Why is my mare's bed suddenly so wet?

[Ali27]

My mare has a huge stable with rubber matting. She has been so clean all winter with half to one bale of shavings a week. She moved to Summer grazing over Easter and her stable at night is now disgusting! I'm taking out a large barrow of soaking wet shavings each day now! Any ideas on why she is suddenly so wet?

 

[lleyn_ewe]

Drinking more?

 

[windand rain]

coming into season and squirting everywhere would be my guess

 

[Tyssandi]

My mare has a huge stable with rubber matting. She has been so clean all winter with half to one bale of shavings a week. She moved to Summer grazing over Easter and her stable at night is now disgusting! I'm taking out a large barrow of soaking wet shavings each day now! Any ideas on why she is suddenly so wet?

moisture in the grass??? that is what I put it down too.

 

[JillA]

I don't know what her diet in winter is, or how old she is but that could be a symptom of Insulin Resistance, triggered by sugars in the grass? Grass this spring has been really stressed - long days an sun for photosynthesis, but cold and dry restricting growth, so the sugars from the photosynthesis are concentrated. Can you get her off grass and on to a bare area (with hay) to see if it makes a difference?

 

[oldie48]

The first sign that my old TB had cushings was drinking more and a wet bed, no other signs at all. No idea if this is what is causing this with your mare but worth considering?

 

[Ali27]

I don't know what her diet in winter is, or how old she is but that could be a symptom of Insulin Resistance, triggered by sugars in the grass? Grass this spring has been really stressed - long days an sun for photosynthesis, but cold and dry restricting growth, so the sugars from the photosynthesis are concentrated. Can you get her off grass and on to a bare area (with hay) to see if it makes a difference?

That's interesting! It's the first time that I have been on a yard with separate winter/ summer grazing! She is 13 but ulcer prone so I try and keep her munching adlib. She goes out at 6am and comes in at 6pm and has soaked hay over night but not eating much of that. No hard feed as super whizzy so just TB chaff with mins and vits and ulcer supplements.

 

[Gloi]

There's far more water in the grass than there was in the hay in winter and if it goes in the front it has to come out again!

 

[Yardbird]

What has your weather been like, could your stable be leaking?