How do I stop people feeding my ponies?

Fairytale

Fairytale

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I realise its virtually impossible to stop people/walkers feeding horses titbits over the fence but I have one persistent offender who actually goes into the field to feed my ponies.

The field has 6’ deer fencing with a double strand electric fence about 4’ inside of that but his bloke climbs over the deer fence and through the electric fence to feed the ponies. I have asked nicely, then told him firmly, not to climb the fence and enter the property and not to feed the ponies (especially as one is under strict veterinary dietary supervision and prone to bouts of choke). His response is that he can’t reach them because of the fencing and the comment “well I won’t feed them then”….his attitude being that I am the unreasonable one not wanting him to feed my ponies, but he still climbs the fence into the field.

He has been told by my very well meaning neighbours as well that he is trespassing and that the ponies don’t need feeding titbits but still he persists in doing it.

Any ideas how I can stop him at least entering the property – bearing in mind that I am at work all day when he usually puts in an appearance?

A frustrated Fairtytale
 
police then. he is trespassing, and god knows what would happen if one of the horses kicked/bit him. maybe put a sign up saying CCTV in operation? don't know how effective that would be. at the end of the day if your horse is on a strict diet because of choke, this man could make him really ill.

can't believe he just randomly walks in despite being told loads of times not to...what an idiot :mad:
 
Gosh that's a difficult one as you have already mentioned dietary advice from the vet.

Perhaps he needs shock trestment. On a day when you know he has been in and fed them, can you take one horse away somewhere else for a week, and tell him that it has had to go to the Horse hospital because of colic or choke and explain how it has been caused, explain how dangerous it is and how the horse's life is hanging in the balance. After a week put the horse back and tell him although it was touch and go this time the horse is ok, but next time may not be and is he willing to continue feeding and risk the horse's life?

failing that, give him a bale of hay and ask him to put it over the fence each day, at least them he is giving them something they may need and is harmless.
 
Fight fire with fire, I say :D Take a day off work and wait for him. Follow him home so that you know where he lives and then you can persistently feed any animals he has!! Failing that, keep delivering some horse muck to his house on a regular basis to "thank him" for feeding your ponies.
 
I'd ring the police- there must be a limit on "Polite Notices".
Buy a "Trespassers will be prosecuted" sign and then call police when you see him in field
 
I has the same problem and my one horse nearly died because they fed him painkillers!!!! - they have since moved - but i still had trouble with people feeding my baby so he is very nippy so i put up this sign

Please do not feed these horses

no carrots
no apples
no mints...

Youwill be held liable for vet fees

CCTV in operation - i have two dummycameras :)

And its worked i also had people not cleaning up after there dog and since this sign went up no dog poo either :)
 
Thanks for the swift replies!

I'd thought of signs and will be putting a few up very shortly; and also thought of following him as Rosie suggests and sitting in his garden feeding his ruddy goldfish or whatever and see how he likes it.

Catwithclaws; they are most unlikely to hurt anyone as only tiddlers at 34" and they love everyone!

Main problem being of course that I am not often there when he rocks up - I havent actually seen him for a few weeks now but the neighbours told me last night that they had approached him again earlier this week.

I may speak to our local ELO to see if she can suggest anything, failing which I will have to organise a stake out rapidly followed by a stalking session!
 
What a twit!: :mad:

Why on earth would he carry on feeding them when you have asked him not to.

Would you go in to his horse and feed his children? :D

We need to get you an aggressive horse that bites kick's and spits lol!

Errrmmmm 1O foot brick wall!

Jet wash on him as he puts his hand in pocket for carrot’s: cool:

Warning these horse's have contagious disease and humans will die if infected.

Seriously this guy as isues he must be one of those fat feeder's imagine the size off his wife.:eek:

If i was in same situation as you i would go mad because my boy is on a serious diet because he is such a good doer:(


All else fails long lungeing whip in his face hide behind bush and wait for him:D
 
Haha ... if it was me:

Big (and I mean big) threatening sign saying something about police/cameras dont be polite, stupid man wont listen!

Failing that I'd leave my rottweiler to wait for him - perhaps he may think twice then ...
 
We had similar, we asked nicely, told him the pony in the lami paddock was his fault, one got mild colic & he still wouldn't stop. Eventually friends dad followed him home & went back with a barrow load of muck & tipped it on his garden saying he was feeding the lawn & would continue to do so. Put a halt to it straight away!
 
