# Horse pooping in water bucket and hay feeder



## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I'm wondering if she thinks she's ruining the feed and water for the other horse. Sounds like it's stress related. Can you put out a third feeder and water buckets?


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## MomH (Sep 27, 2015)

Hey, there are people who would pay big bucks to have their horse trained to poop in a bucket! Just think of how much time that saves in mucking stalls! 
Sorry, I couldn't resist. 

It is normal horse behavior for one horse to be dominant in a herd. Where is the placement of the buckets/feeders in relation to the other horse's stall? 

Pooping all over the stall tells me she is restless/pacing. Not relaxed.

Do they have to be stalled? Do you have a run-in shelter for them?

Do you feed grain outside? You may need to bring the horses in for feeding grain.
Do you feed hay in pasture? If you do, is it in one location, 2 or more?

I don't know why it would be a bad thing to have the horses on a regular feeding schedule. Horses do like routine. I mean, they're not running around with watches checking to see if their breakfast is late or anything like that.


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## CityGirl (Oct 7, 2015)

*Hi Saddlebag,*

Rubes is in her own stall when she does this. The other stall is across from her. Mims has been here for 3 months before this pooping started... 

Ruby's stall is set up with water on right, grain feeder and hay feeder on left as you look at stall door. Same as it was where she was boarded.


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## CityGirl (Oct 7, 2015)

*Hi MomH*

It is easier to clean manure out of the hay feeder without all the wet bedding mixed in! 

Ruby has always pooped and peed all over her stall - the woman I got her from said she was a 'filthy horse' - her words, not mine. 

No run-in outside - they have slow feeders we made for them for hay outside. Ruby tried to keep Mimi from eating out of one while she eats out of the other nw. For the first 3 months they would eat out of the same one. I don't give one more attention than the other.








t We go to Ruby first - she was here first and she has taken over the dominant role. 

Their stalls are 10.5' x12'. They can see each other over the sides - they have 5 foot high walls and have a hallway about 4-5 feet wide in between for me to get to the back of the barn. They get grain in the morning 7:30 am and around 7 pm - depending, in their stalls always. Hay outside in the feeders, and there are 2 of them. One photo shows them. We moved them even further apart, too. They used to get to graze for 4 hours a day until the 3 pastures stopped growing. I cut them to 2 hours and then to one hour. We put up temporary fence so they could eat some of the pasture after the 2nd haying, as their 3 pastures aren't growing anymore. So to keep them able to graze, they can only go out for an hour. In between they get plenty of hay. As you can see hey are both overweight! Neither would stop eating if there was a round bale. 










There's a photo of the back yard with their paddock and part of their pastures and the fields. 

I read that if I usually feed hay every day at 11:30 then if I'm late, they get cranky. So it is recommended to feed within a 2 hour interval, in other words between 11 am and 1 pm. Then instead of at 4 pm, feed between 3 and 5, something like that. 

Perhaps it's because they can't graze so much now. Otherwise, nothing has changed, except the weather is getting colder.


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## MomH (Sep 27, 2015)

Everything looks good. If they are overweight, you could cut down on their grain. Horses don't really need it. The hay is in slow feeders, which is good. Are the access holes the right size (not too big)? Having one horse push the other off the hay is not a bad thing. Horses are designed to be moving while they are eating (grazing). So, this is really a good thing for their digestive system. So long as one is not getting overly beat up, I wouldn't worry about it.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Subbing~ Best of luck, OP!


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## CityGirl (Oct 7, 2015)

*Hi MomH*

Yes, their grain has been reduced to 2 cups morning and 2 cups evening - by the vet. they get 14% pelleted Mane Menu. Their feeder racks have 2 inch square holes. Thanks for your help!


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

Move the water bucket. For whatever reason it is now in the wrong place.

Could be while horse is eating, it feels the urge to go, same with drinking.

But move water bucket. If it is closer to the hay that might stop this.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

I noticed your stalls are on concrete. what do you put down for padding ? 
the Horse may simply dislike being stalled. do you have a large dirt paddock/pen with a rain cover or 3 sided cover / or space behind the barn to make a large pen with an opening for the stall ? maybe the water is to cold , hot, slimy , in the stall ? 
I had a mare that hated stalls and would poop in her hay, water etc. another gelding would kick the walls. I have found most horses are happiest in a larger open area with a shade/rain /wind cover.


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## CityGirl (Oct 7, 2015)

*Hi Palomine*

The water bucket has been moved and she still poops in it...


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## CityGirl (Oct 7, 2015)

*Hi Stevenson*

That photo was taken right after we built stall walls before she occupied it. It's a wooden floor barn, probably chestnut. The barn was built in 1948. There are thick rubber mats on top 5/8 inch or 3/4 wall to wall with at least 1 bag of bedding on top of that. 

Rubes has always been stalled. She's 23. This is a new behavior in the last 3 weeks. Her water is in a heated bucket, and turned on when necessary, and the bucket water is changed every day, so no slime there. When she poops in it I clean it with bleach. Thanks for trying to help.


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