People feeding treats to horses

No one should be feeding other peoples' horses without permission - ever. Not because I am opposed to feeding treats but that's potentially quite problematic for some horses' health. For instance, I know a pony with equine metabolic syndrome. It's pretty similar to diabetes. Giving him a sugary treat could lead to inflammation and a recurrence of laminitis.
 
Ned gets treats, for rewards or just because. He's never bitten anyone and doesn't seek them out unless I'm being slow at getting a polo out of my pocket! Even then he just noses my arm.

However, I have looked after horses that I would NEVER feed anything from my hand, or anything but their dinner/haynet. One in particular that a livery was treating and he get very nasty over the door. We tried telling her, but she NEVER listened :\ we even mentioned it to the YO and she didn't stop! I quit soon after, it wasn't the main reason, but one of many.

My little Shetland never got treats from my hand either, but since I gave Ned treats, I would throw a carrot/apple slice for him and then give one to Ned by hand. He would get very bitey, very easily.
 
never. I hate animals only thinking I'm food so I generally try not to feed them anything other than their set meals. I'm cruella :)
 
I do give my own ponies treats but I am careful of what they get and when (old mare has several allergies, youngster only gets her treats off the floor) so I would be fuming if anyone else was feeding them and likewise I would never feed anyone else's horse unless asked to. It doesn't happen on our yard, people generally don't interfere with each others horses, but a new livery has put her sign on her laminitic pony's door asking that no one feed it due to health problems which gives her extra peace of mind. I would be getting a sign put up quick OP.
 
Sign has gone up lets see what happens! I found reminents of digestive biscuits near his stable, im hoping shes not been feeding him them!!!!
 
I would never feed another persons horse anything without asking permission first. Even if I know they are likely to say yes, I would still ask (normally if I've found a bit of carrot etc in my pocket).

I'm well known on my yard for not giveing my own treats, and the rare times I do, it goes into their bucket unless I'm doing stretches. I've often said to people "not for mine" if they've come round with carrots or hard bread etc.

Not surprisingly you can tell which horses are often given treats on my yard. While some people think it's "cute" that their horse/pony roots around in their pockets, I prefer to be unmolested, especially by my youngster who hasn't yet realised just how big/strong he is!
 
I don't mind people giving my horse a treat now and then.
There was one livery who treated my horse regularly and it showed. As soon as she turned up, my horse raced over to her, my horse would bite her field companion and she tried to mug me. I explained this to the livery who stopped treating my horse and I got my friendly horse back.

I can treat my horses every day and don't get mugging behaviour from them, because I still expect them to maintain their distance etc.
 
I give my own horse treats but would never want anyone else doing so unless they asked first, ditto I wouldn't think of giving their horse a treat either! It annoyed me last week as clearly a kind farmer had chucked some turnips over the fence into my horses field. I'm sure he was being kind but they're full of sugar and one of them is lami-prone (and the other doesn't need anymore rocket fuel when ridden!).
 
Its bad manners to treat others horses, so no, never would without permission and NEVER over the door. If the OH wants to give mine a sugar free herby treat, he must first go in with the pony, he must step back, and he must stand quietly before he gets the treat.
 
Carrots&Mints said:
Do you allow people to feed your horses tit bits / treats?

M is becoming more nippy as of late, hes been on box rest for nearly 5 weeks so was thinking this was the cause of it, but the other day a friend caught a new livery feeding him treats. She said something to new livery and new livery replied oh i come down every morning to feed him. :eek: Ive not met new livery yet shes been up about 3 weeks now. Im thinking this is the reason why hes becoming nippy and not the box rest.

Im thinking of putting a small sign up on his door saying no treats hoping this will deter them from feeding him.

Hes a section d and a cocky one at that its took yonks to get him to be polite and behave, dont want all my hard work ruined lol!
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Just no unless the owner gives you permission don't do it and even then... treats from your hand BAD treats from a bucket with feed or a carrot dropped on the floor acceptable.. :)
 
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