Manure eating

["patoliva" <patoliva@earthlink.net>]

I recently got a mare back after she was away over a year..  She is in with six gelding and it took two minutes to become head boss.  My concern is that the geldings are starting to eat her manure.  They do not smell or nimble, they eat with gusto.  The two lowest on the ladder are eating the most.  It is gross and I do not understand the reason.  Are there an equine behavioral scientist  who  can explain this?    All the other animals around eat the manure but I in 30 years of having horses, mares and gelding,  I have not seen this. 

 

The horses have free excess to trace mineral salt, regular salt block and rushcreek minerals.  Pat O