polite way of asking people not to feed the horse :)

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poglet1991

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Hi, I went to check the pony tonight and there were oats on the ground. This is a problem for 2 reasons one because she has azoturia and isn't allowed starch based feedand two because the gate is locked and they were too far in to have been thrown so someone has climbed into my paddock with her. I don't mind people petting her and its not the end of the world if she gets the odd treat though I'd rather non were given. O was thinking I could put a little sign on the gate, maybe something lighthearted so I don't seem petty about it :) has anyone got any suggestions? Thanks
 
How about

Friendly pony but suffers from food allergies please do not feed anything additional as you may cause major harm. Thank you
 
I tried 'please do not feed, thankyou' notices, they were politely ignored. :mad:

I now have a 'Do not feed for health reasons' notice, which has been pretty effective, still the odd one that will feed, but nowhere near the scale it was before.
 
I've got a notice on my gate saying "Please do not feed the horses as they are on a special diet" - they aren't ;) - "you may do more harm than good!"

But in your case I'd say "Please do not feed the horse! She has special feed given every day. Feeding anything else can result in an extreme allergic reaction that could kill her, thank you"

I find you have to really make the risk factor a massive thing or people won't listen :rolleyes: I've had to roll out the "you could kill them" bit because the elderly gent next to my field keeps feeding our lot random bits of bread, cabbage leaves and god knows what else even though we've asked him not to :cool: I trotted out the "you could kill them" bit when I overheard him saying to mum that he was planning on giving them the grass he'd cut from his lawn :eek: And then had to explain at length why lawn cuttings were different from the grass they munch on in the field :cool:
 
I've just had a sign made as I have foot path next to my field and it says

CAtution horse may bite, please do not feed, you have been warned!

they wont bite but I thought that might make people think twice!
 
kerrieberry2 said:
I've just had a sign made as I have foot path next to my field and it says

CAtution horse may bite, please do not feed, you have been warned!

they wont bite but I thought that might make people think twice!
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That's a good idea but if it's someone that's already been in the field with the horse and knows it's friendly it probably won't work :o
 
I wouldn't worry about being polite. They are your property & nobody has any business feeding them.....I'm going to start handing out milky bars & peanut m & m's to random kids in the local school playground & see if their parents are polite to me :D:D
 
Perhaps "Don't feed my *******ing horses or I'll smash your *******ing face in!"

Tbh, warning they'll bite is probably the best option.

Or "please do not feed, horse is on a controlled diet, anything else could make her very ill and could kill her" or along those lines.

My sister's friend fed my neighbour's horse some grass she'd pulled up as she thought he "looked hungry". He was on a field that is about an acre, but had been well eaten down by cows. Plenty enough for him to eat, but not enough to get fat on. We had to explain that she was watching his weight. She was in her 20s.

I think if you said feeding her could make her very ill (go overboard with how ill) then they are less likely to feed her. People feed horses because they are cute. I'd like to think most wouldn't if they seriously thought it would do harm.

Could you make a buffer zone so they can't reach her without having to negotiate electric fencing?
 
I've got a sign outside her stable saying " Please do not feed this horse for medical reasons" I make sure everyone who meets her is told about her cushings/sugar intolerance. But people at my yard are brilliant with her :)) even the kids worry when they see her eating haynets in the pen in case they aren't hers
 
I feel your pain, I have a footpath running thru my field that houses one IR/EMS pony, one Lami pony and one who is extremely allergic to carrots (causes a very nasty brain reaction making him seriously vicious)

Despite a notice stating PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE HORSES AS SOME HAVE SERIOUS MEDICAL CONDITIONS I constantly catch people feeding them, the latest a very polite chap who walks his dog thru every day with a bag of carrots for the pretty ponies..... the only reason I knew he was feeding was the little one over the period of a week got nastier and nastier to the point of me calling the vet as I hadn't changed his feed at all but then heyho one evening there's Mr polite waltzing up the field criss crossing to meet each pony and feed them a tasty chunk of carrot.......... After a good long chat as to what he could feed the pretty ponies he finally got the message that he wasn't to feed them at all thank you unless he fancied paying my vets bill for the damage.....
 
I wouldn't put that they're on a diet as they may think a weight loss one..feel sorry for them and stuff more food in. I would definitely say pony has a serious feed allergy so please dont feed but pony loves to be chatted to etc. If you put something rude you risk the wrong person seeing it and taking it out on the pony.
 
