Are horses nappier in winter?

[lovelyfrenchie3000]

My mare has just started coming in as of last week and she’s definitely nappier. There was another mare by the school and I asked my mare to trot and she was crabby/nappy about it. It’s only come in since she has been in. I managed to get some nice work out of her eventually. I just wondered if anyone else has had this problem?

 

[LEC]

Yep as not out as much in field. Worked less as weather and winter. Less variation in work and all our mares are chronically in season still due to it being warm. One has just been put onto regumate as a mess.

 

[ycbm]

I have been looking this up for someone else on another thread. There is research showing that as the daylight gets shorter there is less calcium, magnesium and calciotropic (calcium regulating) hormones in horse blood. Shortage of both calcium and magnesium are associated with spooky and nappy behaviour. You might want to try supplementing both.
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[Honey08]

To be fair, I’m pretty grumpy about the darker nights, colder temperatures and endless rain at the moment!

 

[oldie48]

Yes, I think they can be. I hacked Mr D out on Wednesday and he was looking for trouble right from the start. He is basically nappy but good training has made him manageable and a fun ride but he was particularly silly for no good reason other than the time of year and the weather.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Mine are alot sharper usually worse after clock change and its got colder which can make them silly.

 

[SEL]

One of my mares is horrible right now but the other one has a rocket up her bottom

 

[Dustygirl]

My mare is convinced everything is out to get her at the moment

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

I generally find my horses are more challenging to ride in the winter. I put it down to not being out as much, although this year I am trying to keep them out more, so will be interesting to see. They seem much more unsettled in the field in winter and spend a lot of time being silly whereas in summer they just chill out and eat. Cold, wet and windy weather and getting dark earlier makes it harder to exercise them which I'm sure is a factor. My horses

 

[scats]

To be fair, I’m pretty grumpy about the darker nights, colder temperatures and endless rain at the moment!

I’m fairly nappy about leaving my house at this time of year, I have to admit

 

[PeterNatt]

I would suggest that you increase the daily hacking that you do to compensate for her being in more.

 

[lovelyfrenchie3000]

I have been looking this up for someone else on another thread. There is research showing that as the daylight gets shorter there is less calcium, magnesium and calciotropic (calcium regulating) hormones in horse blood. Shortage of both calcium and magnesium are associated with spooky and nappy behaviour. You might want to try supplementing both.
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Thanks - she was on magnesium but I took her off it because we switched to a new balancer with magnesium in. But I can try supplementing it again. We use Ponease which has calcium in, I think.

 

[lovelyfrenchie3000]

I would suggest that you increase the daily hacking that you do to compensate for her being in more.

I wish I could but unfortunately I work 8.30-6 so don’t have daylight hours to hack every day.

 

[ponynutz]

Yes - I find mine struggle more on hacks and often wonder if they struggle with sight more in the dark alongside all the other problems caused by cold weather/less effective turnout.