Horse Eating POO - Lacking in something??

3Beasties

3Beasties

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HIGHLY embarrassing moment today when I was stood with a group of people in the horses field watching a new beastie settle and my great lump of a horse did a poo and then started eating it :o :o :o

I have had him for 7 years and I have NEVER known him to do this, it wasn't a little nibble either, he literally took a huge mouthful and ate it and then went back for more :eek:

Could this mean he is lacking in something or is he just telling me it's time to start giving him some grub? Has anyone else ever know a Poo eating horse? :o :eek: :D

It was so gross when I rode him as he had Poo flavoured slobber, I don't think I'll be giving him any kisses for a while! :D :o :D

Yuck, Yuck, Yuck!!
 
I have always thought eating poo is a bit like eating mud, deficient in something. could try a general supplement/ balancer or a lick.

Also agree yuk :D
 
its called coprophagia. Foals do it and its thought to be so they can populate thir gut with the right bacteria. In adults it can be a lack of food or nutrients. If you havnt got much grass maybe feed hay? And a vit/min supplement if not doing so already.
Or it could be because your horse is minging!
 
Ewwww! Not seen any of the geldings at yard do it. Mine will sniff his own and others very intensely but it goes no further than that. I know they use dung piles as a form of communication in a herd but why he sniffs his own I have no idea :D
 
My old girl did this after antibiotics for an infected tooth upset her gut flora. Pink Powder put it right after 2 days!!
 
My boy did this last year whilst on box rest. Once he was allowed to be rode again, i upped his feed and it gradually stopped. He is stabled most of the time now and as long as he is in work and well feed and gets out 3 days a week he doesnt do it :) ps it will make his teeth icky brown poopy colour :p lmao
 
I may be completely wrong here and it could be to do with diet however my previous pony did this when he couldn't be ridden due to a nasty case of laminitis/cushings. He would literally patrol his stable for it! As soon as I started to work him again he stopped doing this all the time and would only revert on days when i couldn't ride him and he was stuck in him box.

This leads me to think that it could be a slightly gross habit that they can get when bored? Has he been on holiday, or not done much for a bit?

Hope you sort it out!
 
This forum is so useful...! My gelding is currently on box rest and on restricted diet (soaked hay, fast fibre, Hifi lite and broad spec supplement) and eating his poo... At first I thought he wasn't pooing at all (which was very alarming) but I would find scraps of poo in his bed, so can only assume he is eating it... Ugh! I've upped his supplement a bit and he has a mineral lick but is still doing it. I guess it won't do him any harm but it's pretty disgusting.
 
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