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late winter dark orange gelding pee
So we’ve had our first snowfall and I was out cleaning the paddock this morning and I remembered that in late winter (ie not now) I have seen pee spots that are dark orange which is weird and I have never been able to figure out why. Well it can’t mean nothing and I don’t think it’s the temperature having an effect on the urine or it would also happen in early winter because it’s also cold. Could it be from autodigestion of proteins if the horse is unable to access fat stores?
BTW have told 8-10 people about your podcast.
Thanks,
Angela
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2 Replies
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I would often get phone calls from horse owners worried that their horses were urinating blood after some snow had fallen. In every case there was a trace mineral salt block available. Removing it would clear up the dark red urine spot in the white snow.
When I collected during from ponies in metabolism stalls, the colors of using stratified in the clear glass jars was striking: red, black, green, yellow, orange, clear, cloudy – any or all in layers. All reflected what was being fed in the diet.
I do not believe that it is from protein / amino acids because I have never heard of this happening. Think back to what the horses had access to last time you saw the dark orange urine. There must have been some minerals in the diet causing this.
Thank you so much for promoting the podcasts. I have more to do but I have been swamped this past week so I may be a bit behind this week. Hang tight as the AAEP meetings are coming up – food for podcasting!
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Thanks, I’ll try a few different things. I have a Himalayan salt lick and a blue salt lick (not the kind with molasses but I think there is some sort of other component, possibly cobalt?) but I am also giving a mineral/vitamin called omenity. It’s a powder and doesn’t have any starches or oils or other unwanted ingredients but I am beginning to think I don’t need it at all after listening to the podcasts.
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