Small droppings between normal sized ones

[MrA]

I've done some googling and found nothing, not really sure I can justify ringing the vet as Ale seems absolutely fine but since his colic I'm a little paranoid.

He is currently passing a few small droppings in between normal looking ones, maybe 2/3 a day. Look normal, just only a few balls.

Please tell me I'm just really paranoid and this is a normal horse thing

 

[diplomaticandtactful]

I find their poo varies quite a loo, at the moment Suze could pass as a dairy cow.....could be he isn't drinking enough, but when i do the daily skip out there is often quite a bit of variation daily

 

[carthorse]

Is he on poor grazing supplemented by hay? I just wonder if the small droppings coincide with periods of grazing time and the bigger droppings are when the hay is going through - that's a pattern I see with Little Un in the summer. Of course if he's out on good grass all the time that shoots that theory down.

 

[MrA]

Is he on poor grazing supplemented by hay? I just wonder if the small droppings coincide with periods of grazing time and the bigger droppings are when the hay is going through - that's a pattern I see with Little Un in the summer. Of course if he's out on good grass all the time that shoots that theory down.

You might just be a genius. He is! And I've increased his hay recently but I wonder if I should cut it back down a bit again. He did 12 poos today in 12 hours not including the small ones, he would normally do 6-8!! So I'll cut him back a little and see how that goes

 

[carthorse]

@Ale I do hope that means you've stopped worrying x

 

[chunky monkey]

Im with @carthorse. If you think about the human digestive system. We are the same.

Could be peeks and troughs throughout the day. Periods where he goes without. More when you move the strip grazing. Although small poos popping out to me could also be a sign theres not enough going through the system, so could be an indication of consitipation maybe.

 

[carthorse]

@chunky monkey I'd say as long as they are coming out he's not constipated, and particularly not with 12 normal poos in 12 hours - that sounds like a horse with a lot of fibre going through his system! While we always want to do our best for them I fear that nowadays there is an obsession with them always having fibre easily available and that isn't necessarily good for them. Yes the evolved to spend a lot of time grazing, but not on good pasture or hay that they could shovel down with minimal effort, rather on poor pasture and browsing that they would work to find in any quantity and travel many miles to get enough to eat instead of putting their heads down and barely lifting them.

 

[MrA]

So because I'm obsessed with his poos...

24 poos in exactly 24 hours, 21 normal to large size and 3 small piles of just a few nuggets. All look good and healthy. I'll try not to worry ?

 

[PePo]

That seems quite a lot @Ale ! Glad I'm not poo picking that

Pete did a out 10-14 in 24 hours on average, from memory, when I used to poo pick.

 

[chunky monkey]

When i was poo picking i always had one full wheelbarrow a day from each horse. Not sure how many poos that equated to.
Im supposed to be moving the horses today onto there new grazing paddock. Shall i go mad tomorrow and count the piles in the area for a 24 hour period. Should be easyish to spot them as the field was cut last week for hay. But theres a good fresh bite already growing so they might pig out.

 

[carthorse]

So because I'm obsessed with his poos...

24 poos in exactly 24 hours, 21 normal to large size and 3 small piles of just a few nuggets. All look good and healthy. I'll try not to worry ?

I'd say that's an active gut with a lot of fibre going through it. I'm glad I'm not doing your poo picking!

 

[Mary-lou83]

Iv just read this and am soo glad I'm not the only one who counts poo lol. Iv done it for years i find therapeutic also i like to keep track throughout the year so i know what to and when to feed. I'm obsessed with keeping count my partner thinks I'm mad. I also listen for tummy movements ect ?☺

 

[MrA]

Iv just read this and am soo glad I'm not the only one who counts poo lol. Iv done it for years i find therapeutic also i like to keep track throughout the year so i know what to and when to feed. I'm obsessed with keeping count my partner thinks I'm mad. I also listen for tummy movements ect ?☺

My boyfriend thinks I'm mad too, I probably should stop recieting the daily figure to him ?

 

[Jessey]

I don’t count daily but I know Jess does 1 about every 50-60 minutes, totally normal to pick up 12-13 for a 12 hour period for her! No wonder I seem to spend my entire life poo picking. I just count if I suspect a problem now days.

 

[Trewsers]

I don’t count daily but I know Jess does 1 about every 50-60 minutes, totally normal to pick up 12-13 for a 12 hour period for her! No wonder I seem to spend my entire life poo picking. I just count if I suspect a problem now days.

Storm is the same lol
You can imagine what her box is like in a morning.,.....

 

[Trewsers]

Talking of droppings - I find our Mr Zi very neat an tidy compared to the girls. They just happily plop them about their boxes. If he ever stays in over night you wouldn't believe how nice his box is to muck out! A lovely corner he makes with them all neatly stacked up. It's great! And he doesn't drag hay all over either or tread crap everywhere. Typical that he lives out really...................