Does this mean anything?

A

apkelly01

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I've had my mare 9 years give or take and up until Dec she travelled in a trailer (Mostly IW 510). On every journey she would poop there and back. I took this as normal. I bought a little lorry conversion - forward facing, side loader, tons of room and headroom - more then the 510. I've done 2 short journeys - when she was on her own and she poop'ed going but not back. And since then I've done longer journeys (with another horse beside her) - 1hrs + there and back and she hasn't poop'd at all on these journeys which is something she's never done before. So my question is - is this normal or does it mean anything? Should I be worried or am I worrying over nothing? Anyone else who's gone from trailer to lorry seen this happen? Cookies for getting this far
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In my experience horses tend to travel much better in a lorry than a trailer, but I haven't got any experience of the 3 1/2 tonners. If she is trevelling well I wouldn't worry about it - maybe she just didn't need a poo?? Or she is too lady-like to poo in front of her mates!
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Think you are worrying over nothing
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She is probably much more relaxed travelling in your lorry, rather than the trailer. When we first got our lorry, our mare who hadn't travelled much always used to poo before we got to the end of our lane - now, she is a much more seasoned traveller and very rarely poos in her box (far too ladylike I think).
 
I think the pooping is often a sign of stress rather than a digestive need to do it. If your horse is doing it less travelling then I don't believe it is a problem - more of a positive sign
 
My mare isn't totally happy travelling yet. I never put the ramp up until she's pooped because she does it almost as soon as she gets in!

Very rarely does it on the way home though, so as mother_hen says, I think it is a sign of stress - on the way out she doesn't know where she's going or what we're going to do, but on the way back she knows we're only going home.

Apart from that, she's far too busy scraping the floor on the way home (which she NEVER does on the way out) to think about pooping
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I'd guess the pooing in the trailer was from some stress and that she is happier in the lorry. Certainly nothing to worry about.
 
Thanks everyone - I think she is happier and seems to make less noise now as well. The only other thing I can think of different is on all the journey's she's not pooped I had the door open to the horses, so I was able to talk to them while driving (warn them of upcoming bends LOL!
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) I must say I'm not complaining as I've less to clean up - but was just wondering if it was normal! Thanks again
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