What goes in...

Knowing what's normal for your horse in terms of droppings and noticing changes can be key to keeping him healthy. Emily Bevan finds out more

- Emily Bevan

HOW well do you know your horse’s poo? Do you know how often they produce droppings each day and what they look like? A horse’s poo can tell you a lot about their health and well-being and act as a red flag when something isn’t right.

Signs of dehydration, infection, and impaction colic can all be detected through droppings so it’s important to be attentive and know what is normal – or abnormal – for your horse so you can recognise when something is wrong.

If your horse experiences a change in routine, a degree of variation in droppings is to be expected, but if there is no reason for the change or the change is prolonged then you should seek veterinary advice.

“Make any dietary or regime changes gradually – sudden changes can result in alterations in horses’ droppings. Owners are well drilled in making any changes to hard feed gradually but may not realise this rule applies to forage too,” says Sarah Nelson, product manager at Spillers.

The transition from living out to living in may provoke a change in droppings.

“In the wild, healthy digestion is associated with walking, so stabling – when a horse is walking less and often standing in front of a haynet for hours – is a challenge to the horse’s digestive system. Adding a gut supplement to their diet can help,” says Kate Hore, senior nutritionist at NAF.

You may also see a change in your horse’s droppings if they are on antibiotics or medication, or when you take them to a competition or new location.