Why does my poo disintegrate?

[Lots of Gift Bags]

Ok not MY poo ??
But my horse's poo disintegrates, which makes it hard to pick up and my bed always looks horrible, brown and dirty.
I feed him on chaff and micronized linseed.
Yesterday I mucked out my friends horse and it was so easy, her poo remains in nice lumps which makes it quick to muck out and her bed is bright and shiny!
What can I do to improve my poo? ????

 

[irishdraft]

Probably birds pecking cos of the linseed in have the same problem but in the field x

 

[Lots of Gift Bags]

In the stable? Overnight?

 

[HBB]

Mice will also eat any undigested linseed in the poo too and scatter it.

 

[Lots of Gift Bags]

Is there anything I can do to stop it?
Even before he was on linseed, he didn't really have solid lumps, so I don't think it's just the linseed but it's definitely got worse since being on it.

 

[bouncing_ball]

a gut supplement- pre / probiotics?

 

[Orangehorse]

Well linseed is high in fat. A horse in good health should have droppings that form a ball which break slightly.
Suggest a gut supplement and cut back on the linseed?

 

[Nasicus]

Rats or Mice for sure if it's in the stable. All you can really do is make sure there's no obvious holes in the walls etc giving them easy access. Good chance they're going after undigested stuff in the poop such as the linseed. Could be worth checking his poops (prior to being raided) to see if there's much undigested matter in there, as that would attract rodents but also indicate a possible digestion or teeth/chewing problem.
Other than that, if it's micronized linseed there's often a fair amount of whole (and hard to digest) seeds mixed in with the broken down stuff, perhaps worth trying a linseed oil instead?
Also worth considering his hay and/or grass, not all that much you can do about it, but if it's full of seeds a lot will pass through unscathed. A lot of seeds are designed to survive being eaten, so as to be spread in the poop of the animal.

 

[Lots of Gift Bags]

Interesting. His poos are usually fairly soft so maybe a pre/probiotic is needed. Any recommendations?

 

[MuddyMonster]

I"ve used Protexin products with good results in the past, so they'd be my starting point.

 

[meleeka]

Is he eating enough hay? Inadequate fibre can cause poo to be less formed, as can dental issues. Does he kick it around? if it’s fairly soft to start and then he’s spreading it, that could explain the difference.

 

[holeymoley]

Does he have access to grass? I noticed years ago when I used yo compete, the day after we were away all day, the droppings would fall apart really easily. The grass seems to bind them a bit more.

 

[Lots of Gift Bags]

Thanks MM, I'll look at Protexin.
Meleeka, I think he is, he has his haycube stuffed full, and he usually has a little left over. He doesn't kick it round as it's in the cube.
Holeymoley, yes yes out on grass during the day (in the winter) and in at night.

 

[Steerpike]

Following with interest as out of the 4 I have stabled this happens to one of them,he's on linseed, I may try to cut back or add a gut balancer.

 

[MuffettMischief]

It’s likely the rats/mice eating the linseed. I used to be in a barn of 8 horses, all on shavings, my 3 all had linseed and all 3 of my beds used to be like this every day. Used to take me so bloody long to muck out!

 

[COldNag]

I get this too - both in and outside. Birds/mice.
I put up with it as I am pretty convinced in the benefits of linseed so don't want to stop feeding it

 

[vhf]

I'd bet on the linseed too. I have 2. One is nearly always on micronised linseed, the other varies. Occasionally I run out and then neither gets it. It is completely reflected in the state of the droppings (they live mostly out) to the extent that when both are fully on it, there's no real point trying to harrow, never mind poo pick! I guess you could try switching to the oil - but one of mine won't touch it anyway. Or go old school and boil up the raw seeds!

 

[Orangehorse]

Actually the one question is - how much linseed are you giving him?

A horse in full work would only have a mugful I seem to remember. Horses can digest oil, endurance horses often have oil supplementation, but they have to incorporate it into the diet very gradually over several weeks, and doing a lot of work at the same time.

 

[Zuzan]

In the stable? Overnight?

I think it's mice .. have seen little furry friends do this in the field..

 

[Steerpike]

Actually the one question is - how much linseed are you giving him?

A horse in full work would only have a mugful I seem to remember. Horses can digest oil, endurance horses often have oil supplementation, but they have to incorporate it into the diet very gradually over several weeks, and doing a lot of work at the same time.

Four of mine do endurance, they have only just started their walk work, 2 are on a mug of micronised linseed a day at the moment, when they start doing more work they will get more depending on how they are looking, I'm pretty sure you can feed quite a lot of linseed from what I remember reading from one of Dr Marlins articles.

 

[Lois Lame]

... he has his haycube stuffed full, and he usually has a little left over. He doesn't kick it round as it's in the cube.
Holeymoley, yes yes out on grass during the day (in the winter) and in at night.

Is he getting enough roughage overnight?

Could he be nibbling the poos himself? I have no idea what a hay cube is (squashed hay in little cubes is what I thought at first).

If he is nibbling the poo himself, I'd try some long-stemmed roughage like some very nice meadow hay if you can get it.

I'd like to see what goes on in his stable in the night. Mice visitors? Can a camera be set up?

 

[bouncing_ball]

Is he getting enough roughage overnight?

Could he be nibbling the poos himself? I have no idea what a hay cube is (squashed hay in little cubes is what I thought at first).

If he is nibbling the poo himself, I'd try some long-stemmed roughage like some very nice meadow hay if you can get it.

I'd like to see what goes on in his stable in the night. Mice visitors? Can a camera be set up?

https://www.haycube.co.uk/

 

[Wheresthehoofpick]

Max gut health of you need to
Firm up poo with a supplement.

 

[Dave's Mam]

I have seen a few posts of this & it's wee birds & rodents picking for the linseed.

 

[Cragrat]

My 2 get a mug of linseed twice a day, my daughters horse gets none. All their poos come out a similar texture- firm lumps which break if kicked. However, her horses poos stay in neat piles, but the chickens obliterate mine in seconds given the chance

 

[Lois Lame]

https://www.haycube.co.uk/

Ah.

 

[Equi]

Is the horse just walking about the stable a lot? Post a pic (pre muckout...we won't judge!!) it could be very telling just looking at it. If they are walking about a lot they are maybe just more active with the lower amount of turnout, or are a little anxious or maybe just bored.

 

[Orangehorse]

Four of mine do endurance, they have only just started their walk work, 2 are on a mug of micronised linseed a day at the moment, when they start doing more work they will get more depending on how they are looking, I'm pretty sure you can feed quite a lot of linseed from what I remember reading from one of Dr Marlins articles.

It's a long time since mine were competing, but I seem to remember that 1 mug was the appropriate amount to start with for a horse in work and then increase as the work increases although I have no idea what the maximum would be.

I think some horses get more oil rather than more grain?