Hi Everyone,
I'm a newbie here, 13 days old on EOU! Here is something that I have discovered and it's has me very intrigued. I don't know if it's just my mare of if it's something all mares will do. Here's what happened....I adopted a 3 1/2 year old mare, (it will be 2 years ago in May) gentled to everything but the rider (her previous trainer got injured badly on another horse). I was her first rider. It was fantastic! We might not have done it Monty's way but we did it without violence and no one got hurt. Anyways early in our training she was always in heat it seemed, you couldn't go by a gelding without her displaying very embarrassing behavior. Under saddle she was the same way. We worked on getting her to focus and respect me no matter how many cute guys were watching. We spent a whole hour on the ground one day just walking by a gelding until she stopped flirting and started paying attention to me. Then suddenly this behavior disappeared. She doesn't even look at the boys now when she's with me. In fact she's been so good that I have to guess when she's in heat. Her only sign it seems now is she's a bit grumpy under saddle. Which consists of the occasional pinned ears nothing more.(one can't be completely happy when they're going through that time of the month) So when our mares display mare-ish behavior, especailly when they're in heat, is it a sign of insecurity in owner/horse relationship? Lack of trust/leadership? I'm so baffled by my little mares turn around. (glad though!it was on the verge of becoming dangerous if we didn't intervene) I don't have her on anything for heat cycles. When she's in the paddock her old flirty self will come out now and then but like I said before when she's with me it's like the boys don't even exist!
I've watched other mares, who's owners have them on 'drugs' for their mare-ishness, and I've noticed a pattern. Those mares have owners who don't display fair leadership, or are aggressive and harsh, they have no rules there are no boundaries. It's human and mare spiraling into a crazy cycle of frustration and distrust with a dollop of hormones. Am I onto something or am I looking too hard into this? Could it be just coincidence with my mare?
Thanks!
Katie
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Horse Behavior and Training
moody mare? or is it more?
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Hi Katie
Looks like you figured it out on your own. When she is with you she should have her attention on you not the boys. I had a mare like this and she Backed up to a Fence and Squatted to Get Bred by a Pony. So be aware she sounds like the type that would take the extra trouble to get bred.
I am using Mare Magic on my Guy to settle his Hormonal Roller Coaster (Gelded March 8th) Mare Magic is Natural and at your local Feed Store. It is part of the Raspberry plant ground up. I just put it in his Mash with all his other supplements at feeding. You can read about the Benefits of this Plant and decided for your self. I will always keep it around now that I have seen it work on Separation Anxiety and Spring Time Desires.
Hi Kate,
you could well be onto something. I have 6 mares and 7 Geldings the only time i know when mine are in heat is the occasional squeal over the fence at a near by horse. I have no preference when buying a horse as my mares have never been a problem. they were all backed by Monty's methods and all of them are pleased to see me when i arrive on the yard.
My friend has a mare which is a handful to say the least she is not ruled by violence but if you asked her who was boss she would say her. Her marish behavior is very noticable and impossible to ride when in heat.
I think you are right leadership is the key.. if not i have 6 fluke mares who have never taken any type of homonal treatment in their lives.
Amanda
My grey 16H ARABIAN MARE IS ONLY MARISH, SNARLEY/EARS BACK WHEN EVEN LIGHT CONTACT WITH CALF OF LEG IS APPLIED.sHE ACTS SO NASTY. ALSO WHEN LIGHT EQUAL PRESSURE IS USED TO GUIDE HER ON. sHE WOULD EVEN CROW HOP SOMETIMES WITH HER UGLY GESTURES AND TAIL SWISHING. SHE LOVES TO BE WORKED AND GROOMED AND IS NOT AT ALL DANGEROUS. WHAT IS HER PROBLEM?
tHIS IS ON-GOING.
Katie, some mares are more marished than others. Some will go on heat every 3 weeks (yep, similar cycle to ours), more often in summer or when it's hot and when they like a particular horse.
Like us, some will have soreness and tenderness and they are called cranky mares LOL!
So you could help her with a natural product like Amber Pony suggested.
Some mares are so sore during that time that they can turn aggressive, don't want to be touched and surely don't want to be ridden. It's always good to check with your vet to make sure there is nothing else though.
I own a mare, my first mare in 35 years I've owned horses... and I think she will be the last one too :)
Could she have digestive issues? Is she hard to keep weight on? Act worse a few days after a trailer ride? Could be Ulcers.