Scotland: people entering field with horses, anything you can do?

I would get the registration number and speak to the local police, explain to them that a)your animals are being harmed by being fed by these people and b)you are worried they will be injured and don't want to be responsible.

Ask their advice, I'd be surprised if the police didn't at least go and speak to them which might well do the trick.
 
AnShanDan said:
I would get the registration number and speak to the local police, explain to them that a)your animals are being harmed by being fed by these people and b)you are worried they will be injured and don't want to be responsible.

Ask their advice, I'd be surprised if the police didn't at least go and speak to them which might well do the trick.
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Seriously, you think the police would care that someone is feeding a carrot to a horse ? I think if you are that bothered you need to go down a different path, not officialdom ......if your neighbour has seen them feeding the horses why don’t you try and find out who they are and have a friendly word ? You are turning your field into Fort Knox and getting yourself worried, there is probably a better way of dealing with this
 
Scot123 said:
Hello again. Further to all your good advice I now have a field that looks like a fortified military zone! However... it's been brought to my attention that despite electric fence, signs and barbed wire there is still somebody making it in EVERY day and feeding large amounts of carrots and apples to the horses. They come in a car and a neighbour has offered to get the registration number. What I wonder is - this person is actually making the horses ill by doing this, with laminitis diarrhoea - so could I prosecute (or threaten to do so) him?
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You need to wait for them and talk to them-nicely and explain the issues. apples and carrots are unlikely to make them ill unless one is Cushings (depending on what you mean by large amounts!) but I did use to worry about grass cuttings and bread. I did once nicely talk to one couple who made special trips and after that, they left me bags of apples etc to put in the horses' feed-they were mortified they might have been putting them at risk. Another neighbour was allowed to chuck a few carrots in. Have a chat, tell them that you are also worried about their safety anyway and are putting in CCTV-you can get fake ones and/or fake wildlife cameras that have a flashing light-put one up in a tree if you can, sign on the gate.

The police will not care, they arent committing an offence.
 
Though you wouldn't be seeing me within a mile of the field either if there were wasps!! Had actually looked into a camera, but they all seem to need wifi and being the middle of a field, none available, but I'll keep looking. I didn't know the BHS had a helpline - I'm not a member but it might be worth joining for the advice, thanks.
I know, to actually drive somewhere specifically to feed them?! Unfortunately they are as wide as they are tall so can't people can't even have the 'excuse' of thinking they are underfed :)
 
Scot123 said:
Hello again. Further to all your good advice I now have a field that looks like a fortified military zone! However... it's been brought to my attention that despite electric fence, signs and barbed wire there is still somebody making it in EVERY day and feeding large amounts of carrots and apples to the horses. They come in a car and a neighbour has offered to get the registration number. What I wonder is - this person is actually making the horses ill by doing this, with laminitis diarrhoea - so could I prosecute (or threaten to do so) him?
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What are of Scotland is this happening? That’s unbelievable. Is it folk with kids?

I have a camera that runs off 4g. Not sure where you’d put the battery though. If the neighbour has seen them can you get a rough time it happens and be there?
 
Sorry, just seen the other replies from MotherofChickens and Bonnie. Unfortunately people are coming at all times of the day and I haven't been there when it's happened. Yes - from what I gather we're talking LARGE amounts eg a whole bread loaf, handfuls of carrots and apples a day. I have put up notices to explain they have laminitis and also a sensitive gut and on vet's advice they must not have any additional feed but it's made no difference. As at the start of this thread, also people feeding chocolate, sweeties etc. Made both ponies ill.
 
No! Weirdly it's not kids! The kids are great and know just to pat. It's actually adults doing it without kids in tow!! Or the one man who's lifted the child over into the field to run with the ponies...
 
Oh, also to say... the neighbour who's seen this happening said that the man who drives there doesn't stop if he sees there's somebody walking by or at the field, he'll just drive off and come back later. So he obviously knows he shouldn't be doing it. The neighbour has had to peer through curtains to get a look. You can't make it up!
 
Sorry, don't agree that the police wouldn't have a word with them. It's not just one apple or carrot, according to the OP, I'd be livid if someone was feeding any of my horses large amounts of apples or carrots. Who's to say they might not start putting out other stuff as well?

Whoever is doing this, if the OPs info is correct, sounds potentially unhinged to me so I'd def. want to get police involved rather than remonstrate with them myself.
 
Scot123 said:
Though you wouldn't be seeing me within a mile of the field either if there were wasps!! Had actually looked into a camera, but they all seem to need wifi and being the middle of a field, none available, but I'll keep looking. I didn't know the BHS had a helpline - I'm not a member but it might be worth joining for the advice, thanks.
I know, to actually drive somewhere specifically to feed them?! Unfortunately they are as wide as they are tall so can't people can't even have the 'excuse' of thinking they are underfed :)
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You can buy wildlife cameras off Amazon that don't need WiFi, and store pics or video. Movement activated, and night vision.

I would definitely suggest you look into one. Poor you x x

Fiona
 
Thank you so much - I'll have a look at those on Amazon, I hadn't thought to look at wildlife cameras, good idea, thanks!
 
Lots of awesome replies here but something I saw the other day in Woodland - in Scotland was...

PRIVATE GROUND
DO NOT TRESSPASS
ESTATE HAS SHOOTING RIGHTS.

Needless to say I didn't bother going down that path... haven't ever seen the shooting right sign before!
 
