Public footpaths and folks ignoring the "Do Not Feed" signs

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Ernest Doodles

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Hi all

Just want to ask your opinion on the best kind of signage to put up, to deter walkers from giving tip-bits to horses.

Thus far, I've tried the "Strictly no feeding the horses" and "Do not feed the ponies, as a pony nip often offends"

Neither have proved successful. In fact, when challenged, I am told things like: "I've been around horses all my life" or "I've only given one apple!" or (my favourite) "It's OK! I'm studying at the Equine College up the road" :D They simply do not seem to get that if 10 people did that "just one apple" every day, the ponies sugar levels would go through the roof!

One of my ponies was tested positive for Cushings last week, and so I really do need a sign that will give more 'punch' so to deter the general public - horse-aware or not - from feeding my babies.

I'm going to try this one out next but, are there any 'off the shelf' signs that have proved successful for any of you ?

Cushings2.jpg


Thanks in advance.
 
I like your sign, hope it works for you. Just one very small thing, the apostrophe in polos needs to come out. Although that does look a bit odd. You could put mints instead.
 
I feel your pain Ernest Doodles. I have the same problem with people feeding my two oldies, one of whom has cushings and the other is just plain ancient - hence a bit skinny to the uninitiated. I like your sign, a jokey yet explanatory notice may well help. People might be more willing to stop if they know the reason and that you're not just being a 'bore' or an 'old misery' (I've had those accusations along with the more usual 'you're just spoiling the fun it's only an apple/few polos/loaf of bread'). The only thing I would change would be naming the cushings as it gives the 'feeders' something they can go and google and I would imagine the last thing you need is a lot of armchair experts telling you how to go on - leave it a bit vague and they can't do that.

My sign now says something along the lines of 'these elderly ponies receive a nutritionally balanced diet according to their individual needs, and treats are not allowed, please do not feed them' and it includes pictures of the most common treats with big red crosses across the pics for the benefit of those that can't read very well.
 
I would change "us" to "these" personally and take out the apostrophe. I would also add somewhere that cushings is a bit like diabetes as that should get the point across that diet is ultra important and any titbits at all can make them ill. It would drive me completely off the wall. Is there no way to split the field with elec so they can't be got to?
 
Nudibranch said:
Danger - electric fencing :)
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:D You know, we have a double line of electric fencing for the 'overspill' grazing areas with a 5 foot gap between both lines of fencing, plus use horse netting for the main paddock areas. The ponies are never been allowed to graze on the actual footpath that runs diagonally across the field. Alas, the electric fence is not much good when folks are wearing coats, jackets or thick jumpers so they simply climb through it. And, as for the more secure paddocks, folks have been known to let themselves in through the gate to feed and fuss the ponies - very dangerous, given how excitable my two get :( !
 
3OldPonies said:
I feel your pain Ernest Doodles. I have the same problem with people feeding my two oldies, one of whom has cushings and the other is just plain ancient - hence a bit skinny to the uninitiated. I like your sign, a jokey yet explanatory notice may well help. People might be more willing to stop if they know the reason and that you're not just being a 'bore' or an 'old misery' (I've had those accusations along with the more usual 'you're just spoiling the fun it's only an apple/few polos/loaf of bread'). The only thing I would change would be naming the cushings as it gives the 'feeders' something they can go and google and I would imagine the last thing you need is a lot of armchair experts telling you how to go on - leave it a bit vague and they can't do that.

My sign now says something along the lines of 'these elderly ponies receive a nutritionally balanced diet according to their individual needs, and treats are not allowed, please do not feed them' and it includes pictures of the most common treats with big red crosses across the pics for the benefit of those that can't read very well.
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Thanks :) I like the wording of your sign - tells it how it is. And yes, pictures for those who suffer from dyslexia is a great idea too :)
 
FfionWinnie said:
I would change "us" to "these" personally and take out the apostrophe. I would also add somewhere that cushings is a bit like diabetes as that should get the point across that diet is ultra important and any titbits at all can make them ill. It would drive me completely off the wall. Is there no way to split the field with elec so they can't be got to?
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Thanks for your input :)

We have horse netting for the main paddock areas, and a double row of live electric fencing along the other parts which are next to the footpath. The footpath runs diagonally across the field so, the pony paddocks are on each side of that footpath. Short of putting a mine-field in, I don't really know what else to do? :(
 
Friend's has cushings and has a sign that says these horses are on a special medical diet please do not feed, that seems to work ok.

I would also probably say it is like diabetes ;)
 
I hope it works. I found something sticky all over the gateway the other day and think someone must have been feeding passion fruit (there were seeds) to my horses. I've got a flippin sign up too saying they are on a special diet and mine are hardly skinny so no idea what on earth someone thought they were doing feeding them.

If I catch whoever did it I'll cover them in ****** molasses myself and stick them in the paddock with the big herd.
 
SEL said:
I hope it works. I found something sticky all over the gateway the other day and think someone must have been feeding passion fruit (there were seeds) to my horses. I've got a flippin sign up too saying they are on a special diet and mine are hardly skinny so no idea what on earth someone thought they were doing feeding them.

