# Persistent loose droppings?!



## AbbeyCPA (Jun 29, 2011)

Is it possible he could be dehydrated? What kind of forage and grain is she on?


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## corinowalk (Apr 26, 2010)

I would vote ulcers as they can cause loose stools and 'cinchy' horses.


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## Beauseant (Oct 22, 2010)

I think I know what you mean by "loose" ...

Diarrhea is defined as liquid stool. Can dehydrate your horse and is to be taken as a major red flag that something is really off in regards to your horse's health

Dry stool is defined as stool that breaks apart upon impact with the ground....i.e. it crumbles. It is not a good sign, can signal dehydration, and cause colic like symptoms

Loose is defined as stool that is solid but wet and cannot hold any form. Meaning there is no shape or formed balls...it splats onto the ground and becomes one big pancake.:? Usually minor...but a signal to the owner, nonetheless, that something needs to be adjusted or remedied 

"perfect" horse stool should have a shiny, wet sheen to it and hold it's form...i.e. it should look like moist poop balls.

I've put alot of effort into the study of horse poop...:lol::lol:

Our horses got loose stool when we first put them out on grass in the spring....as soon as it got loose, we cut their grass time down until the stool stabilized and became "normal".

I HIGHLY reccomend you put your horse on a probiotic supplement. Loose stools can be something minor...or not. But it is a signal to YOU that your horse's digestion is off. It is not working as it should. Probiotics can be invaluable in stabilizing the digestive process, especially in the hind gut. 

BOTH of my horses are on probiotics, given as a daily supplement. Except for the spring grass incident, their stools are always normal. 

Alot of things, minor and not, can upset the normal colonization of the gut....probiotics can help resolve that.


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## saveahorserideacowboy (Jul 4, 2011)

Dehydration is possible due to a gradually increased work load. She is on a coarse mix and good quality hay with a few hours of grazing a week.


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## Beauseant (Oct 22, 2010)

IMO, what I would do is put her on a probiotic and make sure she has lots of access to salt licks or salt/mineral blocks.....

Loose stools plus hot weather is not a good thing.


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## saveahorserideacowboy (Jul 4, 2011)

The previous owner said that this happens every summer no matter what is fed to her. I don't know if i want to believe this over the health of my horse. This isn't that kind of thing that horse just have.


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## OTTBLover (Jun 23, 2011)

I second the vote for Probiotics!
You could also feed her some slippery elm bark powder (SEBP) mixed into her feed (approx 1 - 2 tablespoons a day), as a preventative/cure for ulcers - this is relatively inexpensive, and it works!.... (The symptoms described could be ulcer related - and even if its not, the Probiotics and SEBP is not going to hurt her!)


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## Beauseant (Oct 22, 2010)

saveahorserideacowboy said:


> . This isn't that kind of thing that horse just have.


 
Do u mean the loose stools?

If so, then no, it isn't something a horse just has. 

So, u say it's seasonal? Is she like this in the fall or winter?


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## wetrain17 (May 25, 2011)

saveahorserideacowboy said:


> The previous owner said that this happens every summer no matter what is fed to her. I don't know if i want to believe this over the health of my horse. This isn't that kind of thing that horse just have.


 
No. I work my horse 5 days a week and its been hot and humid. He has soild poops. He has a salt block and I feed him electrolytes everyday. 

Changes are if this has happened every summer, the prior owner has tried probiotics, but it won't hurt to try it again for yourself. However, I would suggest looking into ulcers a little further. Have you and your vet discussed this. It is highly possible, since the horse has changed owner and location (assuming location)


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

saveahorserideacowboy said:


> The previous owner said that this happens every summer no matter what is fed to her. I don't know if i want to believe this over the health of my horse. This isn't that kind of thing that horse just have.


This has me thinking sand. I have a couple questions, such as what is your ground like? Sandy? Where do you feed? On the ground? Has this horse been dewormed and how are the teeth? Do they drop a lot of feed? Can they eat hay? Horses need roughage to push the poop through.

I would take a bit of the manure and put it in a bucket of water. Let it sit for about 30 minutes and then slowly dump it out. If there is sand or dirt on the bottom then yo have a sand issue and will want to consider adding pselinium (sorry about the spelling) to the horses diet. I would suggest sandclear.

I also would consider trying some yogurt (the kind with the bacteria in it) for a meal or two. The probiotics are not a bad idea.

If the teeth aren't that great then I would look into a senior feed. I know 13 is not old but if there is an issue with the roughage intake then it won't hurt to switch to a full source feed. Or to add a hay additive to the diet. But the sand is my first thought on this.


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## saveahorserideacowboy (Jul 4, 2011)

I will ask my vet again. Ive also seen her cough up grass while riding in a dusty arena. She uses a hackamore so there is no way its stuck in her bit .
(could it be stuck in her teeth?) Should i be worried?


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

That sounds like her teeth may need to be floated. Do you feed her on the ground? Have you noticed if she drops a lot of feed? It is very possible she is getting the grass stuck in between her teeth and her cheek. That's what my old guy does. He actually has very few teeth and will chew his grass or hay into a "cud" and then spit it out.


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