Horse pooing problems when being ridden

[TM showjumper]

When I ride and my horse needs to poo he starts trying to stop but if I let him stop he doesn't poo, so I make him go forward again (I have to work really hard to get him going forward again). When he needs to poo he's really lazy and doesn't concentrate but he still doesn't go. After a while he can't hold it anymore and suddenly stops and poos. When he's pooing he groans really loudly like he's struggling to get it out but the poo is completely normal. After he's done it he's a lot more forward again and much better to ride.

I compete in a lot of showjumping so it worries me he will stop to poo when I'm jumping round the course (he's done this once before but I managed to keep him in trot and get him over the jump). He's a young horse (5 yo) so I don't want to let this become a habit if its him being naughty and avoiding work, however if he's constipated or something and I can give him something to make him be able to poo more easily it would really help.

He is fed spillers slow response cubes and chaff twice a day and he also has some haylage when he comes in from the field (he's in the field around 5-6 hours a day normally, morning until about 2pm) and a hay net for the night. He is a 16.2 TB x Hanoverian. He seems to drink enough and is willing to drink if you offer him some in a bucket.

I really need to get to the bottom of this as he is starting to jump bigger and I'd really like the get rid of this problem. Thanks

 

[Hen]

I'd be really interested to other responses to this problem as I have similar; horse is on a very high fibre diet (soaked hay, beet, chaff, vit/mins and a small amount of linseed) and presents exactly as you describe; I find I need to warm her up and work her reasonably hard for 15-20 mins before she wants to go, and she often needs to go twice before she is free enough to work with any real intensity or athleticism.
It has improved since I dropped oat straw as the chaff, reduced the chaff element per feed, added beet pulp, fed more frequent, smaller feeds and started to add a very small amount of psyllium husks to her feeds (about 3 grammes) - basically I think she's a lazy chilled out horse being fed probably a higher proportion of indigestible fibre than she perhaps ought to get (hay quality is poor) so her system is quite full most of the time.
I've got a better idea of how much time I need to warm her up and clear her system before we need to go to real work now - but like you I do worry that we'll come to a shuddering halt mid-pattern - which would be a bit of a disaster!!

 

[caramel]

Mine's similar, in that he often needs to go in the first few minutes of being ridden, goes all tight behind, back up (this is his way of saying he needs the toilet), only he never goes when ridden! instead he gets all tense, jogs etc, so back to the stable we go!, untack, pop him in, close the door and eventually he goes, groaning loudly, but again everything's fine, I've always put it down to habit (however we have a lady from dengie coming to the yard soon so will ask then). Almost like he's crossing his legs when ridden.

He's on a fibre rich diet (dengie healthy tummy, plenty of grass and ad-lib soaked hay), drinks plenty! so am interested to read other peoples opinions.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

When I ride and my horse needs to poo he starts trying to stop but if I let him stop he doesn't poo, so I make him go forward again (I have to work really hard to get him going forward again). When he needs to poo he's really lazy and doesn't concentrate but he still doesn't go. After a while he can't hold it anymore and suddenly stops and poos. When he's pooing he groans really loudly like he's struggling to get it out but the poo is completely normal. After he's done it he's a lot more forward again and much better to ride.

I compete in a lot of showjumping so it worries me he will stop to poo when I'm jumping round the course (he's done this once before but I managed to keep him in trot and get him over the jump). He's a young horse (5 yo) so I don't want to let this become a habit if its him being naughty and avoiding work, however if he's constipated or something and I can give him something to make him be able to poo more easily it would really help.

He is fed spillers slow response cubes and chaff twice a day and he also has some haylage when he comes in from the field (he's in the field around 5-6 hours a day normally, morning until about 2pm) and a hay net for the night. He is a 16.2 TB x Hanoverian. He seems to drink enough and is willing to drink if you offer him some in a bucket.

I really need to get to the bottom of this as he is starting to jump bigger and I'd really like the get rid of this problem. Thanks

let me address this

1 some horses do not like walking- trotting and cantering while pooing and will try and stop.
2 some horses do not like pooing- weeing out on a ride thus they will wait till they return to the stable.

3 You should make your horse go forward while he poo's, its a bad habit to stop and he should be taught to go forward

4 Horses often groan while relieving themselves - mine does it a lot so do not worry.


as you said his poos were normal and come out ok I would not think he is constipated.

 

[TM showjumper]

I was wondering if I should be trying some sort of supplement that aids digestion? Also my horse seems to poo not that often but they are very large :S

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

He probably stops but then doesn't go because he thinks you'll make him go forward again and he doesn't want to move and poo. It's unlikely from your description that there's anything wrong with him or any physical reason why he can't move and poo, its most likely his personal preference. Whether or not you indulge him is up to you. I wouldn't like it if someone made me run when I was pooing! So I don't make my horse do it and I don't care if I lose a competition because of it. I don't let him take half hour to think about it though, he either goes forward and works or he stops and poos.

 

[Stripy]

It springs to mind that as you are obviously really concerned, you should talk to a vet and then a nutritionist. I know these things cost money, but surely it's better to know you are doing the right thing than just guessing? As for a supplement, I would personally hold fire until you've had some expert help in case there's a problem. There's probably no problem, but you sound like a worrier, like me and I know that the only way I get peace of mind is to save up and get the vet, etc in

 

[TM showjumper]

It springs to mind that as you are obviously really concerned, you should talk to a vet and then a nutritionist. I know these things cost money, but surely it's better to know you are doing the right thing than just guessing? As for a supplement, I would personally hold fire until you've had some expert help in case there's a problem. There's probably no problem, but you sound like a worrier, like me and I know that the only way I get peace of mind is to save up and get the vet, etc in

Thankyou I was thinking of asking the vet and now ill try and do that I just don't want to kick him on and really get after him if there is something wrong, I'd rather know 100% he's just being particular about stopping when pooing before I do.

 

[SvD92]

I am really curious what has come out of this. The mare I share does this - she thinks about pooing when being ridden for about 10 minutes and keeps slowing down. I keep her going until she finally does it. Then she is forward again, but sometimes she has to go more than once in a session.. !

 

[Lois Lame]

Exercise stimulates the bowels. If the horse has spent the night in a stable, that could be a big contributing factor in their bowel movements.

I am really curious what has come out of this. The mare I share does this - she thinks about pooing when being ridden for about 10 minutes and keeps slowing down. I keep her going until she finally does it. Then she is forward again, but sometimes she has to go more than once in a session.. !

I think the mare feels the need to move her bowels but can't quite manage it until the exercise you are giving her 'releases' or 'moves along' the contents of her bowel.

These contents would have built up over the time she has been idle (stabled?).

 

[SvD92]

That is a good point, although she also frequently does it when she has been in the field or has already been ridden earlier in the day (she is part of a riding school). And she does poo a normal amount outside of work, judging by the contents of her stable when mucking out