# Mare in season



## jtaylormoss (30 June 2008)

Having had geldings all my life until the last 6 months, i am unsure as to the symptoms of a mare 'in season'.

So far we 'attempted' to jump last Tuesday and was an unmitigated disaster, normally she is great and really enthuestic.  Instead you could feel 6/7 strides out every jump she was backing off and was a real struggle to get her to the fence let alone over it.  (This is from a horse who's affiliated)

I then gave her some time to think about what she had done (bad horse!) and then we went cross country yesterday, slowly i may add.  Again she was the same but picking up in the second half of the course.

She also been very grumpy, more with the other horses than me.  She has a slight pinky discharge but doesn't seem majorly sticky as other people have described it.

(Please note she is fully sound, her back has just been checked and is absolutely fine, as are the teeth and feet.)

Is this normal (ish)?


----------



## lpenaluna (30 June 2008)

Sounds more back / tack related than anything else to me - though I may be wrong. Was this the first time you jumped her?

If it is her in season then the behaviour should stop in the next week and you'll have her back to normal. If not perhaps i'd be thinking of another cause.

Good luck, those mares can be a handful!


----------



## equity (30 June 2008)

Sometimes they are a bit tender in the back when they are in season. Just like humans some feel more discomfort than others. If this is the case she should be ok again quite soon.


----------



## jtaylormoss (30 June 2008)

No - thanks for the message - but we jump, school and hack regularly, and her back is always checked regularly as i would have no wish to do strenious work with a bad back so would never expect her to.  if it were her back i'd feel it in her movement and she feels fine.  when not being an idiot she has regular movement.


----------



## jtaylormoss (30 June 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
Sometimes they are a bit tender in the back when they are in season. Just like humans some feel more discomfort than others. If this is the case she should be ok again quite soon. 

[/ QUOTE ]

oh that sounds hopeful, roughly how long does a season last?


----------



## no_no_nanette (30 June 2008)

We had something similar but much more dramatic with my mare - she would become VERY nappy, and go up on her hind legs, and refuse to go forward ...... turned out (after lots of back checks, etc etc) that she had a haematoma on one of her ovaries, and so was very sore and sensitive when she was in season.  Doesn't sound as though your mare has anything as severe as this, but she may well be feeling sore and sensitive when she's  in season.  I strongly suspect that some mares get the equivalent of period pains!  It might be worth asking your vet, and maybe discussing trying her on Regumate; but this is expensive, so you wouldn't want to keep her on it, but it does sometimes help ....


----------



## chevs (30 June 2008)

Hi

I have a mare who when in season was a total b*tch to compete.  When not in season she was so easy.

Mares are in season for 5 days, and out of season for 16 days.  

My instructor advised giving a hormonal supplement to settle her PMT,  some-thing herbal.  

Had i not being putting my mare in foal this year i definately would have tried some-thing this year.

Definately sounds marish season related as my mare has always done the same.

Good Luck


----------



## jtaylormoss (30 June 2008)

oh thanks for the advice!  really helps.  i am such a stickler for correct fitting tack and back checks etc, i really didn't think it could be that as i have learnt enough to know when her back's out (but def not enough to mess around putting it back straight).

she usually tanks me in to the fences, hence my requirement for a pelham when jumping.  i think i'll take her for a few light hacks apart from that give her some time off over the next few weeks and see how we go. 

i'll let you know...


----------



## onemoretime (30 June 2008)

Try Ostrees (sorry cant spell) made by NAF have heard that it works for a lot of mare


----------



## chestnut cob (30 June 2008)

Mine is very mareish and sounds quite like yours.  Her seasons last about 5 days, maybe longer, and she usually has them every 3-4 weeks.  She spends all day strutting around the field with her lady bits on show, squirting at anyone who will pay attention and quite often at nothing at all.  She gets some very icky discharge and wees everywhere constantly.  Has to be washed (shampooed) every day all down her back legs and tail because she gets so sticky.

She can get v stroppy to ride, loses concentration quickly, neighs her head off at any horse in a 50m radius, and generally can be a real baggage.  She's also a nightmare to tack up and will nip when the girth is done up.  She is only like this when in season and not the rest of the time, so I figure it just makes her a bit tender.

I had her on Oestress for a tub but it's so expensive....  I was recommended pure Agnus Castus (which I believe is the active ingredient in most of the hormonal supplements anyway, I get it from www.barefootbasics.co.uk or .com).  Really sorted her out and she rarely gets any symptoms now, just a bit grouchy.

Really recommend it


----------

