I purchased a Thoroughbred this past summer,when I looked at him he was in somewhat thin condition but not bad, about a month later I decided I wanted the horse but was unable to pick him up right away because of some legal matter from previous owner, had to wait for the horse to be free and clear, when I finally was able to puchase my horse he had drop a lot of weight and was extremely thin and all cut up and bite mark, Immediately had him worked and put on a feed program, the previous owner said she no longer hassd the fund to puchase feed for him, so he went without for several, several weeks, nevertheless, he received cripped oats, low sugar sweet feed, AM and PM good hay both Alfalfa and good grass hay, plus some carrots and apples, starting putting on the pounds right now he look great, but sorry my ??? whenever his hay and feed is eaten he will start to eat his own manure, he does this all the time, is he missing something, is it a nasty habit, he is not going un-fed as before
2006-12-15 06:02:20 · 11 answers · asked by CJ 2 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Purchase 12:12 mineral and give it free choice and mix 1/2 cup in with his feed. Also give him more grass hay to eat...
2006-12-16 09:59:50 · answer #1 · answered by dlcranch 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've had the same problem as you. A close friend of mine received a horse for free, but when we went to pick him up, he was malnourished, thin, and had terrible skin problems. We brought him back to our barn, put about 300 lbs back on him, and cleared up his skin problems. During this time though, he began consuming his own fesces. It was so gross...every time we said hi to him in his stall he had manure coated all over his teeth haha
We consulted the vet and he suspected that he may have had a vitamin deficiency, or was lacking iron. We put the horse on various medications and supplements to try and solve the problem, but nothing helped. We took blood tests only to find that he was not lacking in vitamins or iron. He still eats his manure, but other than that he's a perferctly healthy, normal horse. Maybe it's just that some horses just so happen to do this, like dogs.
I hope this helps...good luck
2006-12-15 21:14:52 · answer #2 · answered by yayme616 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Every so often my horses do this, its also to help keep healthy bacteria in the system. But if he is doing it alot, then he might be looking for salt/minerals, does he have free choice salt and mineral block?
Has he also been dewromed? worms will take alot nutrition from an animals body, he may be looking for nutriants left over in his manure.
Take a look at him manuer, is it well chewed and digested? If his manure is mushy, and has lots of hay fiber that is longer than 1inch, or if you can see undigested grain. That means he is having problems chewing his food properly, he may need his teeth floated by a vet or an equine dentist. He may be trying to eat the undigested food in his manure.
Thats all I can think of, hope this helps (=
2006-12-15 14:29:07 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Have you had his teeth floated? They need to be done once per year. If he is passing any grain straight through his system and not diegesting it he is trying to re eat it. Having his teeth floated will allow him to better crush up the grain he is bing feed.
You may want ot switch to a pellet type of feed. This will allow his body to better use the grain you are putting into him.
If he is not a vitamin and mineral suppliment get him on one. Many horses need them all year long all the time. I have all my Thoroughbreds on a vitamin and mineral suppliment.
He may need to have hay free choice to give him something to do so that he does not eat the manure. Give a nice greass hayd free choice so he can niblle all the time. That may help more than anything.
2006-12-15 16:28:56 · answer #4 · answered by tlctreecare 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Put him on a vitamin supplement. Even though he gets grain, he still need nutrients, especially since he had horrid diets in the past. Foals eat manure in order to gain vitamins and probiotics (helpful bacteria, not unlike those found in yogurt). Call your vet if you have any other concerns, and to ask them about good brands of supp. Also make sure he has free access to a salt block that he can lick at will. Is he off the track?
Good Luck!!
2006-12-15 14:24:09 · answer #5 · answered by MegK2007 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think what is happening is that since he is used to not having food, when the hay and oats and whatever else you give him, he turns and eats his own manure. He is happy that someone cares about him and gives him food, that he never wants to stop eating and that is probably why he is doing this. Good luck with everything!
2006-12-15 15:33:18 · answer #6 · answered by equestrian6791 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I would guess he is still missing a mineral or vitamin, ask the vet about supplements. remove as much manure as you can before he gets to it, it can't be good.
2006-12-15 14:13:06 · answer #7 · answered by Maria b 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
give him mineral in w/ his feed, if you already do then give him a little bit more-if he still does it then put a salt and mineral block somewhere where he can get some when he wants..they cant ever have to much..they'll know when to stop eating it.
2006-12-15 17:57:03 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
He is missing nutrients only found in salt/mineral blocks. Add one to his diet and he'll stop right away.
2006-12-15 17:33:37 · answer #9 · answered by hey_its_from_clare 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The same reason a dog licks it's own peas and carrots along with it's rear end? Because it's there?
Maybe he had to resort to eating his own work when he wasn't being fed? And now he's just used to it?
2006-12-15 14:10:41 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