I’ve seen nervous horses drop manure, but is it also common reaction for them to pee frequently when fearful? Earlier this week my friend and I went trail riding for the first time this season. Our horses seemed pretty calm, but there was a lot of shared traffic on the trail (bikers, joggers, dogs). We had a couple spooks-in-place and stares at scary stuff like the biker who buzzed by too close. But no bolting or BAD behavior. We let the horses graze now and again to “chill” and they were happy to do so. Her horse urinated 3 times during the 2 hour ride. He also pooped once. He didn’t strain to pee or anything abnormal. Not like he parked out to pee with no result - which can indicate colic, etc. In all other regards he was normal eating-wise, breathing, drinking. He usually doesn’t like to pee undersaddle, so 3 times was odd, so we chalked it up to nerves/excitement of the day. Does this sound feasible? Horse has been “normal” ever since.
One of mine always pees in his stall when he sees me tack up his neighbor & knows I’m taking him for a ride, even though it’s the normal AM routine (and he has already just peed before breakfast.) I think it’s a little separation anxiety. Shows other little nervous signs too small manure piles, walks stall; stuff this otherwise fairly laid back horse doesn’t do.
3 times in a 2 hour ride describes my gelding exactly. That’s just how he always has been. Does your friend go on a lot of 2 hour trail rides? Was this unusual? Maybe he drank a lot before he left :winkgrin:
Oh, and IME most horses tend to urinate when they are comfortable in their surroundings, not when they are nervous. There could be exceptions. Well, then there’s mares in heat…
DD’s horse never urinates under saddle… or away from home. We finally got him to urinate last week away from home on two different occasions. So maybe your friends horse is getting comfortable with the situation.
My guy has a nervous bladder. If he’s really worked up over a situation, he may pee every 20 minutes. I just make sure he stays hydrated and let him have at it.
Hah, well this isnt quite the same, but I have a nervous bladder. If I feel like I dont have a chance to go to the bathroom (ie roadtrips…kinda like trail rides??) I can pee every 5 minutes.
Maybe horses feel this way too?
Thanks for relating your experiences. #1 we rode behind a group of mares. #2 we haven’t trail ridden since last year. In any event, this horse doesn’t usually pee when we’ve trail ridden in the past and once we got home all seemed well and he’s been fine ever since. I guess we won’t worry too much, it was just odd for that day. But it sounds like others have had the same experience. Thanks!
My gelding pees EVERY trail ride, bar none. He even has favorite places! On a 2-3 hour ride, he will pee at least once, and sometimes twice. He’s not nervous at all - just pees, then continues on.
[QUOTE=AliCat518;6403370]
Hah, well this isnt quite the same, but I have a nervous bladder. If I feel like I dont have a chance to go to the bathroom (ie roadtrips…kinda like trail rides??) I can pee every 5 minutes.
Maybe horses feel this way too?[/QUOTE]
Kind of like when we are camping! At home I can go all night, take me camping and even if I drink nothing after 6 pm I still have to go at least twice in the night.
I have never seen a horse pee because of being nervous ( especially a gelding) but as long as he is acting and going normally I wouldn’t worry. Maybe he is marking his territory?
I find a horse IS nervous when it doesn’t pee, which makes their hr go up and makes them nervous acting. They gotta pee like a racehorse but won’t.
One gelding I had was a great pee’er. He liked grass for a no splash thing. Another gelding if he doesn’t pee on the trail, then he has to pee RIGHT AWAY when he gets out the trailer, or on the way from my barnlot to the pasture. All of them seem to pee when I call them up. They know they are going to be ridden and pee before hand. Sometimes if I do get off to pee the horse I am riding pee’s too. Luck!
Yes, hand raised. Take me camping and I have to pee every hour on the hour. At home, nope. Maybe I just drink alot when camping to stay hydrated. ??
Put me on and endurance ride, and nope I won’t pee no matter how much I drank. ha ha because I pee’d it out all the night before! Nahh. I get nervous and do not pee. Sometimes I pee in competition but not usually. I just don’t seem to have to go.
All this talk, I gotta go. The weather is cooling from 105 so been drinking most of the day. Wow, how exciting, it is 97 now.
My horse used to never pee on the trail when I first got him. After he got some miles on him and got used to trail life he started going anywhere and everywhere. He’s even stopped right in the middle of going up steep mountain trails to take a whiz like it’s nothing. He’ll pee on pavement, he’ll pee for an audience. Much to the chagrin of those I ride with, he’s even peed in the creek while we are all stopped to let the horses have a drink.
With him peeing that often and since it’s out of character for him your friend might want to check him for a bean. Three times in two hours does sound a little excessive.
