September 16, 2021 12.00 pm This story is over 30 months old

Banners at Lincoln South Common urge people not to feed horses

The message is loud and clear: don’t feed the horses
Banners reminding people not to feed the horses were put up at Lincoln's South Common, but this horse didn't get the message! | Photo: Charlotte Houlden
By Local Democracy Reporter

Banners have gone up at Lincoln’s South Common to remind people not to feed the horses after recent incidents of the animals dying from passers-by giving them food.

There are around eight or nine horses left on the South Common in Lincoln, and Charlotte Houlden, owner of one of the animals, has said that feeding of the horses is a “daily occurrence” despite regular warnings of its dangers.

To try to combat this issue, local resident Wendy Miller wanted to put banners up on the railings to remind everyone that they should not be feeding the horses.

The sign is in both English and Polish, as the message reads clear. | Photo: Wendy Miller

The banners were made by Kate Baldwin of Impress Prints & Branding, who offered to create them free of charge after the spate of horse deaths.

They read “please do not feed the horses” in both English and Polish, accompanied with pictures of some of the foods that are not suitable for the horses to be given.

Owners are hoping it will help keep the horses safe from foods that are toxic to them. | Photo: Wendy Miller

Pictures of cake, bread, apples and carrots are on the banner after reports of a horse called Vera being given these foods when she died on August 1 this year.

Horse deaths on the South Common were seen as a growing threat by owners of the animals, which prompted the banners to be put up.

Signage had previously been put up in the area warning people against feeding the horses, but had since been taken down.

Horse owners are urging people not to feed their animals on the South Common in Lincoln. | Photo: Charlotte Houlden

Wendy Miller, who helped organise the placing of the new banners, told The Lincolnite: “Ever since that horse sadly died on South Common as a result of being fed cakes, we wanted to fundraise to have banners printed.

“They are there to warn people of the dangers of feeding horses, and thankfully Kate Baldwin offered to do it free of charge! Hopefully it can spread awareness.”