Feeding horses in the field

[welshcobabe]

Right I never do, mine are brought in every night all year round. However you have 8 horses in a field. Two folks who I think are just plain lazy go in with buckets to feed their individual horses. They then get cross when the other horses take an interest in the food. They then proceed to shout, chuck mud etc to keep other horses away. Then in the mayhem another horse gets kicked. Ono of these folk is now having a go at the owner of the horse that kicked out. Mine were not in the field and just think it bad management and all their own fault for been in a field with a feed bucket anyway. How much would it have taken to take up a headcoller and feed outside the field, which by the way is an enclosed green lane to the farm so quite safe. Is it me or do some folk not have the sence they were born with, or is it just shear lazyness.

 

[Mellymoo1]

How ridiculous - some people shouldn't be allowed to keep horses... I would be extremely angry if they had thrown mud at my horse because of their own stupidity.

Can you speak to your YO about it?

 

[1928sky]

That is dangerous not just for all the horses but for them as well- I wouldn't walk in a field of horses with a bucket of food! You need to get this sorted, whoever is in charge needs to tell these people that this is unacceptable behaviour and if they continue to ignore the warning then they need to be got rid of before one of the horses ends up with a broken leg. Probably a mixture of both- pure stupidness and laziness.

 

[AmyMay]

Think your YO needs to get a grip and stop this sort of thing happening pdq. This is just the kind of situation where serious injuries happen - to both horse and person.

It becomes very stressful for the horses, and people involved. How totally irresponsible and stupid.

 

[the watcher]

I agree it is silly and dangerous..I don't have a problem with feeding in the field - I have done it on occasion..but all mine get fed at the same time and there are no other horses in the field, and they get their buckets in a very specific order to prevent fighting

 

[Chex]

I would be so angry if someone was feeding in the field and chasing and scaring Chex off! I do feed in the field sometimes, but he's just in with one other mare who doesn't even bother to come across and see whats going on.

 

[filly190]

Firstly you are being very sensible by bringing yours in, but it is'nt safe guarding them when the others are being such idiots.

I would be extremely cross about this siutation and would be hopping mad at them.

The YO needs to sort it out because there is a major accident, something you are clearly aware of.

I think I would be tempted to ask for a seperate field or consider moving if the matter can not be resolved.

I feel very sorry for you, because it is clearly not your fault and out of your hands some what.

Good luck with trying to deal with it.

I thought of another small solution, that might be workable. What about making a feeding pen, using electric fencing so that who ever insists on feeding in the field can bring their horse into the pen to keep the safety issue at bay. That would like half an hour to put up and need not be to big, just enough to keep human and animal safe.

That way, you are meeting everyone half way.

 

[evsj]

You are so right to be angry - I would be livid! Have fed horse out in field but only when she was first to go out and on her own. Get your YO to sort these people out - they may just be plain ignorant (as well as stupid) and need educating. We set up a pen at one of my yards but I still think it is a little unfair to feed in front of others.

 

[wizzi901]

If it is all your own horses that is one thing, but mixed horses!!!

I have fed ours in the field when renting private land, they soon got used to the order that their buckets came in and we placed them in the same place each time, it was heavily supervised but after a couple of days they did "get it" in the end, that was with a couple of very dominant geldings.

However, mixed owners horses in a field fed by YO, NO NO NO!!!

 

[metalmare]

We used to give hay in the field but always more piles than there were horses. But we always used to take them out for their hard feed.

 

[Heidi1]

Stupid, irresponsible, lazy and down right dangerous.
I have fed mine in the field, but they are all out together and no other horses with them and get fed in a set order, so no kicking or fighting.
You really do need to get this sorted.......

 

[Dogbetty141]

[ QUOTE ]
How ridiculous - some people shouldn't be allowed to keep horses... I would be extremely angry if they had thrown mud at my horse because of their own stupidity.

Can you speak to your YO about it?

[/ QUOTE ]

I completley agree with you. I think you should have to pass a test lol that would be good but not really likely hey??

x

 

[Enfys]

It's just plain inconsiderate and dangerous, not to mention stupid, to feed some in a field and not others. One of our WRITTEN IN STONE rules at my last yard was that horses were to be taken out to be bucket fed, even if it was just outside the gate. If someone had tried to feed one while my old horse was in the same field there would have been bloodshed.

Your YO needs to stamp on this quickly, it's a huge safety issue, and if someone does gets injured she will be held responsible if there isn't a yard rule about it covering her own back.

I feed inside purely because I want my horses (who are all new to me) to realise that going in a stall doesn't just mean worktime.

Once again though, it's horses for courses, what you do on a public yard isn't always what you do on your own private property. Bringing in 3 or 4 is fine, what if you have lots though?

 

[RobinHood]

That is ridiculous! I feel so sorry for you as it is highly likely that one of your horses will be injured as a result of this lazy and irresponsible behaviour. My YO won't even allow people to take feed scoops to catch their horses as it is just too dangerous.

My 5 boys are in a field of their own and we feed them in their very evening but they are completely used to it. They are perfectly happy to share buckets and I generally give up making each horse eat their 'own' feed. However there is absolutely no way that I would want to feed a horse in a field where they weren't all being fed at the same time.

I still can't believe those people are doing that it's just so dangerous.

 

[annaellie]

I have fed in the field before but only when my horse was the only one in there My gelding was a kicker and also charged people coming in field. Most of the liverys got togeather and went to yo demanding he got stoped going in the field she had to listen and sorted it out by giving me the field overnight for him and if I wanted my other horses so maybe thats an option a group asking your yo to get the 1s who doing it to stop. Needless to say tho there was a few who then complained my horses were getting longer out than every1 elses and having a field all on there own and they then wanted it.

 

[MagicMelon]

I feed mine in the field, but then they're all my own horses and they all get fed at the same time! This is stupid, you simply cant feed some and not others in a field. And to then blame someone else when their horse is kicked. Idiots.

 

[Theresa_F]

I feed in the field - but there are only my two in and they share happily. I have done with others, but they were all fed at the same time and were easy going.

When Cairo was in the field with another horse, the owner fed hers. I was not upset, but did ask her to always give him a handful of either her food or take some of my chaff and she did this when she fed hers. Cairo is not the sort to go over and try to get another horse's feed as he is a wimp.

However, had it been my WB mare, there would have been a big fight and I would have been very angry if she had fed in the field.

In a big mixed field it is stupid and dangerous to feed as they are and I would be livid if someone did this. Taking outside the gate is not a big deal in the terms of safety for other people's horses.

 

[Tia]

Oh my! That is such a silly thing to do. It's a wonder they haven't been seriously injured.

I run decent sized herds here on my farm and I even ask the boarders not to give treats in the field and none of mine would be stupid enough to feed in the field - not that they need to anyway as I feed all the horses. Feed times here are everyone is fed at the same time by me, all are in their fields and they all know what order they are fed in. They are pretty quirky as they all stand by their post waiting for dinner. We don't have any squabbles as they are in a routine.

Anyone who wanted to feed their horses individually within any of the fields would be taking their life in their hands!