Lacking Minerals? Eating Droppings

[oscarwild]

For the last 6 days I have noticed during mucking out that my mare hasnt been pooing alot. Spoke to vet for advice and we have been monitoring her. She has looked healthy and eating normally. Anyway went and took her haynets down this morning before mucking out and she had just recently pooed. Once I took the haynets out I noticed she didnt follow me to the door as normal. Went off to put haynets at bale as per normal and she want looking over the door as per normal. So when I went up to the door she was there eating her poo. And by this time she basically eaten 90% of it.

Does this mean she is lacking in minerals in some way? Have left a message with vet to phone me back!

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

Normally yes it would indicate that. ESP in winter. Although sometimes it can be a habit from a historic deficiency episode but sounds like it is new behaviour for you horse.

I would supplement her diet as per what your vet recommends, and maybe also add an iron/ vitamin supplement temporarily. Plus maybe she likes the warmth of the poo, maybe make up her feeds with warm water for a bit esp while it is so cold.

 

[dancingkris]

Has she had a course of antibiotics recently? My old boy did this a few years ago after he'd been on powders - its their way of putting all the bacteria levels in the stomach back to normal. A tub of pro-bio soon put him right and he's not done it since. It was quite a shock to see him doing it!