Horse pooping in "wrong" place in stall?

Not sure it's an appropriate section, but... Does anyone's horse poop in water bucket? Is it an easy habit to break?

I had no issues at all for 3 years and suddenly Kiara the paint started to poop in water bucket in stall. Moreover when we moved it so it wouldn't be too convenient for her to do she pooped in hay bucket (I keep big "muck"-type bucket for the hay attached to the wall instead of throwing it on floor or in hay rack). And I mean she INTENTIONALLY used it for poop. All hay is gone, no poop in stall on floor, but a HUGE pile in hay bucket. What could be the reason for doing that?

Did you move the hay bucket where the water bucket was? It might be a spot she has chosen, so you shouldn't have anything there. If you have a "kind" horse they'll pick a spot to poop and make life cleaning up a little easier.
My mare uses ONE spot in her run in as well and we had the water tank there, she pooped in it so we moved that, put hay racks there then she'd poop on the hay racks! We had to move everything from that location altogether because that's where she picked to go.

You think that's an issue though? Here is a different mare I had a while back who purposely came over to her heated water bucket, used it as a butt warmer, pooped in it and left. I mean come on... she had two acres and would go in this darn heated water bucket so we ended up having to have a separate bucket for her water!

My sisters QH gelding poops in his water bucket constantly. At least 4 times a week I scrub buckets with bleachwater. We hung the bucket in the back corner of his stall, and strategically positioned a Jolly Ball close to it so his bum hits the ball before he gets close enough to do his thing... sometimes he still does it, though. Not sure what else to try, but it is a pain in the rump, and then he's thirsty enough when he does it overnight that we have to ration his water a little until he's had his fill. I'm interested to hear if there's any other ways to help this nasty habit.

My QH mare poops in her feed bucket then gets mad that there is poop in there. It's not like there isn't a whole stall for her to poop in, she has to aim right at her smallish feed bucket!

New_image, hay bucket and water bucket are on the same spots. I didn't move them (just positioned water bucket under the angle so it wouldn't be so convenient for her to place the butt lol!). She's VERY clean horse overall - for all 3 years she just made a huge pile next to the back wall and she also tries to keep pee as long as she can to do it outside. Generally her stall is a pleasure to clean.

Scoutrider, we place 2 water buckets now in different corners.

I'm just wondering WHY she started doing it all sudden. And she generally doesn't poop around the hay, so I don't think it'll be an issue. It's just cleaning all those piles are not fun. I'm thinking about getting a hay rack to put on wall (I use it for my qh because she used to break the plastic buckets).

If your horse will poop in a bucket that should make stall cleaning really easy. If you turn them out during the day and only bring them in at night why don't you just keep water for them outside and let them out to drink in the morning? I have had horses in dry pens before and just led them to water twice a day and they did fine.

I'm just wondering WHY she started doing it all sudden.

She just thought of it :p

I'd try moving the water bucket and hay tub to another location in the stall. My horses back right up against the walls in the run-ins and go.

I've been on rough board until very recently, when I left Frida to go on vacation for three days this summer, my friend (who was taking care of her) let me know she pooped in her bucket every day that I was gone. Seems like a strange, intentional behaviour.

Try to hang up your water bucket?
And for the horses pooping in their feeding bucket, perhaps take the bucket out as soon as she/he's done eating?

Ha-ha! Except the fact that cleaning the hay bucket with freezing temperature is not all that great. Lol!

They go to stalls only in bad weather (strong rain/snow/ice) or when one not feeling good. Most of the time they are out (I have shed with 2 stalls attached Amish made).