Befriending a horse that I don't know

[Tom121]

Outside of my town there is a small village and there is one enclosed field with 1 pregnant mare and 1 stallion that are seperated. In last 2 weeks I came to them 3 times and gave them some grass an apple and petted them.
They always came to me when I arrive but the stallion is always facing me with his head first and I can barely pet him on the side and sometimes he tries to nible me.
The mare is more friendlier and she lets me pet her on the side but not on the butt ofcourse. I'm not stupid to try to enter the field and try anything but I'm just curious how long would it take for them to think that I'm a friend if I come to visit them every 1-2 days?

 

[FoxandtheHounds]

Do you know the owner of these horses?

You should honestly not try to be friends with animals without permission from said animals caretaker. You never know their situation. For instance, those animals could be on very specific diets or medications. A diet you could be messing up by feeding them things you bring them. The list of problems that could arise by doing this can be much worse, including things like injury.

I would suggest leaving them alone.

 

[Tom121]

Don't know the owner in fact I never saw anyone there but I guess you are right. But I can still pet them?

 

[Goattobeloved]

It is sound advice for anyone reading this.
Actually, I've been there -usually without food- and reading here made me consider this, so. Good.

Still, if a horse with issues is behind a fence, -even from a non zoo perspective- he has a problem. Cause *everyone* walking by will want to pet and bring them food and what not. Specially if they are friendly and approach It is like a magnet for the mom with the kid, the neighbor, the passingby...

I've actually know someone who has a "do not feed" notice on the door after they overfed bread to her. While other, a rural resort, just leaves a safe measure of dry bread behing the gate for people to feed them.

 

[amorousdog5]

I've actually know someone who has a "do not feed" notice on the door after they overfed bread to her. While other, a rural resort, just leaves a safe measure of dry bread behing the gate for people to feed them.

I had an issue like this with my parents feeding my dog treats when last I guested with them. Same solution, I gave them a bowl full of treats to feed her every day that I would then just subtract from her normal food allotment during her evening meal. My parents really had no sense of restraint... what I gave them should have been far more than any sensible person would feed a dog in treats every day, but the bowl was always empty at the end of the day. It resulted in her getting an evening meal only half the size of her morning meal.

 

[Tom121]

My dream is to ride a horse in an open field but since I live in a city thats almost impossible, damn would I trade a city life for a farm life.

 

[Goattobeloved]

My dream is to ride a horse in an open field but since I live in a city thats almost impossible, damn would I trade a city life for a farm life.

Similar thing here along years. There are ways to...

First thing is getting familiar to them and understanding their language. What I did was mostly going to animal fairs (suppose a 4H show would be an equivalent), trying to be very early the furst day, so animals are still not fed up with "tourists"

I did also, later, rent horses by the hour for excursions. Old tame horses, with guide but you spend an hour or two, ferl them and usually, if you arrive early you can ask to go see the stalls and get to meet all sort of horse character there, from the "cuddle addict" to the "surprise bite sun uf a beach" type.

And, of course you can also consider some riding lessons.

About having a horse of yours... you can as long as you have a hosting stall at travel distance and a... modest monthly sum (barring emergencies)

Now, years later, I sort of have a deal/cooperation for some equides myself. It is a 100km round travel for me and visit once or twice a week.

So, go, nibble experiences one at a time and keep working towards it.
You do not need to do a full change to your life for it, but start small and first see if horses actually fulfill you.
Think of it as: If you give out your holiday travel expenses, or that new car you wanted, you *can* keep a horse with that money. Just need to see what makes you happier ?

 

[Goattobeloved]

As for owners, as long as the horses are along a public path they should be used to everyone petting them, so unless that is a very grumpy type I'd say they will watch you from afar and you are doing nothing specially wrong they should just come by talk to you.

The usual if they do not like you being there would be telling you "that one is quite the biting type, I would not get your hand near" ?

Actually, the owners biggest concern is that you get hurt by the horse or the fence and *you* sue them on it... sadly -they- would be in trouble for that and to me this is the biggest stopper to let people get near my animals, even if I got insurance for that.

