when we are riding and our horses pee why do we sand in the saddle? Everyone says it gets our wieght off their backs, but we are on the horse with the same amount of weight wheither we are standing or sitting. what are your thoughts about this?
Never done it and until now never heard of it.
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Its not even so much to get the weight off their backs (and yes you are lighter when standing in the stirrups then sitting like a sack of potatoes), but it’s to not be sitting on the kidneys. I think you would prefer somebody not be sitting on your kidneys when you pee. Also horses tend to stretch out quite a bit to pee, and when you stand up you normally lean forward and your weight goes more over the shoulder so its more stable for them.
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Hmmm. I’ve heard the kidney thing too, but I don’t get it…urine is stored in the bladder not the kidneys.
[QUOTE=Gruff Pastures;3487817]
Hmmm. I’ve heard the kidney thing too, but I don’t get it…urine is stored in the bladder not the kidneys.[/QUOTE]
Exactly. And if you ultrasound a horse, its not like their kidneys are where you are sitting anyhow.
Was told this for years and always did so…until I actually thought about it.
Horses stand up to pee because otherwise they get all wet if they’re laying down and pee. :winkgrin: :lol: :winkgrin:
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:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:
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[QUOTE=bugsynskeeter;3487837]
Was told this for years and always did so…until I actually thought about it.[/QUOTE]
Me, too. Interesting question, I’d like to see what other people say about it.
Never heaard of it. Don’t do it either.
So what do you do when a horse poops? :eek:
[QUOTE=7HL;3487859]
Never heaard of it. Don’t do it either.
So what do you do when a horse poops? :eek:[/QUOTE]
Keep on riding. I don’t allow them to stop. They can’t stop in the show pen, they sure as heck aren’t gonna stop in the practice pen.
Yep just keep riding. My horses can poop and move at the same time they do it every day in the pastures.
Horse poops = keep riding, using whatever aids are necessary so as not to break gait. They can do it out in the pasture, so they can do it when I’m on board. And it’s mandatory to keep moving while showing, so we might as well do it in practice too.
Horse pees = get up off the back, in a two-point position, as dictated by every H/J trainer I have ever known. I know my gelding stretches waaaaaaay back when he pees (and grunts or groans the entire time: my worst nightmare is that he’ll do it some day at a show, in front of the judge’s stand, with an open mike…:o). Just the stretching alone would probably be uncomfortable for him with someone sitting on his back.
I personally think it’s an old wives tale about getting off their kidneys, BUT…I will lean forward to help them balance - especially my two, who both insist of standing on their hind tippy toes.
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That’s what I’ve heard, that it’s uncomfortable for them to pee when our weight is on their kidneys. Not sure if it has any basis in fact 
Nothing to do with kidneys or bladder more to do with creating the right conditions and being comfortable for your horse.
The horse adopts a position to pee that in effect means it has to stop and stand and stretch with fore and hind legs extended.
Watch them in the wild or in the field and they do it just the same. They never ever urinate when on the move. Defecate yes, but not urinate. In the wild they need to be comfortable and confident to urinate and its a way of saying to your horse, “take your time”
Then it carries a rider comfortably when its balanced over its legs, and when its stomach muscles are engaged and it’s back lifted and stretched. The p’ing position changes that - so when on board when a horse is getting ready to P, you’ll feel its back drop and the change in the position.
So you stand in your stirrups so the horse is free to urinate comfortably and get its legs under it.
You might be interested in knowing that carriage drivers sometimes still train their horses to stand in this position and because its a position that makes it difficult for a horse to take a step. So in the old days when carriages were common transport, they did it whilst the passengers were mounting the vehicle and until they were all safely seated in the carriage.
In the UK all riders are taught the above as basic “how to ride” stuff. Though in truth most often aren’t told all the reasons or else forget in the myriad of stuff they are learning and so often end up thinking the horse can’t pee if they don’t stand! Which is fair enough, so long as they know to stand to make the horse comfortable.
I’ve always stood in the stirrups because the horse felt more balanced when spread and stretched out.
Well I guess I just stand when my horse is peeing because I was taught that way. They do change their posture…I think Thomas1’s explanation makes senses. I don’t stop when pooping though-we keep moving…
I don’t think just standing would help much. But as was mentioned, most people lean forward when standing, and I think that does help. I was actually taught as a kid to lean forward and grab mane when the horse started to pee. This should put you over the forehand and off the horse’s back while it was in a weakened, stretched out position.
Of course my horse rarely pees under saddle. If I take him in from turnout to ride I have to put him in his stall for a few minutes to pee. He “saves up” to go in his stall:rolleyes: If I ride him and he has to pee, he will get fussy and difficult, but will rarely pee. Annoying!
I have one old mare who will pee “in public” - but it must be only in emergencies, because in 8 years she’s only done it a few times, on long rides. I mean that she stopped mid-ride, pulled herself over off the trail and took a pee, rather than doing it while we were stopped for a break or dismounted.
I was always taught to stand up a bit - Thomas’s explanation makes sense, more than the kidney explanation.
[QUOTE=Thomas_1;3488227]
You might be interested in knowing that carriage drivers sometimes still train their horses to stand in this position and because its a position that makes it difficult for a horse to take a step. So in the old days when carriages were common transport, they did it whilst the passengers were mounting the vehicle and until they were all safely seated in the carriage.[/QUOTE]
Not to derail the thread but Thomas, here’s a great old illustration with a commentary by Jeff Morse.
Of course, over here, “fine” harness horses (and wannabes) are still expected to do it in the show ring, not only in harness but under saddle and in hand as well! :yes: IN the U.K., I expect you would only see the Hackney ponies doing it.
