Is this typical stallion behavior, or is my friend's horse just picky?

Question

I have been around horses most of my life, and have never seen this before.

I went to drop off my free lease mare at her new placement. They have a very nice TWH stallion. Put together very nice, looks like he's floating in gait. Great ground manners and what a gentleman. This lady gets an A++++++ for how to keep a stallion.

Anyway, I noticed a large p**p pile beside the barn. I assumed it was where they dumped the wheelbarrow when they cleaned out the barn. Here comes the stallion, who turned around and pooped on top of the pile.

I joked about how convenient that was, and she said it was his p**p pile. I couldn't believe it. This horse poops at the same spot every time. There was not one horse t**d anywhere else in his turn out, and I'd say it was about 3/4 acre.

I've never noticed that anywhere else...have you?

Answer 1

Horses in stall and small turn outs will p**p and pee in the same spot, on a whole. Some don't but the majority will. Like almost any animal they don't like to drop a big duce where they sleep. Its its not that strange to come accross that.

Answer 2

I have had a few horses over the years who would only p**p in one spot.  It makes it very easy to clean their stall.  All of the horses I have known that do this have been German warmbloods.

Answer 3

I have heard of a lot of stallions that do that, unfortunately all the ones I got to muck out had never read that part of the instruction manual - they did it everywhere and then trod it in !

Answer 4

yeah its a stallion thing. I do know a couple of gelding who do that too. Its so easy to clean their stalls

Answer 5

yes my neighbors mare she only pooped in the right back corner of her stall I know this also because i had to clean out her stall haha it was so easy! she was a very clean mare

but then her gelding had p**p everywhere! so it just depends on the horse's personality and cleanliness!

oh and if it helps her mare was aTB and her gelding was a QH

Answer 6

Yes, it's very common for stallions (and many geldings) to have p**p piles. We have 2 here (an older 29yo and a junior 4yo) and both do the same thing. The younger stallion (still a colt really)  uses one pile in a corner of his pasture closest to the neighbors horses.

The older stallion actually marks all four of the "corners" of his pasture.

It's a hold over instinct from wild horses where stallions marked their territory against other stallions. Also you'll see them marking the piles left by other horses,  pooping on top of what mares left and  will urinate on piles left by geldings or yearling colts.

If you run mares in a herd environment with a stallion for a while you'll notice the alpha mare starting to go in the same place as the stallion. Before long they'll have the others in that pasture doing the same thing. The bigger the pasture the more "marking piles" they'll be.

Answer 7

Funny, my horse did that too!  She was a very feminine mare...it wasn't exactly right on top of each other, but only in one corner, and YES it is very convenient.  Oh and she would always pee on top of her p**p too.  Hehe.

Answer 8

My gelding does that.  I have 4 pastures then the 2 run in shelter areas.

Every single pasture has 'his' poo pile.  And about 15 feet from each shelter he has another one.  Doesn't p**p in the shelters at all.  Mare goes willy nilly where ever the urge strikes her.

Very convenient for neighbors who like the fertilizer.

He has done it ever since we've owned him...He was about 17 or 18 months old when he was gelded.

Answer 9

its a stallion thing most stallions ive ever met have done the same thing - my gelding (who was gelded late) also did the same thing, until he started sharing then he got lazy with his housework lol.  kinda helpful tho aye?

Answer 10

Stallions are known for this.  

My gelding did this as a stallion.

Now a gelding he still carries on this trait.

When I have to find his pile I know exactly where to look.

My mare is the pile next to his area (she's always had this trait...like stallions) and the filly is all over the freakin' place.

My stud colts were not practicing this behavior until they were almost two.  Close..but not perfect.

They had the back half of the stall and by 2 they had the corner and by 3 they had a nice tower of poo.

hehehehe

Answer 11

YEA! I HAD BOUGHT 3 COBS FROM A PRO TRAINER LADY WHO HAD GOT TO OLD TO BE RIDING ANYMORE. SHE HAD TRAINED THE HORSES T ONLY p**p IN ONE SPOT.

WHEN I BROUGHT THE HORSES TO MY STABLES THEY ALL POOPED IN THE BACK LEFT CORNER OF THE STABLES, IT REALLY HANDY LOL!

***WISH ALL MY HORSES DID THAT!***

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TRAIN THEM TO p**p IN ONE PLACE BUT I SEND YOU AN EMAIL IF I EVER FIND OUT!

I WOULD ASK THE LADY BUT SHE'S NOW DEAD... =[

OH AND BY THE WAYS THEY ARE ALL STALLIONS SO I GUESS THE LEARN QUITE EASILY BUT MY CLYDESDALE STALLION DOESN'T AND HE'S 19.2HH AND PRODUCES BIG POOPIE!!!

Answer 12

stallions have a p**p pile to say this is mine ; not all stallion's do this but most do.it is the norm all of mine do it.we have had 4 at a time and they all have their little corner were the p**p.My first stud that I owned was in a stall and use to p**p out a 6in. knot hole [LOL] I thought that some body was cleaning my stall.

Answer 13

It's a stallion thing...where I ride the geldings and the stallions do that! Neat, huh!?

Answer 14

Yes this is common and most people call it ia stud pile.

They are marking their territory

Answer 15

Most of the horses I've had usually p**p in the same spot. All of them have a different place. I think it is normal for the stallion to p**p their and to not to be suprised. As for being a 'stallion' that has nothing to do with that. All genders of horses can do that.