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Discussion on Mare displays "heat" behavior when around new horses
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Member:
cpetrach
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Posted on Sunday, Dec 4, 2011 - 3:48 pm:
I have a question about behavior I'm seeing in my young mare. I've always had geldings until now so I'm fairly ignorant. I searched around the site and couldn't find an answer to my question.
When around new horses, my mare appears to go into heat, even now in winter. Primarily, she squats and urinates small amounts of urine for several days. Is this normal or something I should mention to my vet sooner rather than later? She's a somewhat dominant red head, but I never witness many bad heat-related changes in her (I think, anyway). She's never grumpy with people (unless not getting her way...haha).
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Dec 4, 2011 - 4:14 pm:
Where do you live? Is she under lights? How old is she?
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Member:
cpetrach
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Posted on Sunday, Dec 4, 2011 - 4:19 pm:
She'll be 5 in February. She's not under lights. I'm on the west coast of Canada.
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Member:
canter
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Posted on Monday, Dec 5, 2011 - 7:28 pm:
CP, I don't know if it's true or an old wive's tail, but I have been told that when moved to a new barn (herd), a mare will exhibit behavior as if she is in heat. I have observed this in my own mare, when I moved her 6 or 7 years ago to a new boarding situation, but that is the only time - she does not exhibit the same behavior when I have taken her to shows. Perhaps at some level, at a new barn, she understood that she would soon have new herd mates to whom she would be introduced, whereas at a show, she is stalled unless schooling or in the ring.
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 6, 2011 - 12:34 am:
I know young mares are pretty "weird" with their heat cycles, and some never seem to have anestrus at all. 5 is getting a little old for that behavior though. An inflamation can make her act that way, either urinary or vaginal. You might want to mention it. Or, it could be something like what Fran suggests. I've not had mares act this way (Like Fran's mare) but they are all different. Some mares will act like they are in season all year long even tho' they aren't actually cycling. Good to get her checked tho' imo.
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Member:
helenw
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 6, 2011 - 7:10 am:
Don't worry CP. My mare always shows this behaviour when a new horse arrives, particularly when it is a gelding. She is 28 years old and is especially keen on YOUNG geldings. Her current beau is a 5 year old TB. I'm ashamed of her!
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 6, 2011 - 7:28 am:
Hello CP,
This is a fairly common behavior of some mares, she just gets excited to see new faces. I see this more in Arab mares than other breeds. If she returns to normal behavior after a few days I would not be concerned. If this continues to bother you certainly mention it to your veterinarian. He may want to assess for a Granulosa Cell Tumor but this does not seem likely from what you describe.
DrO
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Member:
divamare
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 6, 2011 - 3:36 pm:
Helen, a Cougar Mare? lol
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Member:
helenw
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 7, 2011 - 12:06 pm:
Hi Vicki- too right. A stallion wouldn't have stood a chance - she would have reversed straight onto him! Interesting what Dr O says about Arabs as she looks like she has some extra Arab blood in her, on top of what was included in her Welsh part. She has always cycled all year round despite the fact we live quite well North in England - clearly she never wanted to miss an opportunity. Its a shame really as not only would she have been easy to breed, she would have been a great mother, but no way would I breed from a horse with epilepsy.
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