Does anyone else's horses do this....

Tiarella

Tiarella

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My nf pony is a bit strange anyway, but whenever he has a hard feed he rolls whilst eating it. He normally finishes it and then spins the bucket round trying to get the last scraps out and then rolls if he can't get anymore. I spoke to his old owners that had him as a 2yo and he used to roll in field at feed time to keep other 2yo away so he could have both buckets (typical!)

So do anyone else's horse do this?!
 
My new little yearling pony does this, only had him a few months wondered what he was doing first of all even my lovely big horse gave him a funny look !!
 
My old arab stallion used to do the one leg in the air routine when he ate! He"d been starved before I bought him, in a failed attempt to manage his behaviour. When I first saw him, they had retreated to throwing feedover his door, cos he lunged over the door all teeth and hooves, whenever he saw any food. I bought him and eventually he felt safe enough to be fine and calm round his feed. I always thought his front foot in the air all the time he was eating out of his feed bowl was to remind me about what he could revert to, should I ever forget to feed him! He lived for fifteen years with us, until being pts due to arthritic changes which could no longer be managed by medication successfully. He ate his last, mammoth feed with his front leg in the air. Bless him, he never went hungry with us and he is much missed.
 
The Mini Shetland does this every time. Poor chap only gets a half a tea cup worth of high fibre pony nuts so he doesn't feel left out when the others are noshing but always has a roll on his trug (one of those recycled rubber ones that gives when squashed). I think it's just him expressing pleasure none of the others do it. Had a horse once that would always stick his tongue out about an inch & suck it for a few minutes after his feed, a look of bliss on his face. He was hand reared so perhaps that had something to do with it:o
 
A friend's Section A filly did this. It's a bit weird, her knees would almot buckle at the sight of the bucket! It's a learned behaviour, probably related to less than ideal weaning (watching dam eat normally from a bucket usually means foal models their own behaviour on that, but if dam not present to model, all kinds of weird superstitious eating behaviour can result).

Once it's learned, there's not much point trying to change it :)
 
Our cob used to roll, seems to have grown out of it thank God, wouldnt have been so bad if he had eaten all his food then rolled but he used to grab a mouthful & then proceed to roll on his bucket of food. Used to drive me bonkers.
 
OldNag said:
Mine doesn't roll, but always eats his hard feed with one leg in the air! Strange creature!
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Snap...one of mine does this. Then when he's finished he will pick up his bucket and throw it all over the place. He obviously thinks this technique will magic up more feed from somewhere!
 
Used to know a shetland who's party trick was after finishing a feed he would have a roll complete with bucket on his head :D he wasn't happy unless his entire face was in the bucket as he rolled around, it was very cute!
 
Hippophilia said:
My TB mare will tip her bucket over looking for more, carefully pick up any crumbs....and then lick the wall. Weirdo :D
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HaHa! licking the wall is probably better than your face!
My gelding picks up his bucket after he's finished, waves it around in a Oliver "please sir can i have some more pose" and then drops it over the door. When i go and pick up the bucket he is always ready with a terribly feedy lick on my face as I stand back up!
I think he's saying thank you but it can be pretty gross! :)
 
Burmilla said:
My old arab stallion used to do the one leg in the air routine when he ate! He"d been starved before I bought him, in a failed attempt to manage his behaviour. When I first saw him, they had retreated to throwing feedover his door, cos he lunged over the door all teeth and hooves, whenever he saw any food. I bought him and eventually he felt safe enough to be fine and calm round his feed. I always thought his front foot in the air all the time he was eating out of his feed bowl was to remind me about what he could revert to, should I ever forget to feed him! He lived for fifteen years with us, until being pts due to arthritic changes which could no longer be managed by medication successfully. He ate his last, mammoth feed with his front leg in the air. Bless him, he never went hungry with us and he is much missed.
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Just wanted to easy, he sounded a real character and I found your post quite moving, brought tears:eek:
 
My boy does this! He's had several vists to stay at the vets and scared th nurses several times by rolling excessively with his bucket. Luckly I had remembered to warn them he did it!
He doesn't do it out in the feild only in his stable and if he's really hungry he will just pick his bucket up and throw it across the stable to get to his hay!
It's interesting that someone suggested a learned behaviour as my boy is very stressy and very attached to my mare. He also has a strange habit of sucking my hand after being fed a treat! I've never met a horse ( he's 19) who's done this and is older!
My old boy used to wave his leg on occasion always thought it was when he was extra hungry. Say it had been a cold windy rainy day he would deffinatly do it then bless him.
 
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