Poo picking...

blitznbobs

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So I was walking the dogs yesterday evening and I saw one of my neighbours at a distance poo picking in a field of four horses. All horses were grazing peacefully. Now I normally poo pick when the horses are in their stables but having seen my neighbour I thought , why don’t I do that? So this afternoon between the rain showers I ventured out to do the same. Within a minute I had a cob trying to blow hot air down my neck and a section A trying to climb into the wheelbarrow.. rendering it impossible to get on with the job and reminding me why I’ve always poo picked with the horses out of the field... so I was wondering do most people have to clear their paddocks of ponies prior to poo picking?
 

teddypops

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In the winter, I poo pick once the ponies are in for the night but the rest of the year they live out so I do it while they are in the field, my gelding interferes all the time, he always races over to me to have a poop then he gets in my way, trips over the wheelbarrow, demands attention etc. The rest of them ignore me!
 

paddy555

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I never bring ours in it would take too long. We poo pick with a paddock cleaner and the horses just ignore us and get on with eating.
 

Spottyappy

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Ours are usually in, in the morning but are out when we do the afternoon clearing. Dont usually have any issues, besides one sometimes wanting a scratch.
 

The Jokers Girl

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I keep mine out as I love the harassment. They are so inquisitive and are probably looking for food but it's so lovely to give them a scratch and have then follow around. They then got bored and wander off and its wonderful to then watch herd dynamics and mutual grooming and one deciding its drink time so herding the others to the trough ??
 

Lintel

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Mostly with them in the paddock but if either of them are "bored" or have coincidently.. "itchy hocks" that they must scratch on the wheelbarrow then I get rid of them and poo pick alone ?
 

Muddywellies

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I've always picked up the droppings with horses in situ. They just ignore me or poss have a scratch on the wheelbarrow and tip it over
 

Surbie

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We always do it with ours in the field - twice a day which sometimes used to feel like a chore in horizontal rain, but in lockdown times is just brilliant. More time with the horses! I usually stick the full barrow under the electric tape and just watch them for a while. Mine always comes over for a cuddle/to see if I might possibly be interested in moving the fence further into the fat side.
 

DabDab

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While mine are in the field mainly. I love hanging out in the field with them, they're funny.

Sometimes they just ignore me, sometimes I get the three of them trailing after me, and quite often one of the girls will decide that I'm obviously just there to watch a race and the three of them will zoom up and down.
 

poiuytrewq

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Either. At the moment the routine has been bring them in and poo pick, that’s more because when they see me they want breakfast! I often do it with them out there it’s just I have more morning time now I’m off work!
 

meleeka

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I poo pick around them, I love how they randomly come over for a cuddle.
I have to be a bit careful the Shetland doesn't knock the wheelbarrow over while he has an itch on it though ?
Same. I’ve learnt not to leave the wheelbarrow for too long and go too far ?

i love that they choose to spend time with me. They live out so it would take longer to get them in than it does to do the job around them.
 

tiahatti

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I used to so it around them. Tia liked to use the wheelbarrow handles to scratch her face. Hatti, on the other hand was far too posh to have anything to do with poo picking!
 

rowan666

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Mine dont bother me when I'm poo picking, I have to keep the wheelbarrow close though otherwise the cob and the sheep like to make a game out of who gets to tip it over first ??‍♀️
 

tda

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Ours live out or on hardstanding, so are always there. They don't bother as a rule, one or two like to help and come over and make a deposit ?
We use quad and trailer, and John our young gelding is keen to have a root around in the quad box to see what he can find ?
 

milliepops

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I do it with him in the field, though it takes 2x longer as he likes to inspect every poo I put in there, and follow me around/nibble my ear/raid my pockets every single time I stop!

View attachment 45910
View attachment 45909
I've got an ear nibbler. He creeps up behind me and suddenly there's a big nose snuffling in my ear :p if he wants scratches then he boops me on my back. The other one is not so subtle, she just marches over and grabs me with her neck :D
 

PapaverFollis

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I have a "helper"... it's quicker to get done when they're out if the field but enjoy hanging out when they're in. At the moment they are penned for the afternoons so poo picking is happening without assistance. I spend silly amounts of time just watchinh and hanging out with them anyway now they're at home.

I'm always a bit worried they'll get legs tangled in barrow handles while they're in there so tend to stay very close to the barrow if I have company. Which makes it take a bit longer. As well as the "help" obviously.

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The Fuzzy Furry

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Mine come in twice a day for evening feed for all and morning feed for 1 and check for other 2, so I poo pick then.
Much easier to have the dog with me as one of the tinies likes to stamp on dogs in paddocks, the other rummages in barrow and knocks it over. Only takes 10 to 15 minutes so no hardship :)
 

freckles22uk

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Mine lives out so he’s in the field while I pick, sometimes he will come over for a scratch other times ignore me, I take the dogs also and kick the tennis ball while I pick so they get extra exercise also
 

Milliechaz

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I poo pick everyday and do it while they are in the field, just before I bring them in. The two older ones wander over for a bit of attention they go off and graze again. My youngster however does like to help by standing a millimetre away from me the whole time and following me around the field.
 

PurBee

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I do in when theyre in the field - mare leaves me alone but playful gelding harrassed me, until i put a stop to it. Tipping over the barrow, he does ‘fake spooking’ jumps, and generally teases me, so the job took lots longer, and so i ran him off to keep back and let me get on with it! He’s fine now.

mainly i worried that he’d get hoof caught in the barrow, while im away from it poop picking, he’d constantly paw at it and put his hoof in the barrow to tip it, then paw at it to turn it upright again.
 
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