eating poop????

QHgin · 02-13-2005, 07:59 AM

this morning i went to get my horses to feed them and when i got there cheyenne had just finshed pooping i called for them and only cheyenne came shadow showed no interest in coming in so i went to see what he was doing and she was eating cheyenne's poop!!!!! is this normal and why is he doing it?

cassidy · 02-13-2005, 08:12 AM

yes some horses do tend to eat poop

is there enough other food in the pasture for him to eat if you are giving hay are you giving enough to prevent him from doing this

QHgin · 02-13-2005, 08:18 AM

i keep hay out all the time but i only give them i scoop of feed in the moring and night.

Shadowsprite · 02-13-2005, 10:23 AM

Yes it is actually fairly comon for horses to do that and more so in younger horses. It's called.....a word I can't spell lol begins with a C xD

anyway often horses end up pooping out the majority nutrients from their food since their stomachs really don't porcess their food that well. By them eating the poop is them just sucking out more nutrients. It may be gross and unhealthy in some cases it is really just another way of recycling. You may want to make sure that shadow is getting the proper nutrients, if he is getting enough then it might just be he is just one of those horses that is a natural recycler lol

QHgin · 02-13-2005, 11:02 AM

is their a supplment that i can give to make sure that he is getting everything that he needs?

ejforrest · 02-13-2005, 12:01 PM

Add a salt/mineral block where the horses can get it at all times.

QHgin · 02-13-2005, 01:33 PM

they have a mineral block out but the hardly touch it

sdl1up · 02-13-2005, 01:48 PM

I use equishine vitamin/mineral supplement. they only need one scoop (4oz) per day and it works great on a lot of nutritional needs. My vet has always said that they eat poo for a reason, soemthing they are not getting. I have not had any of mine (except the babes, of course) eating poo but I know folks who have. Usually a vitamin/mineral supplement will take care of it. Good luck!

dakota's_sable · 02-13-2005, 01:53 PM

I agree with adding a mineral/salt block. I've always found that when my horse starts eating something abnormal it's because she's lacking something. A mineral block has always helped. Good luck.

KellyJean · 02-13-2005, 02:22 PM

Not only is this habit (Coprophagia) gross, it's also a symptom of an underlying health problem.

Your horse is probably missing a key mineral that is common to be missed in your area, and I'd put in a call to your vet to discuss it.

Kelly

02-13-2005, 07:59 AM	#1
QHgin Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eden, NC Posts: 1,359 Images: 262	eating poop???? this morning i went to get my horses to feed them and when i got there cheyenne had just finshed pooping i called for them and only cheyenne came shadow showed no interest in coming in so i went to see what he was doing and she was eating cheyenne's poop!!!!! is this normal and why is he doing it? __________________ "I've been Goosed!" *~~Shannon~~*

02-13-2005, 08:12 AM	#2
cassidy Senior Member+ Join Date: May 2004 Location: england - its sunny sometimes honest! Posts: 21,493 Images: 816	yes some horses do tend to eat poop is there enough other food in the pasture for him to eat if you are giving hay are you giving enough to prevent him from doing this __________________ May your life be like toilet paper - Long and useful A horse doesn't care how much you know until he knows how much you care. - Pat Parelli http://www.freewebs.com/linz88055/myprofile.htm

02-13-2005, 08:18 AM	#3
QHgin Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eden, NC Posts: 1,359 Images: 262	i keep hay out all the time but i only give them i scoop of feed in the moring and night. __________________ "I've been Goosed!" *~~Shannon~~*

02-13-2005, 10:23 AM	#4
Shadowsprite Senior Member+ Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Vermont Posts: 532	Yes it is actually fairly comon for horses to do that and more so in younger horses. It's called.....a word I can't spell lol begins with a C xD anyway often horses end up pooping out the majority nutrients from their food since their stomachs really don't porcess their food that well. By them eating the poop is them just sucking out more nutrients. It may be gross and unhealthy in some cases it is really just another way of recycling. You may want to make sure that shadow is getting the proper nutrients, if he is getting enough then it might just be he is just one of those horses that is a natural recycler lol __________________ I wander in these Iridescent Shadows ~The rarest and most beautiful flower of all is the one that blooms in adversity~

02-13-2005, 11:02 AM	#5
QHgin Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eden, NC Posts: 1,359 Images: 262	is their a supplment that i can give to make sure that he is getting everything that he needs? __________________ "I've been Goosed!" *~~Shannon~~*

02-13-2005, 12:01 PM	#6
ejforrest Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: U.P. Michigan Posts: 2,523 Images: 363	Add a salt/mineral block where the horses can get it at all times. __________________ ej ----------- And God said to horse, trust no man if you cannot see your own image in his eyes.

02-13-2005, 01:33 PM	#7
QHgin Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eden, NC Posts: 1,359 Images: 262	they have a mineral block out but the hardly touch it __________________ "I've been Goosed!" *~~Shannon~~*

02-13-2005, 01:48 PM	#8
sdl1up Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Beloit, WI Posts: 413	I use equishine vitamin/mineral supplement. they only need one scoop (4oz) per day and it works great on a lot of nutritional needs. My vet has always said that they eat poo for a reason, soemthing they are not getting. I have not had any of mine (except the babes, of course) eating poo but I know folks who have. Usually a vitamin/mineral supplement will take care of it. Good luck!

02-13-2005, 01:53 PM	#9
dakota's_sable Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: SE South Dakota Posts: 1,686 Images: 14	I agree with adding a mineral/salt block. I've always found that when my horse starts eating something abnormal it's because she's lacking something. A mineral block has always helped. Good luck. __________________ The Horse: Friendship without envy, Beauty without vanity, Nobility without conceit, A willing partner, yet no slave.

02-13-2005, 02:22 PM	#10
KellyJean Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Marshfield, Wisconsin Posts: 375	Not only is this habit (Coprophagia) gross, it's also a symptom of an underlying health problem. Your horse is probably missing a key mineral that is common to be missed in your area, and I'd put in a call to your vet to discuss it. Kelly

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