Owner appeals to public not to feed horses after two in Wilton left 'very poorly'
Problem has escalated across the country during lockdown
On Sunday owner Kaileigh Rowe discovered her horse and a friend's pony 'sweating and panting' when she went to get them in from their field in Wilton at the back of The Hollows.
A vet was called to attend to the pair with the conclusion they were fed something they shouldn't have.
Fortunately 19 year old Riley and Sundance are recovering well but they could have ended up with the potentially fatal condition colic, or even choked on the item.
Kaileigh told Greatest Hits Radio it was a 'scary' time and is pleading with people to admire any horses they meet out walking but "not to feed them anything."
She's warning even carrots or apples can be dangerous to some horses.
"Some horses have laminitis, which is the equivalent to diabetes, so even natural sugars can be lethal."
The problem of people feeding horses and ponies has soared across the country during lockdown as people took to walking.
In one incident early this month a Shetland pony in Wimborne, Dorset was fed the remains of a roast dinner and had to undergo surgery costing £5,500.
In the New Forest a free roaming pony died after choking on chunks of carrot left at the roadside.
A campaign group has been set up on Facebook to try and educate the public.
Stop Feeding Our Horses has grown to almost 10,000 members.
Two petitions have also been set up on petition.parliament.uk and on Change.org
Across both more than 16,000 people have added their signature.