If I catch whoever did it I'll cover them in ****** molasses myself and stick them in the paddock with the big herd.
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Oh! My! :( Make sure you video the molasses ducking and throwing to the horses, won't you :D Bound to be a hit on You Tube "Feed my ponies and this is what you get :O " :D
 
Blurr said:
I like your sign, hope it works for you. Just one very small thing, the apostrophe in polos needs to come out. Although that does look a bit odd. You could put mints instead.
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It does not look odd if you also give Polos a capital letter, as it is a brand name, not a generic collection, like fruit.

Lovely sign though, although I personally like the lice infestation one :-D
 
I'm very tempted to put 'we have ringworm and we like to share it with humans!' On my gate!!

But instead I've electric fenced the gate off and double fenced the perimeter. Annoying but it needed to be done! I haven't electrified the gate fence tho, or I'd be forever getting a zap, but the cobs haven't noticed....yet!!
 
Charlottedv said:
But instead I've electric fenced the gate off and double fenced the perimeter. Annoying but it needed to be done! I haven't electrified the gate fence tho, or I'd be forever getting a zap, but the cobs haven't noticed....yet!!
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Annoying for me too because, I've done that even at the 5 bar gates - all electrified - but still, the blighters get to the ponies. There's evidently no respect in my neck of the woods :(
 
I also feel your pain OP. Over the years we have tried many different signs, doble fencing, you name it we've tried it! All to no avail :( We have no public access over our land, but next doors field does, and we get idiots coming over the dry stone wall and through the electric fencing to feed our younger horses, with dire consequences for the very sugar sensetive Appy :( I think some fool is giving her cattle creep feed, so I end up with a bonkers, itchy, headshaking mare, with dreadful effects on getting her properly going. We are going to get a concealed camera (I tried a small video camera, linked to my phone, but can't afford the time to sit out in the yard, watching nothing happening!), when I know who the culprit is, then I can find them and have a little chat!
Many years ago an elderly man was caught feeding our then cereal and sugar intolerant mare, three quaters of a loaf of bread (while getting booted by our other mares, as she was a very long way down the food queue). When we asked him not to, as it made her ill, he told us she liked it, it wasn't doing any harm and she didn't look ill. We tried about ten minutes of reasonable argument and then descended to telling him to eff off and take his effing bread with him and to not to effing come back, that seemed to work! :D
 
Lovethebeach said:
Plenty of barbed wire on human side and electric fence for horses to keep them away from it.
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Had toyed with the idea of barbed wire but, as the livery's pony will happily scale the 4' electric fencing if he really wants food on the other side, I honestly don't want to take the risk. It's bad enough if he misjudges and gets caught up in the leccie fencing, let alone barbed wire :( Little blighter is 19 yo with dodgy hocks - but you'd never know it when he's determined :D
 
YorksG said:
I also feel your pain OP. Over the years we have tried many different signs, doble fencing, you name it we've tried it! All to no avail :( We have no public access over our land, but next doors field does, and we get idiots coming over the dry stone wall and through the electric fencing to feed our younger horses, with dire consequences for the very sugar sensetive Appy :( I think some fool is giving her cattle creep feed, so I end up with a bonkers, itchy, headshaking mare, with dreadful effects on getting her properly going. We are going to get a concealed camera (I tried a small video camera, linked to my phone, but can't afford the time to sit out in the yard, watching nothing happening!), when I know who the culprit is, then I can find them and have a little chat!
Many years ago an elderly man was caught feeding our then cereal and sugar intolerant mare, three quaters of a loaf of bread (while getting booted by our other mares, as she was a very long way down the food queue). When we asked him not to, as it made her ill, he told us she liked it, it wasn't doing any harm and she didn't look ill. We tried about ten minutes of reasonable argument and then descended to telling him to eff off and take his effing bread with him and to not to effing come back, that seemed to work! :D
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Mobile security cameras are good (if you don't have electric) and some can be attached to solar panels I believe. The battery operated ones don't tend to last so long. And then, you'd have to know who the person is that you've filmed. However, if the culprit has a time/day routine then at least you'd know when to be up the field to have 'that chat'.

One of my friends caught a neighbour feeding her pony ham sandwiches over the fence. He'd been doing it for so long he'd convinced himself it was perfectly ok. OK to feed herbivores ham??? I ask you.

I'm beginning to think that Somerset farmer who put security fencing up either side of a footpath that ran across his field, was really onto something :D

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...otpath-land-building-giant-metal-barrier.html

Make sure to put CCTV warning signs up before using it or, you won't be able to use the footage in court (considered 'entrapment' I believe, if there's no signs up?? )
 
I caught a bunch if kids in my field feeding the beasts jelly tots. How I managed to extricate the 5 of them whilst fending off my tb who was incredibly food aggressive - fine if you have it, hell mend you when you run out!

I put up signs saying that I had installed cctv and would be sending anyone who fed my ponies the vets bill. Since then I have only had one person come and feed them bread so yet another sign went up saying that they were all on a strict diet and bread was dangerous for them to eat. Since then they have stopped being fed and so have stopped following people up and down the road!
 
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