# Can you really potty train a pony?



## KeepCalmAndTrotOn (Oct 31, 2012)

I was watching Animal Planet and this guy potty trained his donkey and it lived in the house with him! And then this family had a buck that lived in their house and slept on the bed. And it pawed at the door when it wanted to go out. So can you really?


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

Please, if you find the answer to this I will become the barn hero!! I would work overtime just to teach em all to go in one spot! We have around 30 in the barn...only 3 of them go in one spot!!! They take on average 5 minutes to clean!!!


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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

No idea, but I'd love it if my horse only went on the manure pile instead of allll over my paddock.


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## PunksTank (Jul 8, 2012)

xD While I haven't done this personally, I've always been lucky with my horses going only in one corner of their stalls. But I have seen birds trained to poop on command using clicker type training  So people could take them out and only have them poop when they're over a trash can or something. Dogs can also be conditioned to only go to the bathroom in one corner of the yard - so I don't see why a donkey/pony couldn't learn to use one small area. But an actual toilet I think they'd break if they tried!


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## PunksTank (Jul 8, 2012)

Wanted to add, in some old racing industries, they whistle whenever a horse pees, then before a race they whistle, which causes the horse to pee. So they'll be faster. Not sure if it all works, haven't done it myself


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## kenda (Oct 10, 2008)

I don't know if this would work for stalls, but I've heard of leaving a pile or two in your preferred corner of a paddock to encourage the horse to go in that spot. I've also heard of horses following the lead mare, so if you could throw some poop of the most alpha mare you have in that corner, that might help.


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## KeepCalmAndTrotOn (Oct 31, 2012)

Muppetgirl said:


> Please, if you find the answer to this I will become the barn hero!! I would work overtime just to teach em all to go in one spot! We have around 30 in the barn...only 3 of them go in one spot!!! They take on average 5 minutes to clean!!!


At an old farm I used to work at they would get old tires and put them in the stall corners. And to get them to go there, they would put other horses manure there. So, it was like they were influenced to go there. They also did that in some of the pens. 3/5 percent of the horses were successful with this.


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## Jore (Dec 4, 2010)

I would've loved to know the answer back when Indie was here. I'm fairly certain that she earned the title of messiest horse at the barn. (she was right up there with Josh)


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## AnalisaParalyzer (Apr 25, 2012)

There's a guy at my barn who teaches all his horses to pee in a bucket. They'll stand on the cross ties and he puts the bucket down and sure enough, his little bay gelding hits the mark every time. He's done this with every horse he ever owned and only one mare wouldn't do it. I guess its possible, but I think the "accidents" would be pretty crappy to have in your house.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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