PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE HORSES
COMMUNITY ALERT FROM GLOUCESTERSHIRE POLICE
It has been reported to Police that members of the public are feeding horses in fields around Stow On The Wold. This has caused the horses to become ill and require the services of Vet.
Over-feeding (feeding more energy than is used by the horse) on a long-term basis leads to obesity, which can result in serious welfare problems and can affect health.
Horses are naturally grazers who eat little and often. Their natural diet is mainly grasses, which have a high roughage (fibre) content.
The quantity of concentrates fed to a horse as supplementary feed in addition to any forage should be no more than that necessary to provide the required energy for the type and quantity of exercise performed or for any required weight gain. Feeding excessive concentrates can contribute to health problems such as obesity, gastrointestinal upset and laminitis.