Exercise causing the squits?

[DiamondSR]

My horse's droppings in the field/stable look completely normal but when he is exercised he has at least 3-4 droppings over the period of an hour and these get increasingly loose and end up being completely liquid.

He doesn't get excited or nervous when I am riding him and is generally a very relaxed character, I just wondered whether anyone else had experience of this and whether it's something I should worry about / if there is anything I can do?

I have had my horse for 8 months and he has been like this from the start, he is regularly wormed and looks and feels very healthly and well.

 

[RussianGirl]

We have a horse that does this, but he is nervous, and sounds like the opposite to your boy in temprement.
If he is maintaining weight easily I cannot see much reason to worry.

 

[nellieelephant]

How about changing what your feeding him?

 

[lizzieuk1]

well if he is well in himself and hasn't changed since you got him etc then sounds ok. exercise does cause the gut to be massaged by the diaphragm so it is very likely that is causing the dropping movement, the other thing i would consider is whether his saddle is fine, the spinal nerves feed the gut as well as the muscles so any irritation on the back could be irritating the nerves and thus increasing the bowel movement, like i say it is prob just the diaphragm movement but might be worth just checking his back as well. hope that helps.

 

[Tia]

Only 3 or 4 droppings over an hours ride? Think yourself lucky - we have a mare who poops at least 8 or 9 times when she is out, and the more often she does it, the squittier they get - in fact by the end of the ride, they are positively projectile!

She's a very calm horse, never gets upset out riding and often has total beginners on her; it's just when she goes out, she does squit loads. Once back in the field, her poos are perfectly normal again.

 

[DiamondSR]

Thanks for all the replies. I have just had a new saddle fitted to him as my old one didn't fit too well, but he is still doing it.

I didn't think it was anything to worry about as he seems so well, but have just never come across it before and have had people comment to me when out hacking etc that he has the squits, and it makes me feel like a bad mother when I dismiss it and say he always does it!