Not drinking as much . . . (horse, not me!)

PolarSkye

PolarSkye

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I've noticed Kali isn't drinking as much . . . I had put that down to the amount of water/moisture he's taking in eating wet grass . . . but there's an additional wrinkle . . . his bed isn't as wet either. Yesterday I only dug out the smaller of his two wet patches b/c I was in a hurry (his straw bed is about a foot deep). Today, I went to dig out both patches and was surprised to find that the one I didn't dig out yesterday had hardly any wet in it. I can usually fill one and a half wheelbarrows with wet straw and poo . . . today I probably had half that - despite doing a half-assed job yesterday :(.

He is alright in himself (although he was a bit gassy when he came in this afternoon) . . . working well, eating up, not tucked up, his urine (when he does go) is a normal colour and he isn't "dribbling" wee or straining to go and producing nothing.

He did have two looooong wees in the field yesterday when I went to bring him in - so he didn't do his usual big wee when first brought in - so perhaps that contributed . . . but I brought him in early b/c the weather was so atrocious so that should have evened things out, right?

I wouldn't say I was worried - more perplexed. Any ideas? I will keep an eye on him over the next few days, but in the meantime have any of you lovely ladies and gents got any words of wisdom?

P
 
I wouldn't worry. I'd put it down to the wet grass too. If you've seen him wee in the field a few times and he is normal in other respects, just keep an eye on him but don't stress..x
 
My Big lad (17hh CB) isn't drinking anything either... but then he is out on lush very wet grass 4 hours a day and in on soaked hay the rest of the time.

I think the water consumed in feed is utilised slightly differently by the body because it is consumed more gradually where as water drank from a bucket washes through the system a bit.

Hope that makes sense?

If you are worried, wet his hay and make his feeds a bit wetter ;)
 
Don't panic. My mare (15.1) has never drunk much more than 2 gallons over night and regularly doesn't drink anything at all. She has soaked feed so that helps and the grass is coming through a bit, so that's a bit more but I'm sure they don't like mains water as she often drinks from dirty puddles in the field. Since we've only had a couple of dry days in the last 2 weeks an inland sea has formed in the field so I'm sure she will be getting all she needs from that.
 
Thanks all . . . it's not so much the not drinking as it is the bed not correspondingly wet that is bothering me. His bed was uncharacteristically dry again this morning (not bone dry, but not anywhere near as wet as usual) . . . not worried per se . . . just a little perplexed.

As I said, he seems well enough in himself . . . I'm just wondering where all the liquid is going!

P
 
PolarSkye said:
Thanks all . . . it's not so much the not drinking as it is the bed not correspondingly wet that is bothering me. His bed was uncharacteristically dry again this morning (not bone dry, but not anywhere near as wet as usual) . . . not worried per se . . . just a little perplexed.

As I said, he seems well enough in himself . . . I'm just wondering where all the liquid is going!

P
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Are his droppings any looser than normal?
 
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