Gelding smells

[Pmf27]

I've had a quick search and couldn't find a thread quite this niche, but...

Do geldings smell more than mares? Is this a thing?

I absolutely love the "smell of horse", but this is different. I stink of wee every time I come back from the yard.

Even when I'm there, if I've not mucked out yet I smell of wee just from being around him.

Was loaning a mare before (same yard, same block of stables, same bedding) and had no such smelly issues. Is it a gelding thing?

My house also stinks of horse pee now because, even when I've washed my clothes, they still smell. My non-horsey OH is surely a saint for putting up with this ?

 

[JBM]

Usually pee smells stronger when there’s less water in it? Is he drinking enough?

 

[Burnerbee]

Never personally noticed it - check he’s drinking enough

 

[Pmf27]

Good shout on the water, I'll keep my eye on that as best I can - difficult when I'm only up a few days a week but will ask owner to keep an eye as well.

It seems to just be his aroma in general though? I could stand outside his stable and just give him some scratches on the neck and the smell is there ?

 

[Abacus]

Does he lie down in it a lot and so get the smell onto his coat / rug? Does the stable need more bedding to compensate? Mine don't smell strong but they live out. The one mare on the yard is a tarty little thing who wees all over the place whenever the boys around, and that stinks.

 

[holeymoley]

No. Does he have enough bedding? Is he messy? Or heavy feathered? I knew of a cob that was quite stinky but he was really messy so got a sprinkle of shavings to soak up pee which made him smell even more!

 

[Pmf27]

Does he lie down in it a lot and so get the smell onto his coat / rug? Does the stable need more bedding to compensate? Mine don't smell strong but they live out. The one mare on the yard is a tarty little thing who wees all over the place whenever the boys around, and that stinks.

I'm not sure, by the time I get to the yard on my days he is turned out so I bring in if riding and then muck out and head off. One to ask the owner, so thanks for that idea.

He has matts, shavings and straw on top. I'm very diligent with mucking out and get as much of the wet out as I can, then I make sure he has plenty of fresh straw on top.

 

[Pmf27]

No. Does he have enough bedding? Is he messy? Or heavy feathered? I knew of a cob that was quite stinky but he was really messy so got a sprinkle of shavings to soak up pee which made him smell even more!

He's not heavy feathered, but he's a very 'wet' horse. There is always a lot of wee in his stable so I try to make sure that I can get as much of this out as possible when mucking out on my days.

I've read about ammonia-eating products that you can sprinkle in stables so I wonder if this might be worth a shot?

 

[jnb]

Are you sure it's not a smelly/infected sheath smell (very distinctive) - if he has a bean it will be worse as wee can get trapped.
Might be worth a check anyway, does he get the black gunk on his hind legs?

 

[Pmf27]

Are you sure it's not a smelly/infected sheath smell (very distinctive) - if he has a bean it will be worse as wee can get trapped.
Might be worth a check anyway, does he get the black gunk on his hind legs?

Oh hadn't thought of this! No gunk on his hind legs. I never notice an unpleasant smell in that area when I'm grooming, but will take a closer look next time.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I bet it’s the straw. My friends horse always smells since she’s changed to straw bedding. ? One of the reasons I use shavings.

 

[Pmf27]

I bet it’s the straw. My friends horse always smells since she’s changed to straw bedding. ? One of the reasons I use shavings.

I had read about this, but if this were the case would it not have been the same for the mare? She is on the exact same bedding set up and I had no such issues there. Could it be that he is in slightly a bigger stable and so there is more space for smelly bits to hang out?

 

[JBM]

How much protein does he get? If he’s getting more than he needs can lead to smelly pee

 

[Pmf27]

How much protein does he get? If he’s getting more than he needs can lead to smelly pee

Have just checked the composition of his feed and it says 15% protein. He gets one feed a day, plus hay and is turned out so is also munching grass (although this is on the decline atm due to weather).

 

[Starzaan]

Ok, in my experience this generally happens when a horse doesn't have enough bedding.

Other reasons can be lack of or intolerance to protein, dehydration, or occasionally raised fibrinogens.

 

[Pmf27]

Ok, in my experience this generally happens when a horse doesn't have enough bedding.

Other reasons can be lack of or intolerance to protein, dehydration, or occasionally raised fibrinogens.

Thanks, I'll see if adding some more bedding helps! That would be an easy fix ?

 

[Starzaan]

Thanks, I'll see if adding some more bedding helps! That would be an easy fix ?

Remember that if you're on straw (regardless of whether you have mats or not) you should be able to sharply stab a pitch fork into the bed at ANY point, and not hit the floor beneath. You need a lot more straw than you think to make a proper bed.

 

[Pmf27]

Remember that if you're on straw (regardless of whether you have mats or not) you should be able to sharply stab a pitch fork into the bed at ANY point, and not hit the floor beneath. You need a lot more straw than you think to make a proper bed.

Crikey, I didn't know this! I'm not stingy by any stretch but I don't think I lay the bed that deep. Will add lots more next time.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I think mucking out any straw bed makes you stink anyway but not having enough bedding won't help.

You can buy a disinfectant powder that you sprinkle on the floor before laying it that might help.

