January 2007

Orange Snow Woes

If you see orange or brown urine spots in the snow, your horse probably needs more water.

It happens every year. An owner is puzzled because they find patches of orange or brownish snow in their horse’s paddock. When they’re told it’s from their horse’s urine, they downright panic. Is that blood in the urine? Did the horse tie up? Is it kidney failure or stones?

Probably not. The colored urine is from plant and bile pigments. It’s excessively dark because the urine is concentrated. The horse isn’t taking in enough water. …