Why do ponies...

[Debbie]

and horses paw when they're eating from a bucket? Blossom sometimes does this...and sometimes she doesn't. She'll also sometimes tip her bucket and other times she'll eat it neatly out of the bucket. ??

Is there something instinctive that makes a pony want to paw when they're eating? Other than a short stint with Lady Bear, Blossom's never felt hurried or harried when she eats, and she was pawing sometimes well before Lady Bear's arrival.

It doesn't bother me...I'm just curious as to why

[SuzieP]

Dunno Debbie, strange isn't it? I know of a Shetland pony that will only eat out of a bucket lying on his side - with the bucket on its side as well. Why does he do that?

[Debbie]

Just picturing the shetland sideways with his sideways bucket.. The plot thickens....

[bevbob]

LOL Sue! that sounds mad!

I think its anticipation? Bobs will paw before I give it him because he cant wait, hes ok when actually eating it though.
I wonder if they do it because they want to gobble it all down quickley?

[sammy]

My Shetland does it and I always think it's because she is excited and wants to eat it all now!!!!!
Delight does it but she upturns her feed bowl as she was not used to eating anything other than hay when I got her earlier this year and thinks it is going to eat her!!!

[Debbie]

LOL...ah bless, a pony eating bucket...

[felldale]

LOL! Sue, that shetland sounds weird....... ;D

Mina has always pawed when eating, I thought she would grow out of it but she's five now and still doing it. She digs a trench out of the gravel in the corral and I have to constantly fill it in! Maddy paws a bit too and also upturns her bucket so I have to feed her in the stable on the rubber matting or in the field. It's funny how some paw and some don't.

[Rowndan]

Dan does it too. i just think he thinks hes eating it quicker if he stands waving his front leg round!!

[bevbob]

Its obviously communicating something? they do it in the field to each other so maybe its a clear off this is all mine thing?

[Debbie]

;D Maybe I should just consult an equine 'communicator' as to the whys???

[dalesponyrider]

Maybe Merlinalison could ask her instructor for us?

[harveydales]

What an interesting questions. I've always put it down to plain greeed, frustration at not being able to eat as quick as they think they want to. But obviously there must be more to it, a form of communication. Harvey is a major "pawer" and my old mare Alex was too. They both have/had inhibited/frustrated sides to their personalities. Quest, who is top dog and knows his place, never paws. Winnie, who is bottom of the pack also never paws.

[greydales]

Several of mine do this, Pip used to wave his leg around all the time while eating, and Olivia and Saturn will paw the bowl and/or upset it. Have no idea why but it must be a fairly common thing, I always thought it was linked to frustration. Wild horses dig the ground to find forage sometimes don't they?

LOL @ the shetland, that is WEIRD!!!!!

[DalesLady]

I think it is an instinctive thing. I find our young ones do this a lot more than the older ones, and I think the older ones do it because it becomes habitual. They know when the buckets are being filled and its an impatience thing. The young ones, its as if they do it to "stimulate the feed flow" - hope you know what i mean! LOL

[harveydales]

I think you're right Penny. The ones I've had that don't paw either not their heads up and down vigerously or like Quest, shake his head and bite the stable door. So that would tie in with "stimulating the fed flow" wouldn't it?