foot stamping when eating

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EmmyMD

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odd question here.
horse is 100% sound in all three paces, but foot stomps when eating hard feed in the stable. Doesn't do it if fed in the field/on the yard, or grazing or when eating hay from the floor.
Anyone else's do this, is it anything i should be worried about?
 
Mine stamps his front feet every now and again when eating from a bucket. I personally think this isn't an issue, to me it's like a frustrated / excited stamp. He has been known to stamp and knock his bucket over lol silly boy. He also paws the ground when he sees his feed bucket coming.
 
My anglo does it but he does it wherever hes fed and has to have his 'special' bucket that hooks over fence/gate etc so he dosnt kick it everywhere! I always assumed it was out of impatience.
 
Both my two youngsters do it, they paw excitedly and remove all the bedding under their bins.

I think they just love having a feed after being neglected. Luckily feed containers are mounted in corner of stables!
 
I just think it is a behavioral thing, horses are not naturally designed to be fed highly nutritious feeds form a source that requires no effort or movement so nothing to occupy the body or brain whilst it is being consumed so some horses have to move whilst they eat it.

just a theory on my part though
 
EmmyMD said:
odd question here.
horse is 100% sound in all three paces, but foot stomps when eating hard feed in the stable. Doesn't do it if fed in the field/on the yard, or grazing or when eating hay from the floor.
Anyone else's do this, is it anything i should be worried about?
Click to expand...

My pony does it every meal time , but she paws under the manger so her knee knocks manger at same time so all you heal is boom-boom-boom-boom, as her knee bangs manger.

Some horses hold their legs up in the air while eating
 
both mine do it- just eager to eat! put my girls bucket in a tyre as she lifts her leg up and ends up tipping her bowl over. my boy will sometimes dig the ground while he waits for dinner. some seem to do it in a protective way
 
My WB does this - front leg gets stamped when he starts to eat - my loan pony waves a leg at you before and after you give him the bucket - its the cutest thing, like hes saying please and thanks :D
 
I'd ignore it, plenty of horses and ponies do it. I think you would cause more harm than good if you tried doing something about it. Its like some of us chew our nails, some dont. Its habitual.
 
Mine doesn't stamp but always holds his near fore up under him when he has a feed and eats balancing on three legs. His previous owner said he had always done it and as he's a greedy boy it's just his way of enjoying his feed.
 
My boy does this. He gets terribly excited about bucket feeds which he seems to prefer very wet. He also removes any carrots and apples before he starts and sets them to one side for last.
 
I was lead to believe its due to horses always moving slightly when eating naturally in the field, they slowly walk forward as the graze.

It's just there natural instinct and nothing to worry about, just leave them to do it.
 
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