# Pooping and Riding



## milk (Oct 9, 2011)

I've been riding for about six years now, and it just occurred to me that none of my riding instructors taught me what to do when I'm riding and my mount decides to poo. This may seem silly, but should I push my horse to continue to accomplish the task I had given him, or should I allow him to halt and enjoy his poo? 
With my own horse, I always allow him to stop everything and go to the bathroom- but other horses I have ridden carry on with their task as if they are simply passing gas. Were they trained to do this? Are there pro's and con's to both sides?
Of course I let my horse stop to pee- I don't think it's possible for a horse to pee an walk. Or is it?! Like I said, I am completely ignorant on the topic, and all insight is appreciated.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Make the horse continue on while pooping. No, I have never seen a horse be able to walk & pee.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Always stop to let them pee, but push through the pooing! Don't keep letting your horse stop to poo IMOP.. nothing more frustrating than trotting along and your horse slams on the brakes to go potty. Kind of disrespectful when they can do it on the go (they do so in pasture.. so..)


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

I will let them to stop and **** of course, but kick them a poop.


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## SRich (Sep 13, 2011)

My riding instructor makes them poop on the go, but I know others from the barn that lets their horses stop. The horse I usually ride is allowed to stop and it can get frustrating when I'm in the middle of an exercise. Sometimes he even pretends and tricks me, just so that he can take a break.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

My guys all take care of their pee needs when they see me coming with the tack. I don't think the thoroughbreds have ever peed while I'm riding them, actually. They continue to work when they poo, though.


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## Nevreme (Feb 23, 2012)

At my barn we not only stop to let them pee, but we get up in the two-point for the duration, so as to give them as much freedom as possible. Mostly it's for the geldings because they have to park out so much, but we do mares as well.

Pooping depends on the horse. We will /attempt/ to push them all through it, but most of the ponies are so used to stopping that it's nearly impossible to make them go through it.


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## milk (Oct 9, 2011)

excellent. so assuming that I want to teach my horse to walk on during the poo session, how would i go about doing that? kicking the crap out of him doesn't make much since to me.


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## Nevreme (Feb 23, 2012)

Well, that's basically how you do it, haha! A good whack with a crop or some kicking will get them moving most of the time, and after a couple attempts they'll realize that their job is to keep moving through it. After a while, they don't even think about it anymore. One of the former eventers at my barn will jump and poo at the same time, and while that's not ideal by any means it does show how much he simply doesn't care.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

If you kick the crap out of him, there will be no poo left to deal with...

I usually let my horse stop when pooping. With my horses, it only takes a squeeze to keep them moving thru the movement, so to speak.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

milk said:


> excellent. so assuming that I want to teach my horse to walk on during the poo session, how would i go about doing that? kicking the crap out of him doesn't make much since to me.


Ask first with your calf squeeze.. and up the pressure until they listen. Don't be afraid to give them a good smack on their bottoms if they ignore you for more than 2 seconds. (to back up your leg)


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## FlyGap (Sep 25, 2011)

Funny!
I let mine stop to poo, unless we are training to show.
Now my Rick REFUSES TO PEE with me in the saddle! He gets really antsy, balks, spins, and gets mouthy. I figured out the problem so before it escalates I dismount and he does his biz! Lol! It's hilarious and he rides soooo much better afterwards, like a new man! Funny boy!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## milk (Oct 9, 2011)

I guess also a good thing to start with would be to not let him poo while lunging either... excellent!


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

My horses always poo on the go, just don't let them stop and they figure it out right quick. 

I have heard of horses peeing on the go but have never actually seen it done.


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## xJumperx (Feb 19, 2012)

It sounds like your horse might be taking advantage of you with his poo, which will happen if you don't push through. (WOAH, did not mean to rhyme all ghat xD) just squeeze... kick... Kick...KICK... smack  always give the chance to use light aids!


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## Sharpie (May 24, 2009)

If we're just out on a lazy trail ride, I let my boy stop to poop. Usually during that time, I also have him on a loose rein and we're just moving along with no real 'work' going on. If we're working though, either on the trail or in the arena I expect him to continue on, pooping or not. Sometimes I have to give him a good squeeze to remind him, but nothing horrible.

My boy doesn't like to pee if someone is mounted, likely because he parks out so far I think he's going to fall over anyway, and he can't do that with a rider. He chooses to wait until I dismount if he can, but will go if we're stopped and he really needs to. Since we rarely work more than an hour or two without a good standing/stopping/rest break in there, I don't worry much about it. I know one gelding that does pee and walk at the same time though- he just sprays it everywhere, including his back legs.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I make my horses poop on the run, so to speak. This entire thread reminds me of an old saying that describes a horse that can really run fast; "He can sure scatter his s**t" LOL.

Of course, I let them stop to pee but sometimes I even have to interrupt that. When you're working cattle and 3 hours worth of work is depending on you being in a certain spot at a certain moment, that's not the most opportune time to stop and pee. Even though it must sometimes be done, I still feel a bit guilty when I have to interrupt their stream.


