FFS DONT feed horses in fields !!

[Thoroughbred5]

Honestly it blows my mind that this is still a problem but it is. Just wanted to post since it’s coming into nicer weather and more people will be out and about.

caught 3 separate families over the weekend feeding my horse treats when he was out in his field. I spoke to each and 2 were clearly annoyed but did stop, the third just threw their apples and other treats into the field anyway. We have signs, CCTV, double fencing, we have everything. Every summer is the bloody same- people feeding the horses.

DONT feed other people’s horses or ponies. Firstly, nobody is entitled to feed another persons animal. Secondly, you have no idea what that horses specific diet is. Would you be happy to pay for my horses laminitis bill? Or colic? And honestly, it’s best not to feed handfuls of grass either. It doesn’t matter that the horse is in a field full of grass. Feeding horses by hand in the field can cause jealousy amongst the herd and can cause horses to become nippy and bolshy towards people at fences and gates

It’s only may and already it’s a problem. I love the summer but I’m fed up of worrying if my horse is safe in his own field. Anyone else in the same position? And if your reading this and you’re one of the people who feed other people’s horses, please just fucking stop

I agree.

Horse owners should just pop a dome over their fields. Any dome-less owners deserve to have their horses killed for being so lazy.

/Sarcasm

People did complain about it. You can say hello and admire the animal without feeding it. It doesn’t exist for your entertainment unless you plan to chip in for the hundreds or thousands of pounds in vets bills you might incur by feeding them.
im in no way rich, my horses were cheaper than most peoples dogs to buy and I scrimp to afford their care going without a great deal of other things to afford them. So when someone hurts them because ‘they can’t afford a horse’ I say neither can I! And I then have to maybe put my horse to sleep if I can’t afford the veterinary treatment they’ll need because you can’t keep your hands to yourself!

@Vanessasbag The reason why horse owners probably complained less in the past is because people probably had more manners than to feed other people's animals. I was always taught never to feed or touch other people's animals without permission. WE are not the entitled ones, YOU are, by thinking you have any right to tell someone how YOU will treat THEIR animal! One of my ponies nearly died last year because a family of holiday makers staying in the area fed him grass cuttings, despite me asking them not to and explaining why and despite me offering to bring him in and introduce him to the kids in a safe way and let them pet him. But it wasn't good enough for them, they wanted to do what they wanted with him, when they wanted. And he nearly died a very painful death! After this incident, I have no more patience or kindness left for the general public. Keep your hands to yourself! Lots of people have things I can't afford, I don't feel entitled to them anyway.

If people choose to interact with an animal without the owners permission then the least they have is responsibility to educate themselves on that animal and not make it unwell and put it at risk.

I mean people don't really have the right to interact with an animal that they don't own at all, without permission, but if they decide to then they are taking on that responsibility.

Don't want to learn about 'equine cuisine' or more specifically horse management and the many issues and complications that can arise from them being fed stuff they shouldn't have? Or even stuff they can have, but by someone who isn't their owner and without the owners knowledge -
Then the answer is simple don't feed them!

It's not like horse owners are asking for you to do something for their benefit, or even the animals benefit, they're asking for you to be passive, not do anything other than look if you want to and carry on with your walk or whatever you're doing.

And horse owners do put measures in place to stop it happening, double fencing, signs, moving them away from public footpaths if possible, but people insist that they have a right to do what they want regardless and as we have seen on this thread are trying their damnedest to circumnavigate those measures - why don't those people bear some of the responsibility as it's them that's causing the issue?! Honestly some people will do anything to ensure that they never have to take any responsibility for their own actions.

I'd like to see that when a horse is fed by someone without permission, despite measures put in place to prevent it, it can be classed as criminal damage.

Better the horse owners protect their own horses more and put preventative measures in place.

Let's say you had a hippo (a river horse) but children at the zoo kept feeding it lemons. After putting "no lemons please!" posters up, and a sign on the dangers of lemons, the sensible thing would be to move the hippo away so the public couldn't feed it lemons even if they wanted.

@ChedderGorgeous , who the f* would feed a hippo lemons?

Better the horse owners protect their own horses more and put preventative measures in place.

The op already has "signs, CCTV, double fencing, we have everything"

Exactly! Best not run the risk and find out !

Someone has never been to a zoo.

I've seen you there with your lemons. So bitter !

And then the idiots public would complain that they couldn't see the hippos. 🙄

Horses live in fields, same as cows and sheep. No one should be feeding these animals apart from their owners. It's just common sense. That's what petting zoo are for, not the country side.

If they didn't want me to feed the hippos lemons, they'd put up a lemon-proof barrier 🦛🍋

I do not get why so many people find this such a complex issue. This is a really simple issue:

If an animal belong to you, feed it.

If an animal does not belong to you, do not feed it.

What else needs to be said?

That sour turn of events is what happened! Money raised through lemon aid campaign

You really are quite ridiculous and trying to wind people up.

Fields, walks and the countryside in general should be able to be enjoyed by everyone but here you are advocating that rather than do so passively and without causing harm, we restrict more of it off because some people can't possibly not put the animals that live there at risk for their own entertainment.

There's space for everyone to coexist with a bit of cooperation and a bit less entitlement.

My horse was on fully private land, he died last summer, it was an emergency and unfortunately he had to stay in the field overnight until he could be collected the next day. He was out the way and covered up but the farm owner got a complaint because someone decided that they could climb the locked gate and get through the electric fencing to 'look for the horses' they found one dead, and decided to see what was under the pinned down tarp. A horse that's been shot isn't a pretty sight.

They complained that it upset their children. Well shit like this happens at farms and around animals but maybe you think I should have left him suffering in agony overnight until the transporter could attend to save poor people who should never have been there and had no right being there, nevermind unwrapping his body, their feelings?

Whichever way you dress it up, it's not acceptable to put other people's animals at risk - especially when people like you seem to want to do it to prove some kind of ridiculous point.

Grow up.

Hear,hear.

@Maverickess , so sorry for your loss.

The reason why horse owners probably complained less in the past is because people probably had more manners than to feed other people's animals

Not sure this is true. I fell down a rabbit hole a while ago of looking at old cine. camera footage from zoos in the 1960s and 70s. It was astounding to see the crap the public were feeding willy-nilly to the animals - ice creams to giraffes, chocolate bars to elephants. Tooth decay was a major issue for zoo animals due to them being fed sugary things.

Lock up your horses to avoid others feeding them ! Can't get any simpler for you.

Apart from the fact that horses are grazing animals and for their mental welfare should be out in fields?
So we should subject them to being locked up in stables 24/7 because some people can't be trusted not to touch something that doesn't belong to them?
World Horse Welfare/RSPCA would seize any horse that was kept locked up.

Why are you unable to grasp the point @Malarandras said:

If an animal belongs to you, feed it.

If an animal does not belong to you, do not feed it.

I think you are being deliberately obtuse. You just need adequate open space for the horses that is secure enough that the public can't feed them at the side of the fence. If you can't provide this it's likely you won't be able to ensure the horse's dietary welfare and should reconsider if you should own horses at all, for the horse's sake.

🤣🤣 Most people keep their horses on livery yards which are run by other people. We therefore have no control over fencing/fields etc.

Every comment you make cements the obvious fact that you know nothing about horses or indeed the countryside.

Odfod back under your bridge