poop eating horses | Page 1 | Off-topic Chat | Guild Forums

PandaBunny

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Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 10:03 pm

Uh. my horses (they aren't really mine but i live with the owner) eat A LOT of their own poop. Its weird to me. the mini donkeys eat it too. Any advise on how to stop this? Do all horses do this and why do they do it? xp they have a salt lick and eat hay. the only other thing they eat are apples as a treat. thats not too often though.

oh and can you ride a shetland pony? im thinking no?

Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 9:29 pm

PandaBunny

Uh. my horses (they aren't really mine but i live with the owner) eat A LOT of their own poop. Its weird to me. the mini donkeys eat it too. Any advise on how to stop this? Do all horses do this and why do they do it? xp they have a salt lick and eat hay. the only other thing they eat are apples as a treat. thats not too often though.

oh and can you ride a shetland pony? im thinking no?

I've never seen adult horses that eat there own poop . but Foals will usally eat there mothers poop they get anti bodies and bactiria from it that help start there disgetive system properly. and my Gelding is 7 and everyonce in awhile he eats his poop so i wouldnt worry about it it came out of them it can go back in them.

And as for riding shetland ponys yes you can if your small enough for the pony we have 3shetlands for the 12 grandchildren of my grandmas to ride when they come to visit

socially_hazardous_Fariy

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socially_hazardous_Fariy

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Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 9:30 pm

Where my previsous post says i've never seen adult horses eat there own poop its supposed to say adult mules/donkeys sorry.

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 11:57 am

socially_hazardous_Fariy

Where my previsous post says i've never seen adult horses eat there own poop its supposed to say adult mules/donkeys sorry.

All of them feast apon it xp

PandaBunny

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Sarrisina

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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 4:36 pm

I've never seen my horse eat her poop, but my dog does >.<

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 10:47 pm

Mmmm yummeh, horse chocolate. Bon Appétit!

TheHackedAccount

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Articubone

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Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:51 pm

Horses normally do eat their own poop, simply because of the way their digestive system is designed.

Animals which eat lots of grasses have to have bacteria digest the cellulose, because plant fibres are really tough and don't get broken down normally. Animals like cows have the 'vats' of bacteria before the small intestine, so the bacteria consume all the simple sugars first and then break down the cellulose, and the cow's intestine later absorbs the broken-down fibres and some of the bacteria themselves.
Horses, on the other hand, ferment AFTER the intestine, so the horse gets all the good simple sugars but not the products of cellulose breakdown - so to get those nutrients and the vitamins the bacteria produce, they need to eat their poop.

The bigger the proportion of vegetation in a horse's diet compared to grains, which are a bit easier to digest, the more it will be inclined to eat its own waste. 3nodding

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 8:31 pm

There is no grass for them to eat but they get a VERY great hay mixture plus their salt and mineral licks that they use. I think it is just bordom.... They also are fed three times a day

PandaBunny

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