[trailhorserider]

I didn't want to highjack the other girl's thread. I have a horse with loose stool too!

I bought a new horse at the end of October and she always has soft stool. Sort of soft and ploppy, firmer than cow patties, but not as solid as my other horses. It comes out looking normal but kinda goes "plop" and softens out as it hits the ground. She also seems to pee a lot.

When I saw her, she had a foal at her side which didn't come with her, so I thought maybe it had something to do with the fact she was still producing milk, or that the feed was switched, stress of moving, etc. But it's been about 3 months now and her poop is the same.

She has been dewormed twice, once with Ivermectin, once with something else (Safeguard I believe).

She seems happy and healthy otherwise, and I don't think she is under too much stress. The roads and trails have been so muddy and slushy that I hardly get to ride her.

I had the vet out to pregnancy check her, because she was out with a stud when I bought her, but the vet didn't think she was in foal. I didn't ask about the poop at the time because I thought she was still adjusting to her new home and feed and thought it would go away.

Do some horses just have softer stool, or is it something I should worry about?

 

[tealamutt]

not to hijack your thread either but why do you say the vet didn't "think" she was in foal? Did he ultrasound her or just palpate? If she had been bred and caught more than 20 days before he checked her, he should have had a definite answer for you.

As far as ploppy poops- what do you feed and how often? Does she seem healthy in all other regards?

 

[trailhorserider]

Hi tealamut,

He palpated and said she wasn't pregnant unless it was within the last 30 days or so of him checking her. The thing is, there is a chance she could be, because she was with the stud within 30 days of him checking her. (I hope I'm making sense!).

I know it wasn't the optimal time to get her checked and I should have waited, but I had him out for another horse's eye problem and thought I might as well have him check. So she is most likely not, but there is always that chance. He said he could check in again in the spring if I thought she was filling out in the belly. I don't think I can go by that though, as she still has a big belly from the last foal (before I got her).

When I bought her she was a grass pasture (I don't know what kind). I transitioned her over with bermuda hay and kept adding a little alfalfa at a time and now she is completely on alfalfa. I know that's not the idea diet, but around here that's the only affordable, decent hay. I will sometimes give them bermuda hay too, but it's really costly.

I have two other horses on alfalfa and they have always had normal stools. So I don't know what to make of it. She seems perfectly healthy and has lots of energy, so I think she feels fine. I feed twice a day.

 

[tealamutt]

If she seems healthy, then I wouldn't worry about her poops unless they get worse (really soft or runny). If your vet has an ultrasound, I would have them check with that, if not he can check her later as you mentioned. I guess it just depends on how prepared you want to be, totally personal preference there!

Sorry I don't have better ideas on the poop issue though, maybe Ryle has some well informed insight? She is extremely knowledgeable.