stallion eating his poo?

[show_jumper]

hi there - my stallion has recently got into the habit of eating his poo - and i really want to stop him .. he has vit/mineral licks etc - what could be making him do this?

 

[Llwyncwn]

My old gelding did this once after a long distance journey. I was told it was due to his stomach being off !?!?! What hard feed are you giving him and does he stress at all?

 

[show_jumper]

no he's not a sressy type! hes on chaff and mix by kenwood feeds - everyone else (the horses) do really well on it - hmmm..... he's doing it daily now - which is starting to worry me

 

[Llwyncwn]

Wonder if its becoming a habit? Apart from offering him a ciggy instead, perhaps have bloods done?

 

[Shilasdair]

I can think of three reasons - lack of fibre in diet...feed more fibre, vitamin or mineral deficiency (obviously easily cured) and finally, an attempt to correct gut bacteria...they normally eat other horses' poo to get the correct bacteria...but if he doesn't have access to any but his own then this may explain it.
I'd feed him probiotics, such as Protexin, to sort that out.
S

 

[show_jumper]

he has a high fibre diet - so ill go get some protexin tomorrow! thanks!

 

[madmav]

My horse from years ago went through a spate of doing that. Totally gross, made his breath stink and his teeth go brown - packet of fags probably would have been less gross. Was told it was mineral deficiency but nothing seemed to work. Then he suddenly stopped.
Our dog has akso done it occasionally - and other dogs, too. And that is even more gross than horses doing it. At least they're herbivores.