Why teach a horse to urinate on cue?

Brandy urinates on cue

I have taught my horses a cue that means I am asking them to urinate if they can. My original goal was to have them empty bladders outside when they spent hot, buggy summer days in the barn. Less urine in stalls means less ammonia smell (not good for horses), and fewer bugs as well as less cleanup. It is also useful for cold rainy or windy nights when they stay inside. Comments on facebook mentioned that having a cue is also valuable for
- Asking a horse to urinate before trailering to avoid slippery footing
- Encouraging a horse who might be reluctant to urinate in strange places (Some horses get upset when a quiet place is not available.)
- Getting a specimen for urinalysis Racehorses are routinely taught to urinate for drug testing when they hear a certain whistle. Concern was expressed that I was courting health problems by "controlling" when my horses peed. Quite the contrary, my horses are free to pee and poop anywhere anytime they please, which many performance horses are not allowed to do. This article explains how I taught the cue. Teaching Horses to Urinate on Cue

Urine in Snow

Horses' urine can look orange or reddish in snow. The first time I saw this I phoned my vet right away. He assured me it is normal. This article explains, "Horse urine can change color after being voided due to the presence of plant metabolites (pyrocatechines) in the urine that turn a red or orange color when mixed with oxygen. This happens year round, but is especially noticeable in snow. Normal horse urine should be colorless to yellow to dark yellow. If you see that the urine is red, brown, or orange as it is being voided (before it hits the snow) this can be a sign of a medical problem and you should talk with your veterinarian about it." Should I Be Concerned if My Horse’s Urine Appears Red in Snow