# Horse urinates frequently



## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

You're sitting on his kidneys.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

I would have the vet look at him for a kidney or bladder infection.

If he has an infection, one day you will be riding and he will go down with you:shock:

That happened with my neighbor and his 3 yo TWH:-(

If the horse doesn't have either, I would also ask to have him checked for metabolic issues.

Even though he's awfully young for them, excessive urination also goes hand-in-hand with them. Doubtfull but still, there's always that odd chance:?

It isn't something I would brush off and at least talk to the vet over the phone


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

If he is stressed, either mentally or physically, he will urinate. He's a bit young for a 2 hr trail ride since he's not fully developed.


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## Timid Wild One (Dec 3, 2012)

Have the vet check on him. There are a myriad of reasons why he could be urinating excessively. How closely are you monitoring his water intake? Try and keep a log of how much he drinks each day if you're able to, though that is difficult in turnout situations with large troughs. How many buckets does he go through during the night? How messy is his stall in the morning? If he's not drinking excessively (polydipsia), he may simply be having trouble completely emptying his bladder due to several reasons. When was his sheath cleaned last? He could have a "bean", which is a collection of smegma that can partially block the urethra. That's probably the most common cause of urinary problems. He could also have a urinary tract infection. I'd say your best bet is to have your vet out to clean his sheath. It's usually pretty cheap (especially if you can find others to split the farm call) and sedation is the only way to get a good cleaning, including bean removal.

I went through excessive drinking/urination with my gelding, and it turned out that he drank a lot out of boredom. Full turnout helped break that habit, but he still drinks a little more than he should. Other causes for excessive drinking can be ulcers or some other pain elsewhere. He may be drinking the cool water as a self-soothing habit (in the same way that some horses crib/windsuck). Good luck!


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## RustyBucket (Nov 24, 2012)

What hay are you feeding him? Excess protein can cause frequent urination. Since it appears to occur only when you ride perhaps your saddle is putting excess pressure on his kidneys. I would check your saddle for fit, maybe even try a lighter saddle. It could also be that he's a young horse still getting used to the feeling of weight over his kidney area.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Normal Guy (Oct 3, 2010)

Many good suggestions. In response to some of the questions... He does not appear to be drinking excessive water. His sheath was cleaned in late August. His diet consists of mostly grass hay with a small amount of alfalfa hay. I also feed him Purina Ultium Growth feed daily. He is turned out every day with several other horses in a grass pasture. I typically don't ride him longer that one hour at a time. We have gone on a couple of two hour trail rides, but I agree that is a bit too long given his young age. I do plan to contact my vet to check for a urinary tract/bladder infection. I also will ask him to check for various other metabolic issues. Thanks for all of the excellent feedback. Please don't hesitate to add additional suggestions if you have them.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Normal Guy said:


> with a small amount of alfalfa hay.


How small is small = lol lol

Even a small amount might be too much for this particular horse.

I feed alfalfa to my two mid-20's Fellas and have to be careful how much I feed them.

I can tell when I am feeding too much because their urine has an extreme amonia smell to it and they will relieve themselves a lot more. My Arab, will urinate to the point that he soaks his stall every night and he's only 13.3H

It's still a good idea to talk to your vet

By-the-by, is that your Fella in your avatar? He is very handsome!


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## Timid Wild One (Dec 3, 2012)

Agreed that excess protein might be an issue. I forgot to ask in my last post - when he stops to urinate under saddle, is it a large amount or a small amount?


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## RedHorseRidge (Nov 3, 2012)

My sister has a horse that was doing this; he had bladder stones. Once free of them, he was fine. He is prone to stones so when he starts his frequent urination, she takes him and invariably they find stones again.


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