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Discussion on In Heat Mare with Bige Change of Behavior
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Member:
canter
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Posted on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - 1:08 pm:
DrO and all,
My mare has always been very subtle when she goes into heat. As long as I've known her, her behavior has never changed and she's about the least "mareish" mare I know...until recently.
Starting several weeks ago, we noticed that for the first time, she became interested in the geldings. Playing with them over the fence and calling out to them if I took her inside to groom/ride. I got on to ride one time and I felt like we were both going to tip over on our noses - she was standing on the toes of her hind legs and had her tail completely cocked out to the side. After a few minutes, she settled down and worked very nicely (was well behaved the whole time)
She subsequently played Houdini and escaped out of her pasture about 3 times, each time was found playing over the fence with the geldings. Then for about 2 weeks, everything settled back to normal. On Friday night, I rode, she was wonderful and when I turned her out again she went into full receptive mode: Squatting and quirting multiple times and nipping and squealing at the gelding in the adjoining pasture. On Saturday, the barn owner removed that particular gelding to another pasture because she was afraid one of the two would go through a fence to get to the other.
All this I would consider normal except that it is a huge difference from any behavior she's ever exhibited in the 4 years I've owned her.
So, should I be concerned that this change is due to a cyst or tumour somewhere? Could her hormones be completely out of wack and require a check-up? Maybe older mares get this way? Or perhaps I don't have any reason for concern?
I'd be interested in everyone's thoughts...
Thanks so much,
Fran
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Member:
zarr
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Posted on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - 6:26 pm:
OK picture your mares reaction to the gelding then imagine my poor husbands horror when he became the object of this kind of display from a friends mare. She saw him coming squealed her delight and followed him all over peeing! Turned out she did have cyst on her ovaries, it was removed and things calmed down so my husband can visit and not stand behind a tree!  Cindy
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - 8:36 pm:
Cindy, ROFL!!
Fran, I would get her hormones checked.
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Member:
canter
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Posted on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - 8:58 pm:
Well thank goodness my mare isn't as, um, shall we call it flirty, as your friend's mare, Cindy! Yikes! I'm curious...how was that cyst removed? Do you know?
Sounds like a call in to my vet is in order. Thanks so much, Cindy & Sara.
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Member:
zarr
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Posted on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - 9:11 pm:
Yes it was removed she got fairly dangerous and constantly in season! My husband thought it was just his boyish good looks and irish charm! He was kinda bummed when it turned out twasn't him! Cindy
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 7:08 am:
Cindy!! I hope you told your husband that you still loved his boyish good looks and irish charm, lol!
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 8:46 am:
Hello Fran C,
Does your mare have companions on her side and have there been any changes in your mare's environment, routine, feeding, companions, or the horses across the fence?
DrO
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Member:
canter
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Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 9:46 am:
Hi DrO,
When all this started (mid April), Sparkles was in a pasture by herself, with horses pastured next to her (2 mares). Couple of weeks later, those 2 mares were moved to the other side of her, 3 geldings were moved next to her and then this Saturday another mare moved into my mare's pasture (horse had been a pasturemate until last fall, was sold and then brought back). Geldings were moved away from my mare to keep everyone safe. So in that regard, there have been a few changes (however, it's not unusual for the barn owner to move horses around a bit in an effort to prevent too much pasture wear and tear) Feeding and daily routine remains the same. I did bring Sparkles to another barn for 5 days in early May (after the "tip toe" incident and after she escaped once or twice) so a more experienced rider could work with her at a higher level than I can. On two of those days, I rode her with my friend's TB gelding in the arena and she did not exhibit any of the obvious behavior and in fact couldn't have worked any better for me.
The only other change that I can think of, but I can't see it's relevence, is I added a regimen of Sand Clear to her diet on my vet's reco. Sand was heard in her gut during her spring check up - otherwise the notes on the bill state that "Wellness Exam Normal. Excellent coat and condition. Sparkles look GREAT!!" That's an exact quote.
So, after all that, what are your thoughts, DrO?
Thanks in advance!
Fran
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, May 17, 2007 - 6:27 am:
If I read your post right all of this started before any movement. But that this was the first spring she was alone. It really is pretty normal horse behavior when they are alone and the behavior has been reinforced with the successful escapes there has been a strengthening of "escape behavior".
Before I would send a bunch of money on testing that is often of uncertain significance I would wait and see if a bit of time, the recent addition of a pasture mate (or some other combination of horses), and strengthening the fence helps settles things down.
DrO
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Member:
canter
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Posted on Thursday, May 17, 2007 - 8:15 am:
You are correct, DrO, the behavior started before all the shuffling around. I don't remember if this is the first spring she has been alone in a pasture - last spring she had a pasture mate, not sure of the year before. As most of the horses on the property belong to the owner and there are only a few boarders, it's not unusual for Sparkles to be paired up with another boarding horse who is then moved to another barn at some point and she is alone in her pasture again for a while. She doesn't seem to care if someone's in there with her or not.
Last night was the first night in about a month that she didn't call out to her favorite gelding when I brought her in, so it does look like things are starting to settle.
I'll keep an eye on things and if she remains her normal self through the rest of the season, I'll chock it up to horses being horses. Thanks so much for the reassurance, DrO, and for saving me a few $$!
Fran
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