Horse eating sheep poo

[CazD]

Eurgh! Our neighbour's sheep have recently been breaking through the hedge and coming into our paddock. Our elderly pony has taken to eating the sheep poo. Why would she do this? She is aged about 30 and has cushings, for which she is medicated, although the medication is slightly hit or miss as she doesn't always eat her feed and wont take any food by hand. She was a rescue and, I suspect, abused in the past, as she panics if she feels under any pressure so holding her to put a tablet in her mouth is a no no. Would the cushings have anything to do with her peculiar eating habits? She's always been very fussy with food, even before the cushings diagnosis, so I cant understand it. This is the first year she's had the sheep in the paddock.

 

[Chinchilla]

following because that is frankly bizarre! (no offence OP). What's her diet like? Is she maybe trying to compensate for a lack in her nutrition which may be in the sheep poo from something they eat ??

 

[cobgoblin]

Her own personal probiotics?

 

[YorksG]

Ours don't eat each others poo, but one of the Appy's rolls in sheep poo and one of the yearling sheep rolls in horse poo! I have no idea why either of them do it, but it is fairly consistant.

 

[CazD]

following because that is frankly bizarre! (no offence OP). What's her diet like? Is she maybe trying to compensate for a lack in her nutrition which may be in the sheep poo from something they eat ??

You're right, it is bizarre. And quite horrible! It could be her diet, because she is difficult to feed, as in she rarely eats her feed. Sometimes she will, sometimes she just sniffs it and walks off, sometimes she will eat a mouthful and then walk off. She's fed a light mix as that is the only thing she will touch. She's around 30 and has cushings. She's out at grass 24/7. The others are getting hay in the field but she isn't interested in it. Her weight is OK and she seems reasonably bright. Fortunately the sheep have now been moved so hopefully that will put an end to it.