Mare weeing on rubber matting in field shelter

4

[42010]

...
Joined
18 October 2005
Messages
124
Visit site
I have a new mare and she lives out in a field with a concrete-based floor field shelter with rubber matting on top of the concrete. She has been here 2 weeks. She has company in the form of my other mare but they are separated by electric fencing. As I said she has been here 2 weeks and has now started weeing on her rubber matting in the field shelter. I have also noticed she has come into season although I don't know if this is relevant although it is easy to think it is.

How can I stop her weeing on the rubber matting in the field shelter?

I pulled the mats out yesterday and gave them a good clean with Dettol and water but she has done the same again this morning.

In the first 2 weeks here she didn't do this although quite happily used the field shelter.

I guess it looks like the weeing is indeed linked to her being in season - but that aside, how can I stop her doing this? She has an enormous field to pee in!!

Any advice gratefully received!!
 
I don't think you read my post correctly. She is turned out the whole time in a field with a field shelter with rubber matting as its base. She is choosing to come into the field shelter and pee on the rubber matting rather than in the field.
 
She may be weeing more at the moment which is intensifying it.
You might have some luck putting some bedding from a male (ideally entire) horse in another part of the field. It probably won't cure it (because what she's doing is totally normal) but it might encourage her to wee over there. A sprayer usually gets very excited by male smells.
*If you've had male horses in the shelter/ on that matting before that might be your answer. And a bit of horse wee never hurt anyone.
 
I have had no males in the shelter/on the matting. Cleaning out horse pee spread all over rubber matting on a daily basis is an unpleasant and heavy job. Why would she be weeing more now than 2 days ago?
 
because her season isn't one flat event.... it has a peak of fertility and she is advertising that impending moment to anyone that might want to come and serve her.
Most horses will not electively wee onto rubber matting as they don't like splash back.
 
The only way you will stop her is to shut off her access to the field shelter. She may decide to stop herself once her season is over but I wouldn't bank on it.
 
I agree, most horses will not electively wee onto rubber matting because of the splash back and that is why I am finding this new behaviour odd. Also, why now? She has been here 2 weeks and this has only just started. It has to be something to do with her season is my surmise.

Is there nothing I can pour onto the rubber matting that smells so rank it will put her off peeing onto it? No clever tricks that us horsey people know?
 
Because then it becomes £6 +++++++ more every week and that seems a crazy cost to be paying on an annual basis for a horse that lives out and has acres of grass to pee on. Plus, when time is very precious, this also means I end up in effect mucking out.
 
You could always put a slope on your concrete base and raise the side of your shelter so that it drains out naturally. Or put it on an earth base.
Perhaps this mare is not a good match for you and your routine, happens all the time for various reasons.
 
My donks use their field shelter as a glorified giant litter tray! They like to pee on their poo & stomp on it for good measure. A layer of shavings is necessary.
 
I've never seen a field shelter that is used that doesn't have pee and poo in.
You don't expect her to take shelter, then walk outside every time she wants a wee do you? 'Cos I don't think it's going to happen!
As others have said , either an earth floor or bedding.
 
Lucinda said:
I don't think you read my post correctly. She is turned out the whole time in a field with a field shelter with rubber matting as its base. She is choosing to come into the field shelter and pee on the rubber matting rather than in the field.
Click to expand...
I also have field shelters with rubber mats over concrete. The mare and filly are more likely to wee there if they are in season, but it isn't a problem. I'm just delighted that they enjoy using the shelters all year round.

I just sweep it out, the purpose built concrete bases have a slight fall to front, so any excess drains out.

If it bothers you, then put some bedding down to absorb the wee.
 
Faracat said:
Take away the matting and then you can wash down the concrete with a bucket of water and a broom if she still pees there.
Click to expand...


This^^ but also my mare pees in her stable and I'm damn sure I dont lift the mats or dettol more than at change of routine winter summer.
 
I find mine have pee areas in the yard, they pee elsewhere as well but do have favourite spots, usually a pile of hay that I leave for a few days each time to reduce pee on other piles! lol

I would probably remove the mat for now if safe to do so and put back in winter probably with a bed.
 
Last edited:
Lucinda said:
Because then it becomes £6 +++++++ more every week and that seems a crazy cost to be paying on an annual basis for a horse that lives out and has acres of grass to pee on. Plus, when time is very precious, this also means I end up in effect mucking out.
Click to expand...

sorry but if you are short of time and money don't have horses lol? this is one of the more boggling posts on here atm.
 
Mine lives out but has a field shelter, which she wees in.

Put some bedding down, at least then it won't all splash up her legs. I skip it out every day and muck out every other day. It only take a max of ten mins! It gets sloshed out with water at the weekend.

If you don't want her peeing in there, shut it off.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top