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Discussion on Dominant gelding rolling in poop
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Member:
Anta
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Posted on Friday, Feb 17, 2006 - 6:38 pm:
I have two geldings that are kept at home, this morning I turned them out as usual and to my suprise my boy that I thought was the dominant one started to spread over quite an area the other ones poo. He then got down and had a really good roll in it. What does this mean from a horse behaviour point of view? I should add that they are normally kept just the two of them, but since last week 2 more geldings are kept, but over a fence in our bottom field. I have never seen him do this before, is he trying to tell me something? or is it to do with the new geldings being so close. On retrospect, I have seen poops spread out before whilst cleaning paddocks, I cursed our chickens for this happening. I wonder is this dominant behaviour? or something else? Any ideas would be appreciated
Best wishes
Anita
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Member:
Alden
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Posted on Friday, Feb 17, 2006 - 10:32 pm:
I don't suppose life gets much better for a horse than a good poo roll, at least that seems to be my horses' attitudes.
As for scattering I'll bet that's a territorial hold over. Both my stallions have very specific locations for their poo deposits. In the wild I can see lesser stallions scattering the big guys piles for spite knowing they can't take him one on one.
In other words, sounds pretty normal to me.
Good day,
Alden
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Member:
Anta
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Posted on Sunday, Feb 19, 2006 - 3:21 am:
Thanks Alden,
What confused me was that I thought rolling in another horses poo was submissive, have I got that wrong, or is it something that in a herd they will all do?
thanks again
Anita
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Sunday, Feb 19, 2006 - 8:50 am:
These can be complicated behaviors Anita with no simple answer. I would not change your opinion about your horse's hierarchy if the obviously dominant horse rolls in the others stools. What we see on our farm as we rotate stallions around the pastures, is the stallion in the new pasture urinates on the other stallions stools, like a dog would marking his territory.
DrO
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Member:
Meggles
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Posted on Sunday, Feb 19, 2006 - 3:28 pm:
Hi Anita
I moved my mare to live with a friends, younger but bigger gelding recently. They knew each other but had never lived together. They spent the first week establishing who was boss (always my mare, wherever I have taken her!!) but a couple of weeks later I caught him eating her fresh DrOppings - eugh!! He then proceeded to urinate on what was left and then rolled in it. Strange but true. He is still the underdog but quite a bolshy lad himself and I think he was just asserting himself as a stallion might. I wouldn't worry about it. I'm not sure we really understand a lot of what they get up to!
Sarah
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Member:
Canter
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Posted on Monday, Feb 20, 2006 - 8:06 am:
I have found that a horse's enjoyment in rolling in poop is directly proportional to the color of their hair...the lighter the coat, the more they enjoy a good roll 
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Member:
Anta
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Posted on Monday, Feb 20, 2006 - 12:09 pm:
Fran,
Would it suprise you to hear, hes grey..........
Anita
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Member:
Canter
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Posted on Tuesday, Feb 21, 2006 - 10:31 am:
Not at all, Anita...not at all!
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