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## Tennessee (Dec 7, 2008)

My horse is the worst. You can kick and jab and whip with all of your might, but his stubborn behind is not moving when it comes time to poop.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

All my horses but one were "poop on the go" -- my current mare is a "stop'n'poop". That's it. That's who she is and there isn't anything that I can do about it that doesn't entail horrendous amounts of frustration. So I just let her stop. I did try to teach her to be a "go-poop" but y'know, it just wasn't important enough to me. So I stopped.

As a note, of all the horses I've seen in backyards (mine and others) I've never seen a horse poop on the move in the paddock. Do you see trails of poop in there? Nope, you see piles. From what I've seen, they stop if given the choice.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

NorthernMama said:


> All my horses but one were "poop on the go" -- my current mare is a "stop'n'poop". That's it. That's who she is and there isn't anything that I can do about it that doesn't entail horrendous amounts of frustration. So I just let her stop. I did try to teach her to be a "go-poop" but y'know, it just wasn't important enough to me. So I stopped.
> 
> As a note, of all the horses I've seen in backyards (mine and others) I've never seen a horse poop on the move in the paddock. Do you see trails of poop in there? Nope, you see piles. From what I've seen, they stop if given the choice.


Uhh I don't think amidst playing a horse is going to stop, poop, and then go back to playing.

They let it rip as they play, I've seen it. Yes I see piles but they aren't always running around in pasture either. They graze.


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## ohmyitschelle (Aug 23, 2008)

My mare is one of the "I'm trotting oh no I need to go bathroom let's slam on the brakes suddenly right about nowwww! Oh Mum, by the way are you alright? You almost went over my head just then" kind of horses :-x:lol:

I tried to teach her to move her butt when riding, but she won't budge. It's literally the ONE thing she just will not relent on. I've tried several tactics, all have failed. At the walk I don't mind too much... but the other day when she did it at the trot, I almost came off. 

Tart.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Let's look at it this way. If you're the one cleaning it up which would you rather do, pick up one pile or try to pick up scatterings?


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Stop to pee, keep going for poo. Main reason is for showing, not exactly a good thing to break down in front of the judge for a poop.


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## Britt (Apr 15, 2008)

Yep, agree with all the others. Make them keep going while pooing. Mine will all poo while at a full tilt run... though Dakota does like to sometimes be a butthead and try to act like an idiot... Lol.


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## gigem88 (May 10, 2011)

Like everyone said keep moving while pooping! But I have seen a mare peeing while trotting and cantering....guess she had to go real bad


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## Poco1220 (Apr 6, 2010)

I always keep my boy going while under saddle. But on the side note I've also never seen him moving while pooping in the pasture. Not only that but he always poops in the same 2-3 places. Maybe this was a stallion thing? He'll full out stop grazing, walk over to one of his "areas", sniff it, then step forward, poop on top of the prior poop, turn around, sniff it, and go back to his grazing spot. Weirdo.


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

But , it;s nice to have a tidy horse!


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## whiskeynoo (Mar 17, 2010)

Poco1220 said:


> I always keep my boy going while under saddle. But on the side note I've also never seen him moving while pooping in the pasture. Not only that but he always poops in the same 2-3 places. Maybe this was a stallion thing? He'll full out stop grazing, walk over to one of his "areas", sniff it, then step forward, poop on top of the prior poop, turn around, sniff it, and go back to his grazing spot. Weirdo.


Alot of stallions do this, from what i've been told it's a way of marking their territory.

Whisks will poo on the go but i'll let her stop now and then depending on what we're doing. 
Merry is weird, she'll do her poo in the field and then sometimes she'll paw at it till it's smushed in to the ground


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## Arksly (Mar 13, 2010)

I keep mine going if they're pooping. 

As for peeing, we weren't allowed to let our horses pee at one of the barns I was at to preserve the sand. So, none of my horses pee undersaddle. I actual appreciated the lack of pee spots in the arena because they can be a hazard. At the last barn I was at the horses were allowed to pee in the arena. I was cantering Jesse and didn't notice that someone had just kicked some dirt in a puddle of pee. Jesse stepped in it and slipped. Thankfully he saved up because I was very sure that we were both going to end up on the ground. I quickly got off of him righ after to make sure he was okay. He had dirt all along the front of his body and on his face.
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## HarleyWood (Oct 14, 2011)

well it depends on the horse i ride. some will walk but some i push a head. and my QH has peed and walked..... it was a weird thing to see. but it was once and i dont know why he was walking after he started.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

I think whether you stop your horse to allow them to poop, or make them continue to walk/trot/canter, is a matter of personal preferance and a matter of if you have a showing horse. 

Personally, I let my horses stop to poop or pee. I guess I figure I wouldn't like to have to keep walking while I am trying to poop, so I figure they don't like it either. But I rarely do a showing event (like western pleasure) and when I do, it's just for fun for my barrel/rodeo horses at small local shows. 

Obviously, if you show at a higher level, you can't have your horse stopping while you are in the ring or you'd be docked or disqualified for breaking gait.


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## KnB (Apr 21, 2011)

I rise in two point if im just training at home and I'm walking , but if hes in trot I keep going, my horse just slows down a bit but doesn't actually stop. And he's never ever peed when Im on him.
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