Keeping horses safe from unwanted visitors

OWNERS who struggle with the public approaching and feeding their horses have been given some advice about their legal position.

A dog was recently killed by horses its owner was feeding.

The owner reportedly said “aggressive horses shouldn’t be in fields people walk in”.

But members of the public feeding horses without permission can be the cause of such issues.

Sam Webb rents a field in Milton Keynes, where people are unused to, and “in awe” of, horses. “They come as a treat,” she told

H&H. “Parents say: ‘I told [the children] if they were good, they could feed the horses’. People can’t comprehend that they’re not a public amenity.”

Sam said her horses are now “mouthy” and “in your face” waiting for treats. But despite the signs she has put up, she has had to use electric fencing to keep feeders and dog-walkers away.

“What if one of them hurts a dog, or its owner?” she asked.

Laura Morton has issues with people feeding her horses “treats” including tuna sandwiches.

“I’ve had teenagers trying to ride them,” she said. “Recently, I found an older couple feeding them and the man punched my horse on the nose.

“He said he tried to bite him, but they had food. I said if he colicked, I’d send them the bill.”

Solicitor and rider Julia Prior told H&H if a horse did colic, the feeder could be liable, but proving

the case could be hard.

“They don’t have the right to do that,” she said, adding that a warning sign is a good idea.

Keeping horses in fields in which footpaths run is fine, as they are not normally aggressive.

“If you have an aggressive one, you’d be advised to have a warning sign, where the path enters the field,” Ms Prior said, as walkers have then “informed consent”; accepting the risks, and the owner should not be liable for injuries.

Ms Prior said in the case of the dog’s death, if the walker had attracted the horse with food, “there could be negligence and certainly consent on her part”.

But if a horse injures a walker and the owner has signs up, “if they choose to walk there, they’ve made an informed decision”, she said, adding if people trespass, there is very limited liability for injury, as long as no “trap is set”.

“But otherwise, even if you know your horses are dangerous, you don’t generally have to warn people,” Ms Prior added.

Ms Prior stressed that anyone considering legal action, or defending it, should ensure they have a solicitor with equine experience, and “it’s only worth suing someone with money, as it’s expensive, and if you win, you’ve got to get the money out of them”.

A British Horse Society (BHS) spokesman urged worried owners to put up warning signs.

“The BHS’ REACT Now to Beat Colic campaign has been designed to help educate owners on signs of colic,” she said.

“As part of it, we’re urging the public not to feed others’ horses without consent, and we support campaigns for greater awareness.”