Horses weeing when they see you

sidesaddlegirl

sidesaddlegirl

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My old TB mare, Hattie, used to do this when I used to go get her in from the field and now my new TBx mare, Harriet, has started doing this over the past few months too. No one elses horses on the yard do this when they get brought in. LOL, is it me? After Hattie used to wee, she used to walk up to me or stand stock still watching and waiting for me to come get her. Harriet now does the same thing now (not learned behaviour from Hattie either as Hattie was pts last summer before I got Harriet!). Anyone elses horses do this and why? :D
 
Actually my horse often wee's when I go to get him in from the field. It's handy because he can be bit of an arse to catch sometimes and so is easy to grab while he wee's ;)
 
My tb used to do it all the time. I'd get to the yard and he'd have a wee. I wondered if it's because when I got there, I always then got him out of his stable, to groom, to ride, muck out etc. Now I have 2 so he doesn't necessarily come out straightaway however now he does it just as I'm feeding too often for it to be a coincidence.
 
My old chap does this when I catch him to bring him in for the night. Done it for 15 years I've owned him, never has a health problem connected with it. Sometimes the others do it too. Also, they often have a poo as well! I don't mind, a bit less to muck out in the morning! X
 
Bubblewrap said:
My old chap does this when I catch him to bring him in for the night. Done it for 15 years I've owned him, never has a health problem connected with it. Sometimes the others do it too. Also, they often have a poo as well! I don't mind, a bit less to muck out in the morning! X
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Now my OH's always does a wee straight AFTER he goes in and mine always has a poo just before i tack him up, iv'e timed it perfectly to catch it in a bucket on the way out!!!
 
I wish mine would :o

They both hold it in until brought into their stables, whereupon they have a synchronised wee straight away!
 
I had a gelding, who as soon as he heard me get out the car, would go and have a wee. It actually became really useful as he has a partial phallectomy so if I was quick, I could get in to have a good look at the area while he was peeing.
 
It's weird as my old mare never did it when someone else brought her in and my new mare doesn't if someone else does it either, just when I arrive :D Like I said, none of the other livery horses do it when their owners bring them in. Harriet did not do this with her old owner either, it has started with being owned by me, lol. Just something that always struck me as odd with my neds.
 
A gelding at the yard where I keep my lad does this almost every time his owner comes to take him out of the field. My own, however, will almost always leave a pile if he sees I'm coming with a halter. Very convenient, if you ask me, I almost never have to clean after him in the arena. :D
 
My previous share gelding used to pee every time I went to catch him, he'd start walking towards me, stop for a pee, then carry on walking over towards me ! It was a bit of a standing joke.. never did it for anyone else ! Not sure whether he knew he was going to have to work for an hour or so and didn't want to pee on the concrete on the yard ? Made me laugh anyway ... he doesn't do it for his new sharer .. but I'm trying hard not to get a complex !
 
There is a theory that horses will wee when they associate a trigger (being caught) with riding, which means pressure on their kidneys. I had a mare who would always wee before I tacked her up, so that made sense. Not all of them do it, but perhaps those that do have sensitive loins/kidneys/
 
My gelding does it when I turn up in the morning. He's a companion so he knows he's not going to be ridden - in fact most of the time I just shoo him onto the long grass for an hour while I'll sort out my other one.

The mare waits until she's in her stable and then floods it.....
 
I was talking about this with someone. There are 2 theories.
1) They associate you with work & empty their bladder in anticipation.
2) They see you as their herd leader. That means they feel 'safe' to wee (& put themselves in a position that in the wild would leave them vulnerable for attack from predators) - this theory also sits with those that seem to save it up until they are 'safe' in their stable.
 
My gelding does a wee on the way in and out of the field and on the grass verge outside the yard, every day.

My mare can hold her wee ALL day at events ... and always wees in the horsebox. Before the XC I now load her up so she empties her bladder as she goes better. Can't catch it in a bucket as she likes to stand at an angle and threaten to kick your head in. Always have loads of shavings at the ready. My poor horsebox floor.
 
My gelding does it most mornings when he sees me heading for the field. I reckon he's been dozing and has just woken up properly and, like most of us, needs a wee after a sleep! Unfortunately, he is another one who holds on to it until he comes in in the winter though - always wish he would pee when he sees us arrive to catch in!
 
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