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Posted on 10/04/2005 9:56:41 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
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What's up with my pony? Why is she peeing this much?
Both mares got fresh bedding last night. It was clean and dry. We have had to completely re-bed the pony every day this week bacause of this:
This is Cyn's stall at breakfast.
She was not like this last winter. There'd be a wet spot in the morning, not a whole wet ~stall~. Whether this is the result or the cause of her obsessively licking the salt lick I'm not sure, but one is probably related to the other.
I'm gonna be doing some googling to see if I can find anything, and perhaps end up calling the vet. Any ideas?
Possibly interesting details, she's a Hackney pony, seven or so years old, never bred, otherwise healthy and vigorous.
Why don't you look at places around Big Southfork Recreation Area in north central TN. There's tons of mountain trails there and the winters don't get too bad but you still have distinct seasons. That's where I'd love to live if I was retiring.
Take away her salt block completely and see if that doesn't solve the problem. Once her system has had a chance to stabilize, you can give her an appropriate amount of salt sprinkled on her feed.
And find her another stall vice!
(there are tons of causes for polyuria (excessive urination). Try this first because you know she's been after the salt block and it may be out of boredom.)
LOL! He's saying "get off my kindeys, I need to pee!"
The excessive salt licking is either a cause or a symptom of the pee, I agree.
She doesn't have a salt lick in her stall, so she doesn't lick salt all night, she has access to a big block outside during the day when they are out.
We put the block (s) back out Sunday. I'll consider taking it away again, though I hate to take it away from the other horses too, and I hate to take it away if in fact she is depleting herself and needs it.
I put them back out on the front pasture yesterday, which usually makes them less bored during the day. They prefer life out there over the back forty, not sure why.
That's exactly what Rocky does. If he has a salt block and is locked in his pen, he just stands and licks and licks, which causes excessive drinking, which causese excessive peeing.
If I don't keep him locked up he doesn't do it. I know Pony isn't locked up, but I'd think it was from licking the salt block. But why is she doing that? Maybe and mineral/electrolyte imbalance??? Maybe try putting that loose mineral powder in her feed. It's good stuff. By Purina, 12-12-12. And get rid of the salt block. I was told give 2oz a day to each horse when I used it. With Rusty gone, I'm back to blocks for now. I've been watching to see if Rocky got obsessive about licking too.
That's what I'd try first.
Becky
If you give her loose salt, I have a good receipe for it that I got thru CTR.
1 part Lite Salt (it conatins potassium)
1 part calcium carbonate (my feed store carries it)
3 parts regular salt
Sprinkle a couple of oz in their feed. In my experience, if they need it they will lick it up, if they don't it will sit in the bottom of the feed bucket.
If you feed a sweet type feed some of it will stick to the feed.
Becky
Why did this suddenly start is my question too. At least it seems sudden. It used to be her habit to lick the block a bit after breakfast, but not spend the day there.
I think I'll call and ~ask~ the vet if he has any particular concern.... and then look for the loose mineral supplement at the feed store when we go.
Good pics! Reba's horse looks HUGE, but he's a nice looking horse. Looks like y'all had fun. Thanks!
My first guess as to why would be boredom. I've also noticed when there is a weather change (Hasn't it been raining there alot?) that horses will suddenly start doing strange things, eating the barn down, eating the bark off trees, etc. I've had horses that didn't ever do things like that suddenly start, so it may not be anything serious.
Becky
Yes - weather change, lots of rain and mud, and we started putting them in at night.
And Cyn did chew a spot in her stall... just a small spot, and we put a metal plate over it and she hasn't done it again, yet. But she'd never done that before. I really hope she stops, I'm not looking forward to having to paint all the wood in the barn with that black stuff.
Is there any way you can give your horses free choice to their stalls.
Becky
Where I live it doesn't get too cold. There is a few weeks in either Jan. or Feb. where the nights get down to about 20, but it doesn't last long. The days get down to between 40 and 50 in the winter.
Good morning all.
American Mother is right, she's bored and licking away at the salt. If you took it away, sprinkle salt as AM said on their feed at night, just as an experiment, to see if it cuts down on the urination.
Big thunder coming up over the horizon today, we had a gorgeous rain last night.
Their stalls open into this lean-to now, which is their common day shelter also. If I partitioned that up, and divided the paddock up in runs, then they'd either have to be in those small runs, or be turned out to pasture with no shelter at all, and I wouldn't like that either. The paddock runs would turn to suck mud even more than it does now. The way it is now, on rainy days, they loaf in the lean-to as they want, they aren't stuck in the rain, or stuck in a run.
I just want them to be well-adjusted to the way it's always been! We didn't have problems before. I'm thinking Cyn just got a too-light dinner one night and chewed the board by the feeder because she was either hungry or p*ssed off or both.
Right now, I do give Bay free access in and out of his stall at night, but that's because he ~won't~ pee inside. Any one of them could be left with free choice, but not all of them.
I know what you mean about the muddy runs. Yuk. Mine get that way. I hate it, and it worries me about their feet. But so far no problems, but I think that's because they do dry fast once the rain stops. Your's sounds like it stays muddy longer. You don't have the underlying rock.
Does the horses get enough hay to have all thru the night? I know they don't need it, but it might keep other habits from developing....LOL....kind of six of one and half dozen of another huh:\
Becky
I'm waiting on Jenny. We are going shopping this morning to finish up buying birthday for the little boys, Blake's is this month and JP next. She just called and said her indoor cat got out last night thru an open window. She is currently under the house, and Jenny is waiting till she decides to come back in:). Crazy cats.
Becky
Yes, fewer problems when we give them ~plenty~ of hay. And we do. The night Cyn had cribbed, I think she got shorted. She was pounding out there, and we went out, her hay was gone, she had played with her feeder, and chewed the board right next to it. I think that's all it was. We gave her some more hay.
And now she knows how to get a refill! ;o)
Whenever I want my cats out, they want in. When I want them in, they want out. I think the rule for cats is that whatever side of the door they're on when it opens, they have to go to the other side.
Oh, and Hair, my cat has figured out that if he's inside and I'm outside and he climbs the mini-blinds like a ladder that I'll let him out. Smart little critters they are!
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