how easily startled they are, whether or not they bite or kick, etc.

Our local Welsh cob breeder allows people to walk their dogs (on leads) in his fields. There are often horses in the fields. They usually ignore us but sometimes do follow us en masse and have got quite nudgy at times. Now I’m wondering if people are feeding them and teaching them bad habits!

We didn't know a few years ago and I guess Lee lockdown wasn't such an issue as very few people walked by the fields where the horses near my house are. But during lockdown they put signs up and since then we haven't fed the horses. Genuinely didn't know before (well it wasn't me, it was my daughter who went horse riding so I thought she would know).

I have to say, the thing that infuriated me is when people don’t keep their dogs on leads and let the dogs approach the ponies. Bloody dangerous for everyone, especially the dog.

@HeArInGhandsgirl11

We have horses in the field that boarders our garden. Genuine question, why does feeding them make them ill?

Genuine answer - several reasons .

1. Horses don’t vomit . They are physically unable to do so . So if you feed them something like bread / potatoes/ or even carrots or apples , if they get stuck , they stay there until the animal chokes to death, or it moves . It’s terrifying for horse and owners .

1. Some horses have a lifelong condition where they cannot have much sugar , or protein , or rich food , because of the way it affects their metabolism. It can cause a disease called laminitis , related to insulin levels , which can cause the membrane inside the hoof to become separated from the inner wall of the hoof . It can cause small bones inside the foot to rotate , sometimes to a degree where it comes out through the sole . Imagine that happening to your feet . It’s irreversible , and in its worst scenarios , it’s a death sentence . Carrots and apples ? Full of sugar . It can be started by the minutest amount , and requires constant and careful supervision , often costing no small amount of money .

1. If you feed grass cuttings , there’s a real risk of botulism , caused when the cuttings heat up when in a pile , and then some well meaning soul feeds them .

They’re actually not as robust creatures as you would think .

@HeArInGhandsgirl11

We have horses in the field that boarders our garden. Genuine question, why does feeding them make them ill?

Horses, despite appearances, are actually quite delicate creatures that can suffer with numerous digestive issues and diseases relating to too much sugar in both grass and other feeds. Lots of horses and ponies are kept on restricted diets and grazing, some on starvation paddocks which have no grass (these horses are fed soaked or steamed hay in managed amounts and sometimes hard feed to balance the lack of grazing). Laminitis and EMS are some of the more common conditions that will need a carefully managed diet, also gastric ulcers. If you ever saw a horse suffering acute laminitis or colic you would understand - both horrifically agonising. Horses cannot vomit so anything that goes down stays down. Feeding over the fence or gate can also cause bad behaviour such as biting, nipping and barging and can cause issues with field dynamics and the pecking order. Choke is also a thing, a pony on the livery yard died from a wodge of food stuck in his windpipe. Its really best to just admire them and leave the food well alone and for the owner to manage. It may seem kind and I'm sure always well intentioned, but it's never a good idea or well received.

We had a foal running with it's mum and uncles in a paddock for a while and had people allow very small children to run into the paddock to try to pat the foal. I have raced up there to ask the kids to leave, explaining the not so small foal will kick out when she gets excited. There isn't much coming back to normal from a kick to the head.

I have had the same children enter a paddock where we kept our bull. No parent in sight, she was too busy entertaining the latest BF. Had to telephone her to get the kids out quickly.

Far out!

I didn’t know that it wasn’t good to feed a horse some grass before reading a thread on here a few years ago.

My experience of horses is very limited, and when I was taken into the countryside as a little girl my parents showed me how to feed a horse some grass with my hand flat.

I always thought it was a nice experience for all involved, and the horse in question would enjoy the friendly attention.

Now I know it can be harmful, I won’t do it again.

But Jesus Christ, some of the comments from you ‘horsey’ people on this thread are beyond ridiculous. Just because something is obvious to you, it isn’t obvious to everyone else. It doesn’t make you clever and the other people stupid.

The ‘hope you get your fingers bitten off, just kidding (but not really)’ woman is the worst, but the rest of you aren’t far behind.

@Jenasaurus I was about to ask this. I was always taught by my parents (who had horses) to feed horses Polo mints. Is that a bad thing? Please be kind I am ignorant and wish to know.

That was a very quick and basic explanation, any horse owner will tell you feeding is complex, laminitis is a bugger to figure out and debated frequently (with issues like frost and spring grass and grass that's too short etc etc).

