Strange behaviour?

[emilyjeff]

Hi all
My horse has a strange little habit of sniffing any horse poo we see whilst out hacking. Its quite funny and its usually just a little sniff then we carry on- no problem.
Yesterday I was riding with a friend, she was leading. Her horse went for a poo right in front of us and so mine sniffed it like usual except he really didn't want to leave it, he was pawing the ground and refusing to move- really weird. Anyone have any suggestions why he did this? Thanks

 

[Red-1]

It is a natural habit, he is seeing who is around.

However, it is a habit that they can't do when ridden, in my eyes anyway.

It starts as curiosity but soon he will refuse to move. That is dangerous on the road. I would not let him stop on the first place, I would ride strongly forward every time I even saw a poo on the road and if he tried to stop we would be trotting smartly away.

 

[ecb89]

Mine loves to shove his nose in the poo bucket next to the gate when we go into the school.
He is definitely not allowed to stop and sniff when ridden.

 

[emilyjeff]

Thank you sounds like I need to be stricter, I've never seen it as a problem before but don't want it to turn into one!

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

I don’t mind my mare doing it walking to and from the field but she doesn’t do it whilst ridden. Kick on!

 

[Widgeon]

Mine tries to sniff his own poos. He'll do one on the lane on the way out and then want to sniff it on the way home. He's admitedly not the sharpest tool in the box.

ETA I do let him have a little sniff if we're just pottering home. Not on the road though. And he's never beconme so attached to a poo that he doesn't want to leave it.

 

[Keira 8888]

Mine tries to sniff his own poos. He'll do one on the lane on the way out and then want to sniff it on the way home. He's admitedly not the sharpest tool in the box.

ETA I do let him have a little sniff if we're just pottering home. Not on the road though. And he's never beconme so attached to a poo that he doesn't want to leave it.

???????????????

 

[Apizz2019]

Hi all
My horse has a strange little habit of sniffing any horse poo we see whilst out hacking. Its quite funny and its usually just a little sniff then we carry on- no problem.
Yesterday I was riding with a friend, she was leading. Her horse went for a poo right in front of us and so mine sniffed it like usual except he really didn't want to leave it, he was pawing the ground and refusing to move- really weird. Anyone have any suggestions why he did this? Thanks

Our little pony used to do this and also squeeze out a poop on top!

It was quite annoying.

My 9 year old daughter now knows if she sees a poop, to kick on and not let him stop.

I think he's got the message now, loud a clear, as he no longer stops.... ?

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

My gelding who is usually extremely well behaved under saddle - arrived with a rather unsettling habit of actually retreating at speed and trying to refuse to pass any 'unknown' poo out hacking. It only took a couple of outings to cure him, but it did make me question his horsey IQ level. Time did in fact confirm my suspicions about his IQ level - but he is very handsome and a lovely ride so I try to ignore or work around the missing brain cells.

 

[Apizz2019]

My gelding who is usually extremely well behaved under saddle - arrived with a rather unsettling habit of actually retreating at speed and trying to refuse to pass any 'unknown' poo out hacking. It only took a couple of outings to cure him, but it did make me question his horsey IQ level. Time did in fact confirm my suspicions about his IQ level - but he is very handsome and a lovely ride so I try to ignore or work around the missing brain cells.

???

Same here - very low IQ but sweet and handsome pony.

A bit like my partner - handsome but not the brightest button in the box.

But both are perfect, nonetheless! ?