Boysy said:
I feel your pain, I have a footpath running thru my field that houses one IR/EMS pony, one Lami pony and one who is extremely allergic to carrots (causes a very nasty brain reaction making him seriously vicious)

Despite a notice stating PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE HORSES AS SOME HAVE SERIOUS MEDICAL CONDITIONS I constantly catch people feeding them, the latest a very polite chap who walks his dog thru every day with a bag of carrots for the pretty ponies..... the only reason I knew he was feeding was the little one over the period of a week got nastier and nastier to the point of me calling the vet as I hadn't changed his feed at all but then heyho one evening there's Mr polite waltzing up the field criss crossing to meet each pony and feed them a tasty chunk of carrot.......... After a good long chat as to what he could feed the pretty ponies he finally got the message that he wasn't to feed them at all thank you unless he fancied paying my vets bill for the damage.....
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I had an almost identical experience to this, so good luck, OP. I had a woman with a whole bag of carrots turn up daily, a man who fed chappatis and corn on the cob (same man put his toddler on my unbroken shetland) and an arrogant beech who fed a bag of bread!! The last one actually leant OVER the notice to do it and when I shouted across to please not feed the ponies, completely blanked me. I ended up having a swearing match with the dopy cow, as she said 'I'm only feeding bread!', to which my reply was you and half of ******** Oxted! Do you SERIOUSLY think you're the only passer by who thinks a little won't hurt?! I pointed out that one was laminitic and the other obese, but she STILL handed over bread MID-CONVERSATION. That's when the swearing started...

Not missing the footpath from when I had my own place. At all. ;)
 
If people are going into your paddock that shouldn't be there then an electric fence just above the gate will deter them

I certainly wouldn't be giving anyone permission to go in and cuddle - you would be liable if someone got kicked or bitten as you have basically given them permission to enter the paddock

A very clear and large sign DO NOT FEED - ANYTHING!

No please or thank you needed.
 
I am at my wit's end. Look like I an going to lose my mare due to another person on the yard feeding her. Long story short she escaped into hay field and got laminitis, got her in and on limited soaked hay and yet this person is still feeding her. The person in question denies everything but I know it is going on as the mare started making a fuss as soon as said person walked on the yard. If the mare doesn't stabilize the hunt will be called nest week - and I will make the person in question hold the rope......
 
Maisie06 that's terrible! That is a supposedly horsey person too? :eek:

I don't honestly know what the answer is if an individual who should know better defies the owner, but I think I'd be asking for a letter from the vet to pin up on the door, and possibly even a solicitors letter as they are obviously causing deliberate harm.
 
I made some up which say

DO NOT FEED THE HORSES
​
NO APPLES
​
NO CARROTS
​
NO MINTS.

​
THEY ARE ON A SPECIAL DIET TO KEEP THEM HEALTHY.

​
YOU WILL MAKE THEM ILL.​

Now I get little bags of apples left by the gate instead of chucked into the field.:)
 
maisie06 said:
I am at my wit's end. Look like I an going to lose my mare due to another person on the yard feeding her. Long story short she escaped into hay field and got laminitis, got her in and on limited soaked hay and yet this person is still feeding her. The person in question denies everything but I know it is going on as the mare started making a fuss as soon as said person walked on the yard. If the mare doesn't stabilize the hunt will be called nest week - and I will make the person in question hold the rope......
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who is this person Maisie??
a livery / YO ??

I would be blunt say DON'T FEED MY HORSE or you will cause her untimely death.
get yard owner to have words
tell this person if she does not stop feeding your horse. she will be responsible for all bills.
try get photos or video of her doing so as proof.


Sorry OP not forgetting your dilemma.
 
This isn't a mother and kids since it is oats that are being thrown, unless it's porridge oats!

Be blunt and it sounds like a horsey person.
 
I always check the fence for notices as i know it can be a pain e.g if they are on a diet or have allergies but i think that is because i have been around horses for a while so always check.
 
I resorted to putting a muzzle on (cut the hole bigger so it doesn't restrict much) that seems to make people think he bites or just makes it very difficult for them to feed him. Not had to do it this year luckily- but last year there were some kids who liked to feed him cheese sandwiches and Doritos :mad:

There's always the ever so kind neighbour who decides one day, without telling you, that they are going to tip the grass cuttings in the field :(
 
I would start of being polite. There would be one conversation of

  • please do not give my horse anything he or she is not allowed anything other than the prescribed diet. Because his condition will get worse


  • then please I have asked you before do not give my horse feed. or tipbits



  • then I would be mad. and say . Listen you obvious are not listen stop feeding my bloody horse or there would be hell to pay.:mad::mad::mad::mad:
 
Our notice reads "Please do not feed the ponies...VET'S ORDERS due to dietary requirements" which went up when it became obvious that our two Cushings ponies were being fed treats...one is very sugar intolerant as well and one polo or piece of apple can spark off 24 hour diarrhea. This was 3 years ago and we haven't had a squitty incidence since!
 
I used to live in a very touristy area and had problems with the horses being fed - once I even found toffee wrappers in their droppings :eek:

We solved the problem by offering our neighbouring farmer free grazing for his ENORMOUS dopey beef bull. Honestly, he was friendlier than the horses but nobody dared come in the field with him there :D
 
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