Since you have an electric fence as well as the deer fence could you smear vandal grease/paint all over the deer fence? Might stop him climbing in ;)
 
littlelegs said:
We had similar, we asked nicely, told him the pony in the lami paddock was his fault, one got mild colic & he still wouldn't stop. Eventually friends dad followed him home & went back with a barrow load of muck & tipped it on his garden saying he was feeding the lawn & would continue to do so. Put a halt to it straight away!
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I like this ^^^^^ :D
 
Jake10 said:
Since you have an electric fence as well as the deer fence could you smear vandal grease/paint all over the deer fence? Might stop him climbing in ;)
Click to expand...

Like this idea but not sure where he is climbing in and there's a lot of deer fence! It also borders a public footpath so gets 'handled' by a lot of innocent individuals :cool:

Think I will put up notices and have a word with the local police (although they have just closed the station) and the ELO to start with and see where that gets us.

Thanks for your input folks, much appreciated.

F
 
I would write a letter an leave it with the neighbours. If they are kind enough to pass it onto the man wheb they see him next. In the letter I would explain all about Lami and choke and why you don't want your Horses being fed sugary treats and need to monitor what they are being fed. To end it I would say " if you would be so kind to leave me your address, so I know where to send the vets bills"
 
jinglejoys said:
Send him the Vets bill!:)
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LaurenBay said:
I would write a letter an leave it with the neighbours. If they are kind enough to pass it onto the man wheb they see him next. In the letter I would explain all about Lami and choke and why you don't want your Horses being fed sugary treats and need to monitor what they are being fed. To end it I would say " if you would be so kind to leave me your address, so I know where to send the vets bills"
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Deffinatly agree with this!! You could also get a letter sent via recorded delivery and give him a warning,if he doesnt stop you will be taking further action against him,as well as the vet bills incurred. He will soon stop.CAB might help and send you to see someone who is legal and they could send a letter for you. Don't think he will bother after that.

Someone was feeding my two and I went off on one and the man who rents the field told her too.She then had the cheek to say that basically the man who owns the field took better care of them than I did,the cheeky mare,then she wondered why I refused to talk to her after that.She complained to the man that I wouldnt talk to her and he told her I was annoyed that she had said that about me and she shouldnt be feeding my two. Doesnt know the 1st thing about horses.She tried to get out of it ha ha!!! Had no bother since.Nobody feeds them now unless I say they can.

You could put up dummy cameras theyre cheap from ebay,I got 2.
 
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littlelegs said:
We had similar, we asked nicely, told him the pony in the lami paddock was his fault, one got mild colic & he still wouldn't stop. Eventually friends dad followed him home & went back with a barrow load of muck & tipped it on his garden saying he was feeding the lawn & would continue to do so. Put a halt to it straight away!
Click to expand...




Love This :p

You could put it a jiffy bag, and write on the front "Heres your food back":eek:
 
A letter on the Vet's headed notepaper about the dangers should do it.

Though I like the feeding the lawn idea better :D
 
He took round far more than would fill a jiffy bag, it was literally a barrow full in the back of a pick up. It had gone on for weeks though & we'd tried almost every nice way of dealing with it, even told him if he came up to the stables we'd let him feed one of them by hand but still wouldn't listen. Friends dad was the one that footed the bill after hers ate a carrier bag of bread hence being very angry!
 
Don't bother calling the police, trespass under these circumstances is a civil offence & the police will not want to get involved.

You, together with your neighbours, need to keep records of when the man comes & feeds the horses. You also need to note when he has been spoken to by you or a neighbour regarding his behavior. Additionally you could do with a few photos of him actually trespassing & Feeding your horses. Make sure you have signs displayed clearly & in plain english saying 'Do Not Feed The Horses' & Private Land keep out or similar.

You will need to find out where he lives & once you have this information go to a solicitor with the information & your gathered evidence & hopefully a simple solicitors letter with the threat of legal action if he does not take heed will eliminate the problem.

Putting up false signs, leaving muck on his driveway etc achieves nothing & may actually get you into trouble, it's just not worth doing.
 
I'll lend you knobberpony if you like.If she sees even a rambler in her field,even if she isn't in the same field at the time,she has an expression on her face like someone has just farted.And she can bite.
 
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