Another Toilet Training Question

[bubbleslove]

I didn't want to hijack DB's thread, and mine is somewhat unrelated, and a LOT more obnoxious. Mr Bubbles used to be a secret pooper and pee-er. I mean, if he saw a stranger was near, he'd hold it until he looked uncomfortable. It took a month to do it in front of me. Not gonna lie, I didn't mind that much.
NOW, it's a much different story. I guess he got over it, because now every time he's in the cross ties, he pees and poops! Both, every time. It's freakin disgusting, because when it hits the concrete it splashes. He got the farrier today, he's in the bad books now!
Is there anyway to stop it? Someone at the barn suggested that every time he drops to use it as an opportunity to clean his man parts, but he usually does it in the 5 seconds it takes to go get the saddle from my tack locker. And I found out that its next to impossible to get a peeing horse to stop.

[csimmons]

I would give him the opportunity to relieve himself in his stall before you put him on the cross ties. I'm assuming that you're bringing him in from the field and then putting him on the ties. A lot of horses do not like to pee when they are outside, and he just may need to empty his bladder. He may or may not poop in his stall, but he should pee. Good luck

[DB InTheSouth]

And I found out that its next to impossible to get a peeing horse to stop.

That is so funny. What in the world did you do to try and stop him? I'm still laughing about the farrier...he has a story to tell, huh...

[candy4legs]

I agree with trying him in his stall...he might just have to go, right then. My TB mare is a nervous pooper...if she doesn't know you and you try to tack her up, she'll poop 5-6 times in the time it takes you to brush and saddle her. Unless she's in heat, she never poops in the cross-ties for me anymore, but you can tell if she's going to, she also grinds her teeth when she's nervous. And she's big, so sometimes people make it worse because they're afraid of her size...if only they knew what a marshmallow she is.

[bubbleslove]

Originally Posted by csimmons

I would give him the opportunity to relieve himself in his stall before you put him on the cross ties. I'm assuming that you're bringing him in from the field and then putting him on the ties. A lot of horses do not like to pee when they are outside, and he just may need to empty his bladder. He may or may not poop in his stall, but he should pee. Good luck

Yes, usually I bring him in from the paddock and start to groom etc. I have a couple of times put him in his stall for a few minutes to get a drink before we start working, but I don't remember if that resulted in him not being a pig in the crossties...this may require an experiment tomorrow morning...

Originally Posted by DB InTheSouth

That is so funny. What in the world did you do to try and stop him? I'm still laughing about the farrier...he has a story to tell, huh...

Well, I tried yelling, giving him a little smack on the rump, jumping up and down and waving my hands, flapping a saddle pad at him...he just looks at me like, "What are you doing now Owner-Lady? You're so weird..." and continues on with it. The pooping I've found that if he starts to lift his tail and I'm right there I can push that tail right back down and delay the inevitable by about 2 minutes. Basically until I turn my back again...

The worse thing about the poor farrier is that he was working on the horse in the next cross ties over, and it's a pretty nervous little guy so, from the tack room, all I hear is "BUBBLES!!!!!" and a bunch of hooves dancing around on the concrete. Of course I think my horse is being REALLY naughty and kicking at something and rush back...no, he just splashed the farrier and then the yelling upset the other horse. Soooo embarrassing. And usually the farrier loooves Mr B, he's one of the best behaved horses out of our whole barn.

Originally Posted by candy4legs

I agree with trying him in his stall...he might just have to go, right then. My TB mare is a nervous pooper...if she doesn't know you and you try to tack her up, she'll poop 5-6 times in the time it takes you to brush and saddle her. Unless she's in heat, she never poops in the cross-ties for me anymore, but you can tell if she's going to, she also grinds her teeth when she's nervous. And she's big, so sometimes people make it worse because they're afraid of her size...if only they knew what a marshmallow she is.

Haha the nervous pooper, yes, he does that too. Like, at the rodeo, in the trailer, on the trail, on the way to the arena, on the way to the round pen, in the arena/round pen, when we mount, when we start trotting...he's started to get over the nervous pooping, but it was so odd. He went from NEVER pooping in public to doing it ALL the time, cause I guess I was exposing him to so much and making him worry, and now he's starting to realize that I won't kill him. This messy crossties business, though, I think is that he's at the most relaxed he's been since I got him. Ever have one of those boyfriends who's just a little too comfortable with you? It feels like that. Ugh.

[bubbleslove]

When I came to the barn today, the farrier had pulled Mr B out to work on his feet (I wish I had pics they look sooo good compared to when I got him). Well, I was terrified about what was gonna happen, because he TOTALLY relaxes when he's being worked on...like full on leaning into the crossties to hold up his head while he's passing out. Or he likes to drop his head on the farrier's shoulder while he's working on the front feet, and takes a nap - at first he thought he was about to get bitten, then he realized that he's just being used as a headrest. Soooo I was convinced we were gonna have another splashing incident, but it never happened!
The farrier thinks that perhaps yesterday's commotion has him worried that he's going to get yelled at if he pees...or maybe he just didn't have anything left in him I'll try tomorrow to see if he's figured out that he's NOT allowed to splash people anymore.