RE: Mineral Block and more pee

["Lone Pine Ranch" <lonepineranch@velocitus.net>]

Kristene,
	This is purely a case of homeostasis (or the body seeking to maintain it's
fluid & electrolyte balance). Here is what was happening:
1)The "boys" wanted/needed the salt. They now had it available to them.
2)They ate to excess (don't you ever eat to many salty pretzels?).
3)Their internal balance mechanisms kicked in and said we need to dilute all
this salt with fluids (horses drink water, we drink beer at the bar after
the bar owner places all the salty pretzels in front of us).
4)The horse drinks a gallon of water (we drink too much beer) and it results
in increased urination. The urine is dilute and therefore appears odorless
and colorless. If you measured the specific gravity of the urine you would
find it was less concentrated (contained more solute).
5)Now the "boys" are peeing in proportion to intake (if renal function is
healthy) so they maintain homeostasis. Since beer (alcohol) has a diuretic
effect on our kidneys, we pee too much, dehydrate and wake up the next
morning with a headache.
6) The moral of the story: Relax, drink a beer, the "boys" will be fine,
drink two eight ounce glasses of water for every eight ounces of beer you
drink so you do not dehydrate and can skip the morning after headache (so
you can go ride your well-hydrated horses).
	I bet the horses look fine and are laughing at you with your headache.

Is it spring yet? Marilyn




-----Original Message-----
From: Kristene Smuts [mailto:Ksmuts@sarcc.co.za]
Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2002 2:10 AM
To: ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject: RC: Mineral Block and more pee


Hi guys

On Monday night I put down a mineral lick for my two boys which they
attacked with vigour, biting chunks off.  They eventually had enough and by
Tuesday morning they were using it as it was intended - a lick.

I've noticed that they have been drinking more since the block and my Arab
is peeing more - the Anglo might be as well, but not in my presence.  The
colour is clear - like water - and doesn't smell like normal pee.  In fact,
it is odourless.  I don't mind them drinking and peeing more, but is the
colour and the lack of odour normal?

Please tell me that I should be worried because apart from the above,
nothing has happened in the last week to make me worry about my horses and
I'm having stress withdrawal symptoms.

Smiles
Kristene


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=