Horse Smells and Nibbles Manure
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I have three equines: two geldings and mare pony. The younger gelding will insist on smelling and then nibbling the older dominant gelding’s droppings. This happens on the trail and in the pasture. They all eat their hay and grain…do I need to be worried?
- Colleen
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Colleen, you describe the horse as nibbling and sniffing, so I suspect that we are not dealing with coprophagia, but instead with a curious young gelding who is gathering hormonal and other information from your other gelding’s feces. I would not be concerned with the behavior unless he becomes obsessive about it. If he does, I suggest you try find an equine behaviorist in your area to assist.
- Dr. Weiss