Thanks all. You've all given really helpful thoughts and it gives me a bit of hope that I haven't run out of options yet! Just hope I can stop it before something serious (more serious than the laminitis we've already had to cope with) happens with the horses. Thanks all I really appreciate it x
 
slightly different but a number of years ago,I opened a well known ladies magazine to see my horses as part of a fashion photo shoot! They had entered the field and were posed next to and "draped" across them! I was furious and rang the magazine whose response was "did I want some copies of the pictures" . I pointed out they had tresspassed on private property and must have been controlling 1 of the horses who wasnt in the pictures as no way would he have been left out if up to him.
 
Scot123 police can take action. As animals are considered property in law these people are committing criminal damage if they make your horses ill. As long as you have clear signage warning of the dangers of feeding the horses they can take action to recover vets fees and any decent neighbourhood officer would be happy to do a door knock to "give advice" aka warn them off! If they are ignoring clear warnings it could even be considered malicious and you could go down the harassment / antisocial behaviour route....
 
What about a local Facebook page or the sort? A lot of local communities/villages have one and even just writing on it not to feed them and even explain why. It may get the word across more wide spread and deter. It won’t be any means stop the clown that’s doing it but can maybe enable some folk to listen and understand why not to.
 
Lintel said:
Lots of awesome replies here but something I saw the other day in Woodland - in Scotland was...

PRIVATE GROUND
DO NOT TRESSPASS
ESTATE HAS SHOOTING RIGHTS.

Needless to say I didn't bother going down that path... haven't ever seen the shooting right sign before!
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That’s not legal, there is no point in us having the right to roam in Scotland if landowners put up signs like that and walkers or riders take heed and go another way !
 
The Trooper said:
Id be tempted to do something unconventional.... Make up a sign showing a picture of damage done by a horses kick, say on the sign these horses may kick or words to that effect, laminate and display.

Taking my inspiration from the health warnings on cigs.
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Do you want pictures of my leg?! Then you’re not threatening, just saying that accidents can happen.

I would definitely get the neighbour to note the reg of the car. I believe you can apply to the DVLA to find out the person’s address. Alternatively, ambush him when he gets out of the car and wave a bit of paper at him asking him if he’d like to pay your vet bills.

The chocolate is worrying, it’s toxic to horses. I bloody hate people feeding horses, why do they think they have the right? They wouldn’t feed a dog, so why a horse? And why do the think they have rights over the horses? Right to feed, go in the field, or worse, try to get on!

Our geldings all decided to chase a dog walker a couple of weeks ago. It’s private land, no ROW. He had to sprint out, throwing his dog over the fence as he went. Idiot.

Can you put a second row of fencing in that’s locked/electrified?
 
Scot123 said:
Oh, also to say... the neighbour who's seen this happening said that the man who drives there doesn't stop if he sees there's somebody walking by or at the field, he'll just drive off and come back later. So he obviously knows he shouldn't be doing it. The neighbour has had to peer through curtains to get a look. You can't make it up!
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Can you get the neighbour to jot down the car reg number and then leave a polite note fastened to your gate marked up “For the driver of car reg X...” ? He won’t stop for a chat but I bet he’d read that if he saw it!
 
Ooh Lexi, that's a really good idea thanks. I've been down the Facebook route and it was so helpful, I explained why I was asking people not to feed and went into details - it was shared around a lot and a few people actually got in touch and said 'sorry, I didn't realise it was bad for them, I won't do that again'. But I've now also got signs up explaining why not to feed and there's obviously just going to be some people who don't care/'know best'.
Westerngirl - OK, that story maybe takes the biscuit, how unbelievable!!
 
Scot123 said:
Hi. I'm not sure there's a solution here, but if anybody has advice it would be good. Our horses are in a field (in Scotland) bordered by quiet roads. I am having huge trouble with people 1) feeding the horses all sorts of stuff and 2) people actually going into the field.
I've put signs up explaining why not to feed them (there's a laminitic in the field) and I've put a line of electric fencing about 10ft into the field with the horses behind that. But people are obviously climbing the gate and going up to the electric fence and throwing food in! Also a neighbour has just told me that the other day she saw a car pull up and a man and little girl got out - the man lifted her over the fence and into the field where she ran about amongst the horses.
I am going to run a line of electric fence along the whole top of the fenceline and over the gate. But am I allowed to put up any sort of 'keep out - livestock' notices in Scotland? Any other ideas as I'm quite sure one day one of the horses will become seriously ill, or some eejit who goes into the field will get injured by them.
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Electrify the gate! Secretly. Just dont forget 😂

I couldn’t afford my horse to be fed , hes allergic to a lot of things 🙄
 
I've just had a nosey through some of your old posts and I think your local to me - does your ponies field look over towards an island?! - our local rural officer is very good and would be worth trying to get a hold of him for a chat. I had an issue with people feeding our shetlands but it stopped pretty quick with the signs going up.
 
holeymoley said:
What about a local Facebook page or the sort? A lot of local communities/villages have one and even just writing on it not to feed them and even explain why. It may get the word across more wide spread and deter. It won’t be any means stop the clown that’s doing it but can maybe enable some folk to listen and understand why not to.
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I've tried this - it didn't work, lots of snide bitter comments telling horse owner (ie me) to stop being such a snob, but thankfully page was anonymous so it didn't go further than some unpleasant comments on FB.
We still have issues even with our fence electrified by the way, we did have signs courtesy of our local police up but they were vandalised, and we keep finding bread/bits of carrot and apple etc. in the field.

So know how OP feels as we've got a cushings pony and 2 fatties on restricted grazing to manage laminitis, and one horse who has hurt people quite badly before (not out of malice mind you, just spooking and doing it accidentally). It's very, very concerning.

I have time to kill now though so next sunny day I'm going up with a book, spending the day there out of sight, and when these people come I'm having a serious word. And maybe investing in a really aggressive flock of geese :P
 
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