# Horses eating their own poo?



## Stacie_and_Jed (13 September 2009)

I had a conversation with a friend earlier who's horse hasnt been himself recently. Really lathargic and not looking full of life like he normall does.

She noticed that the other day when bringing him in he done a poo then turned around and started eating it! The only time i have seen this is in foals but ive never known why they do it?

Any ideas?


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## Paint it Lucky (13 September 2009)

I have known horses do it on competition yards where they are in most of the time with limited hay (a small net in morning and one at night).  So most of the day they have nothing to do, I think it is a combination of boredom and hunger.

Your case sounds a bit different!  Sometimes 'Coprophagia'-that's the posh name for poo eating, don't know if you look it up you mind find something usefull.  Butsometimes it is due to lack of nutrients so she may want to look at his diet especially as he's been under the weather.


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## Paint it Lucky (13 September 2009)

Just found this article which may be helpfull:

http://www.petplace.com/horses/coprophagia-in-horses/page1.aspx

PS: If a box comes up saying you have to register before reading it, just press 'close window' and then it lets you read it anyway.


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## Donkeymad (13 September 2009)

It's a pretty normal action for a horse not quite iteslef. As with foals, it is simply acquiring or replacing good bacteria in it's gut.


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## Spottyappy (13 September 2009)

Hi, My horse also eats his poo and that of his alpha male herd leader!
As Donklet said, I believe its a vitamin deficiency. I now feed oilavite, from NAF and that has solved my problem. 
Hope this helps.


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## Pedantic (13 September 2009)

I posted on this a couple of weeks ago as I caught mine doing it, first time in 5 years I have ever seen him doing it, he has a good diet as he is on Spillers Happy Hoof which is supposed to be a complete feed on it's own, plus he gets Baileys outshine added in plus Apple and carrots all twice a day, Glucosamine, plus hay as and when and there is grass in the field as well, he is not underweight,  so I cant see it being lack of vits and mins, I havent seen him doing it since and we flew round a 12 mile ride today with jumps, so it could be a one off, funny that you have just seen yours doing it, wonder if it's a "going into winter" thing !!


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## My_chestnut_mare (13 September 2009)

It is a sign that a horse is lacking something in its diet i think or lacking some sort of vitamin. Also it is/can be a sign of boredom


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## kellyeaton (14 September 2009)

horses usually do this if they are lacking in something? vits/mins fibre or micro flora!x


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