Oh. And about "your" animals ? maybe some horse person can tell better but as you explain it, my reading will be...
The female is friendly. Check
The male... is defiying you. Be careful. He is responsible of a heard to protect (even if it is just one mare) and you are either and invader or a competitor, so he is just making sure you are safe.

He will be the challange to befriend. If you are below him, he can atrack if he feels like it. And not being yours, and with limited interaction, you should not try to position above.

Remember... Contrary to doggos, ears flat back are never a good sign ?

 

[Tom121]

I'm still in college so owning a horse is far beyond me right now but if I do get some money later I will definetly buy a horse or more and some place where they can happily live but for now thats only a dream

 

[Cookiecaretaker]

but for now thats only a dream

dont keep it as a dream - set it as a goal for urself and spend ur time on working on it - u can do it

 

[AppleDash]

As for owners, as long as the horses are along a public path they should be used to everyone petting them, so unless that is a very grumpy type I'd say they will watch you from afar and you are doing nothing specially wrong they should just come by talk to you.

...

No, even when your horses are turned out in fields adjacent to paths, walkers should leave those horses alone. It's often well-intended, but some of the issues I had to deal with here:

1) Dumping freshly mowed lawn grass in the field can be lethal because of the weeds in it, or the weed killer being used on it. Besides, the horses don't need it because there is food all around them
2) Same goes for treats - as already mentioned above. Giving horses you don't know treat, be it apples, mints, carrots, or even some grass that grows right there is a nono. It's not just about you not knowing whether the horse has any digestive issues. It's also about you inadvertently teaching horses to nibble anybody's hands for treats, and then suddenly I have an "aggressive" horse because she ended up nibbling some fingers.
3) Diseases like strangles can be passed on via touch. So, if you are going out and about for a tour of all the horses and petting them you can spread a contamination without even knowing it. Of course you can argue that infected horses shouldn't be anywhere near footpaths, or have a double fence between them and the footpath, but even then you'll see people leaning over trying to pet the horse.

So far, people's sense of entitlement hasn't killed a horse here, but it's how we got a strangles outbreak and yard lockdown, not to mention all the medical bills.

In short: if it's not your horse, leave them alone. If you really want to get involved with them, ask the yard owner for permission, or offer to volunteer helping out with the stables and all.

 

[Goattobeloved]

I am not saying it is good that happens, but that is inevitable, specially here, where horses are a rare sight and city dwellers go everywhere.
Most owners will bear with it, and some are even sort of happy or umm. proud? to see the ocasional family there appreciating their animal.
Your millage may vary, of course.

1) Dumping freshly mowed lawn grass in the field can be lethal because of the weeds in it, or the weed killer being used on it. Besides, the horses don't need it because there is food all around them

Damn. That is directly littering!!
If people do not know where to dispose of their shit they should know better than to toss it into other people's land.
Seen it done often, but never using an animal as excuse ?

2) Same goes for treats - as already mentioned above. Giving horses you don't know treat, be it apples, mints, carrots, or even some grass that grows right there is a nono. It's not just about you not knowing whether the horse has any digestive issues.

This is the usual thing people will do. And it is no common knowledge. I learned about this problems in zoo sites where someone mentioned horses with issues, and later looking in general horse sites. But, honestly... few people out of horse knowledge will even inagine.

On the plus side, most passerbie will not bring food unless they actually expect to find the horse

It's also about you inadvertently teaching horses to nibble anybody's hands for treats, and then suddenly I have an "aggressive" horse because she ended up nibbling some fingers.

YES, that is the problem. Soneone puts a hand where an animal is, gets sort of bitten, it us the owners fault. ? Your hand, your risk. Go home use some yodine you fool!

3) Diseases like strangles can be passed on via touch. So, if you are going out and about for a tour of all the horses and petting them you can spread a contamination without even knowing it. Of course you can argue that infected horses shouldn't be anywhere near footpaths, or have a double fence between them and the footpath, but even then you'll see people leaning over trying to pet the horse.

Now, that is far fetched. Possible, but odd and also birds and other animals pooping and dying in the field are much more likely to cause disease spread. But yes it IS possible