 

[SEL]

My old boy used to make himself a nest in his stable to sleep in. So all his clean bedding would end up in banks against the wall and door and he'd snooze in the middle which he'd usually p'd in first. Add an extremely thick winter coat and there was a pong

Twice as many bales as everyone else and deep litter on easibed or hemp. Straw was vile. I also clipped his belly.

 

[holeymoley]

On a side note about straw- I'm saving a fortune on it. It doesn't smell. If you muck out correctly and even more so if you're using shavings/sawdust as a base to soak up pee, it really shouldn't smell!

Ps.- eta, I'm not nose blind There's another few on straw at the yard without a base and there's is quite strong smelling but I wouldn't say it's anything offensive. I took my children to a treking centre for a pony ride a few months ago and the horses were stood in on nothing. One had done a number one and I couldn't get the smell off my son's wellies for ages. It sounds like there's maybe not enough bedding to soak things up.

 

[Pmf27]

I think mucking out any straw bed makes you stink anyway but not having enough bedding won't help.

You can buy a disinfectant powder that you sprinkle on the floor before laying it that might help.

Yes I've just been looking into this, I think I might buy some and see if that helps!

 

[Barton Bounty]

My gelding smells amazing, never of wee and he is a mingbot in the stable.
when I muck out , I always put baby powder down to dry out the floor quickly.

 

[Pmf27]

On a side note about straw- I'm saving a fortune on it. It doesn't smell. If you muck out correctly and even more so if you're using shavings/sawdust as a base to soak up pee, it really shouldn't smell!

Ps.- eta, I'm not nose blind There's another few on straw at the yard without a base and there's is quite strong smelling but I wouldn't say it's anything offensive. I took my children to a treking centre for a pony ride a few months ago and the horses were stood in on nothing. One had done a number one and I couldn't get the smell off my son's wellies for ages. It sounds like there's maybe not enough bedding to soak things up.

Yes this may well be the case, because he has shavings under the straw and so, theoretically, it should be soaking up and not just hanging around. I'll try a deeper bed and see if that helps!

 

[Pmf27]

My old boy used to make himself a nest in his stable to sleep in. So all his clean bedding would end up in banks against the wall and door and he'd snooze in the middle which he'd usually p'd in first. Add an extremely thick winter coat and there was a pong

Twice as many bales as everyone else and deep litter on easibed or hemp. Straw was vile. I also clipped his belly.

I'd love to try other bedding materials and see what works, but as he isn't mine I will have to try and make his current setup work as that's what his owner wants him on.

Here's hoping a deeper bed helps some!

 

[Highmileagecob]

It's the straw. Straw plus wee equals ammonia. We only have one person on the yard who uses straw and the stable absolutely honks. Horse rolls in the bedding, rug and horse honk. Person poo picks with rubber gloves on, her boots and gloves honk, and also the muck fork and sweeping brush where she grabs it with the gloves on. Then the car mats honk, and the steering wheel.....Try bedding on shavings for a week and see if you notice a difference! Think you can tell I am not a straw fan.

 

[Barton Bounty]

It's the straw. Straw plus wee equals ammonia. We only have one person on the yard who uses straw and the stable absolutely honks. Horse rolls in the bedding, rug and horse honk. Person poo picks with rubber gloves on, her boots and gloves honk, and also the muck fork and sweeping brush where she grabs it with the gloves on. Then the car mats honk, and the steering wheel.....Try bedding on shavings for a week and see if you notice a difference! Think you can tell I am not a straw fan.

??? honks! I love that word… there was someone at my last yard that was the same with large flake shavings! Her stable was honking and so was everything about her lol.
I am literally laughing out loud ?

 

[Lady Jane]

Remember that if you're on straw (regardless of whether you have mats or not) you should be able to sharply stab a pitch fork into the bed at ANY point, and not hit the floor beneath. You need a lot more straw than you think to make a proper bed.

First time I've heard that when you are on rubber matting (fair comment on concrete). My stable has mats, then megasorb then straw and my horse isn't smelly. I do wash rugs & horse fairly fanatically but that's because he is grey. I will say straw alone can be smelly and you do need more to keep them clean

 

[Starzaan]

First time I've heard that when you are on rubber matting (fair comment on concrete). My stable has mats, then megasorb then straw and my horse isn't smelly. I do wash rugs & horse fairly fanatically but that's because he is grey. I will say straw alone can be smelly and you do need more to keep them clean

Mats aren’t and should never be a replacement for bedding. They make the stable warmer and decrease likelihood of injuries, but lack of bedding results in lack of REM sleep, which results in shorter lifespan.

 

[Pmf27]

It's the straw. Straw plus wee equals ammonia. We only have one person on the yard who uses straw and the stable absolutely honks. Horse rolls in the bedding, rug and horse honk. Person poo picks with rubber gloves on, her boots and gloves honk, and also the muck fork and sweeping brush where she grabs it with the gloves on. Then the car mats honk, and the steering wheel.....Try bedding on shavings for a week and see if you notice a difference! Think you can tell I am not a straw fan.

I can't change his bedding as he isn't mine so the decision is his owner's. My understanding is straw is the cheaper option, so I don't know if they'd want to move to another option (and I can't afford to pay more either, if I could then I'd ask about buying it myself)