New pony refuses to urinate in stable overnight.

flaxen

flaxen

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I got a new pony in may and when he came he was seriously obese. I've never actually seen such a fat pony that didn't have laminitis, he weighed in at 500kg on weigh tape and is a 13hh sec c!
Due to his extreme weight he was instantly put on a diet. The diet is still on going and due to this he is stabled overnight and refuses to urinate inside, I've tried him on shavings and straw, thick layers on top of rubber and nothing works, straw was a nightmare as he still didn't wee but tramped it into a mush/ sludge with his droppings and then laid in it. Because hes soo desperate to pee hes box walking on a morning like I've never seen, he literally doesn't stop, always one way and keeps going til he is let out and then pees instantly. Hes happy to lie down and lies down every night flat out. The bigger the stable the faster he goes and wears perfect circle track.
Leaving him out 24/7 isn't an option due to his diet, although he's lost 100kg on weigh tape and I've dropped his girth size down 10" he is still fat and we still have a way to go. Hes not starved by any means though the majority of his diet is straw so he has much more to eat with less calories to occupy him longer and does get hand grazed on grass as a treat, as he has little grass in his field.
I've had horses for a long time but never had this problem and while its still summer and hes learnt to do a wee when he sees me coming to get him in for the night or to ride him in concerned that he will give himself problems when winter is here as he will be in longer due to dark nights and combining caring for him with a toddler. Its also not good for his joints in the long term.
Sorry for long post am on mobile. Any suggestions would be helpful.
 
We had a pony like this at our yard until very recently (made me wonder where you are tbh- as he was a lil on the tubby side and also refuses to pee in the stable!).

It never seemed to cause him any problems, other than the desperation to get out of the stable in the mornings- he would totally trash the stable! We tried leaving him slightly longer on the morning, but he'd just hold it and wait- then the moment he hit any grass, that was it. Having said that, he was a youngster- so any of the long-term problems wouldn't have taken effect yet.

Not a very helpful comment I guess, but he was like it for the 3 years I knew him!

Ax
 
Def not us as he came from wales and I live in the north east of england. At 16yrs old he should know better, tried leaving him for longer but he just dribbles urine then and gets upset and then refuses to eat his breakfast in his haste to get out.
 
I wouldn't make too big a deal out of it. My friend's mare is like this, has always been like it and at 14 years old is unlikely to change! She goes on the grass on the way to the field and if she has to stay in for any length of time, she has a "wee run" morning and evening, never caused her any problems health wise.
 
My previous horse was like this. His previous owner, who I bought him from, had rubber matting in the stable and hardly any bedding so I kind of think he conditioned himself not to urinate in the stable for the splashing on his legs. I had him 3 years before he started to urinate in the stable - he had a straw bed from the day I bought him. I don't think it did him any harm.
 
In my experience, this is common with a lot of geldings. If I use wood pellets or shavings, they just hold it until they nearly burst. When I am putting them out, the excitement is too much and the sound of three geldings peeing for England is deafening. A good wadge of straw on top will encourage mine to pee nomally.
 
you could try catching his wee in a bucket and tipping it into the stable so when he comes in he has the smell of his own wee in there? sometimes it works and it should not be to hard to catch it if he is bursting when he is taken out
 
I have the opposite problem! My yearling lad will pee anywhere in his stable! He has a shavings bed and rubber matting at the front. I've seen him pee on the rubber matting, splashing his legs and not stop eating from his net! Lazy boy!
I did have a mare in the past who was the opposite. She would only pee in her stable. Not in the field, arena or even on the lorry.
 
Is it possible for him to be turned out in an outdoor school overnight with straw in a haynet? Or if his field has little grass and ergo he won't be getting a lot anyway, why can't he be turned out there?
We got a new RDA pony we've been slimming down and he's not been receiving any supplementary feed, just dry hay and turnout on grass for 3-4 hours
 
I trained my pony to pee in a bucket. Slightly different yours though, I'd muck out the stable when he was on box rest (stood on a nail) and the first thing he'd do when I put him back was urinate all over it! I got so cross I got a big muck bucket with shavings in the bottom and held it under him to pee in.
 
I was going to suggest either what Crabbymare said (ie catch some of his own wee and tip on bedding) or add wee from another gelding, pref one he'd like to be the boss of ...
 
I do think it could cause problems long term so would be trying the catching urine trick and pouring in the stable, I would also try a larger stable and use soil as bedding on half of the floor-I would then try just not replacing the soil I took out and hoping that he would learn he can pee on shavings
 
I'm afraid i don't have access to a school, I've already tried straw, and catching it in a bucket, ( my old mare was trained to wee into a bucket ) he cant stay out at night due to recent attempted thefts and joy riding of other horses in the area. I've tried him in a bigger stable and he trots/ canters round instead of walking ( dont want him injuring himself by slipping falling ) and hes not on a livery yard so no access to other horses though can see others ( previous home was only with 1 other ) any my yrling is away at grass on holiday.
 
I've heard of one like that and they have to take him out of his stable to wee then put him back in throughout the day. Probably best to ask the vet if it could cause any long term problems. My gelding won't poo or wee outside of his stable so can only have limited turnout, he came from a sales yard where they didn't get turnout.
 
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