# How to deal with a bucket pooper?



## snookums (Mar 19, 2011)

Ok so I have an interesting problem-
I've seen a lot of people who have problems with their horses pooping in their water buckets in their stalls, but since I've moved my horse to pasture board, he still poops out the water bucket out in the pasture. I'm sure his pasture mate doesn't appreciate a nice steamy one in his water.
Right now, the bucket is on the ground, and there's not really any place to move it up higher, nor is it even high enough now that he may be pushing his butt up to it, he's definitely just practicing his aim. I'm no longer amused that he's managed to potty train himself. Any advice?


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

I have the same problem. We have two 40-gallon buckets outside under the awning, and Lenox craps in them all the time, making me drag the water bucket out into the pasture, sloshing yummy poop and water the whole way, and refill it, only to have it re-pooped in :roll:. I'm going to get a net to keep out there and just quickly scoop the yuckas out when I don't have that much time, and do my thorough cleanings when I do.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

I do not think it is really possible to potty train them not to manure in certain places. 

How about offering something else for him to manure in?


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## mystikal222 (May 26, 2009)

I would prolly leave the one water tub where it is and place another a few feet away and see what he does...


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## Katze (Feb 21, 2011)

omg this thread had me in stitches, NEVER have I heard of a horse pooping in his water bucket on purpose! LOL


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

And change his name to Rebecca Black - "there's water in the front bucket, water in the back bucket, gotta make my mind up, which bucket should I pick?"


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

LOLL chilaa! I can't STAND her.

Funny story.

We had a Paint Clydesdale a year ago who would poop on his _windowsill_. No pics unfortunately, but one of him for his size :lol:. I'd come in every morning and routinely clean the crap off the windowsill!


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

I don't have any bucket poopers, but do have one that is a little funny about his water bucket. Dynasty has to have a super clean water bucket, if he gets hay or any dirt in it he will put his feed pan on top of it. If I clean it he won't put it back there, if I don't he puts the pan back as soon as I take it off....cracks me up!


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## mystikal222 (May 26, 2009)

MHFoundation Quarters said:


> I don't have any bucket poopers, but do have one that is a little funny about his water bucket. Dynasty has to have a super clean water bucket, if he gets hay or any dirt in it he will put his feed pan on top of it. If I clean it he won't put it back there, if I don't he puts the pan back as soon as I take it off....cracks me up!


 Crazy the personalities some horses have!! I would be getten some video of that!


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

I should get video! He's a character for sure! He's the most laid back wimpy stud I've ever met/owned. He keeps his stall spotless, only poops in one spot, won't go outside if it's even sprinkling. I can't even imagine what he'd do if he had poop in his bucket! He's a big baby and I love him to pieces


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

Soooooooo glad I don't have a poneh that likes to poo in buckets or other feeders!!! 

I've had them before, though, and it just never really seemed to matter what we did, or where we put the buckets... so not sure what to tell ya!!!


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## chivas (Mar 16, 2011)

I have my feeders hanging low so as my horses can eat and chew naturally at ground level. My yearling filly poops smack bang in the middle of it. The feeder has a hay rack in the top and section for grain below, she gets it right in the middle of the bottom without makin a mess anywhere. This is gross! So I completely undersatnd where your all comin from


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

I have a horse that would poop in his water, but if you stand close enough you can hear him saying 'durrrrr'. He is so very dumb. I put out 4 water buckets, in different areas of he stall, and checked them daily. 

He would sabotage himself and poop in some and kick over others, and poop in another, but then he had one left.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

I do not think it is so much that they like to manure in buckets as much as some horses like to back up to something to manure.

I have one mare that does this. When outside she backs up to a gate or the fence. 

In her stall it used to be her water bucket (sigh). I hung a jolly ball in there (not to manure on but as a toy) and she started backing up to that to manure. The jolly ball is staying, even though it gets gross. I like it so much better not having to clean out manure soup.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

We built a wooden stand for the bucket to raise it up. That was the only way.


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## Islandmudpony (Feb 7, 2011)

haha, this reminds me of a friend's horse we kept up at our barn. We had grain buckets tied in the corners of the stalls, and he used to squish his big, wide QH butt right into the corner to poop in his grain bucket. He also backing up and pooping against the walls. I don't know why he did it either, and we never caught him at it so we could teach him not to... Good luck!


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Islandmudpony, how would you teach them not to?


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

LOL, I've had a couple that would do that too. Other than finding a way to raise the bucket above the height where he could poop in it, I don't know what to tell you LOL. I just got to where I would only fill their buckets about 1/3 full (20 gallon buckets) at any given filling so that it was easy to dump.


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## jwells84 (Mar 29, 2011)

I'd try moving the bucket around. and or putting 2 in with him to see what he does.. My mare occasionally poops in her water or feed bucket,but it's only when she's upset at me. example: if it was hot and I rode her, or if she's been stalled for to long.


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## Islandmudpony (Feb 7, 2011)

Alwaysbehind said:


> Islandmudpony, how would you teach them not to?


Yell something like "Dyler, NoOOOOOOO" and wave my hands in the air, and run charging toward him... I dunno, worked on the rotti that tried to poop in the middle of my baseball game, lol.


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

Nelson is a natorious Water Bucket Pooper Inner, lol. But we no longer keep in him a stall, so I don't have to deal with this - except when we are at HT's where I stall him over night.

When we are at an away HT, I just make sure his buckets are low enough for him to drink out of, but high enough for him to not poop in.


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