Actually, I take that last comment back, there have been some very patient and insightful comments from horse owners.

It's the same thing with grass clippings for cows too. It needs to be spread right out (if you have permission to do it at all) and not dumped in a pile.

I'm currently dealing with this issue on a lease block where the Gent mowing the grass has no idea the landowner doesn't own the cattle.

And the landowner wasn't too keen on being told that I didn't appreciate not being consulted to begin with.

Seems that any horse enclosure that borders a public path, the landowner should take steps to keep their animals safe and away from the public.

They've paid thousands for the land, thousands for the animal, a few hundred on a secondary inner fence along the public border seems the best option.

[quote Winegumsarewine]@Jenasaurus I was about to ask this. I was always taught by my parents (who had horses) to feed horses Polo mints. Is that a bad thing? Please be kind I am ignorant and wish to know.[/quote]
On the yard we don't "treat" over stable doors and gates as it causes bad manners. We avoid polo's as they have no nutritional value. The odd one isn't going to be a disaster, but we don't as habit. I'm sure you will find owners who are happy to do otherwise, but most I know keep treats to a minimum (like you do with kids!) and try to stick to a nutritionally balanced diet. Its fine not to know as long as you don't just feed horses without asking first! I completely understand not knowing, it just frustrates owners when you put up signs and they are ignored -even ones with explanations on diet and disease.

Grass from outside of the fence may also have something nasty on it- weedkiller, for example. I saw someone cross the road to pick big handfuls of the long grass there only the council had been round a bit earlier and sprayed it!

Ffs you shouldn’t be sharing a moment WITH SOMEONE ELSE’S PET. Honestly wtf

Sorry, unless you can keep said pet far enough away from public right of ways you need to be more present. I agree no feeding, but you maybe need to think if it's fair to own a pet you can't protect. (I agree that's impossible but the comment re sharing a moment was just ridiculous and slightly self important)

This tread opens up a whole can of worms about how people should interact with animals/pets in general! Respect and responsible behaviour should always be key but sadly it won’t always be that way. So I can see why horse owners will get defensive.

It’s also about education (I grew up with my parents ripping handfuls of grass and encouraging me to feed horses! But only as an adult with my own children did I assess if this was the right thing to do)

I have worked with dogs and cats myself so I feel confident being around them and teaching my children how to behave with them. I have sadly seen many children approach/behave around them unsafely.

Someone further up said that you shouldn’t feed ducks/birds but our local nature reserve which is run by the wildlife trust sells food for ducks/birds and actively encourages people to feed them.

My children just gently throw the food at a respectable distance. However we have seen people hand feeding birds including huge swans! (With their children right there in pushchairs at face pecking level 🤦🏼‍♀️)
Then these swans terrify other children because they have got over confident and don’t understand boundaries.

I think this thread has revealed that with regard to horses and appropriate behaviour around them too much is put on the owners who are stressed about it - there really should be a public campaign (like the hedgehog and milk etc) to educate the general public! And then a generic poster which can be downloaded and if people see the same one regularly they might respect it a bit more?

Thread

@Gagaandgag

This tread opens up a whole can of worms about how people should interact with animals/pets in general! Respect and responsible behaviour should always be key but sadly it won’t always be that way. So I can see why horse owners will get defensive.

It’s also about education (I grew up with my parents ripping handfuls of grass and encouraging me to feed horses! But only as an adult with my own children did I assess if this was the right thing to do)

I have worked with dogs and cats myself so I feel confident being around them and teaching my children how to behave with them. I have sadly seen many children approach/behave around them unsafely.

Someone further up said that you shouldn’t feed ducks/birds but our local nature reserve which is run by the wildlife trust sells food for ducks/birds and actively encourages people to feed them.

My children just gently throw the food at a respectable distance. However we have seen people hand feeding birds including huge swans! (With their children right there in pushchairs at face pecking level 🤦🏼‍♀️)
Then these swans terrify other children because they have got over confident and don’t understand boundaries.

I think this thread has revealed that with regard to horses and appropriate behaviour around them too much is put on the owners who are stressed about it - there really should be a public campaign (like the hedgehog and milk etc) to educate the general public! And then a generic poster which can be downloaded and if people see the same one regularly they might respect it a bit more?

www.bhs.org.uk/our-work/welfare/our-campaigns/be-horse-aware The BHS do have signs to download for free. Sadly they do tend to go ignored by some!

Here is one of the BHS posters we had -I ended up changing it for one saying that the horses bite as some people were still ignoring!