Can horses sense your hormones?

[lhotse]

Hmmm, well, it's nearly that time of the month for me again, and my animals are acting strange! The dog refused to let me through the back door this morning and my mare reared up vertically with me when I took her out to the field!! Now, she does do this on occasion, but there is usually a trigger like a windy day or deer in the field but today it seemed like she was picking up on my mood. I rode her and she seemed a bit distant. As for the dog, he can be a bit possessive about me going out but this morning he seemed intent on not allowing me to pass until I opened the door for him to jump outside.
So, is it my imagination or are our animals really that in tune with us!! Oh, my dog will probably spend the evening humping his blanket now, horrid that he is!!

 

[kerilli]

Yes, of course they can. They can smell them. My mares don't react to it at all afaik though. Some stallions might I guess. I've never noticed geldings react.
I was in a reptile shop (don't ask) a while back and the assistant in there warned us all (shop happened to be full of women) that he needed us to leave if we were menstruating as he needed to clean the big reptiles' cage and they'll attack if they smell that... I don't know what they were, 4' long lizards, but very aggressive apparently.

 

[lhotse]

Ooh, I think I'll take the rearing horse and growling dog than a 4ft dino descendant anyday!!

 

[camilla4]

Yes, definitely! As Kerilli says, they detect any changes via scent.

There was a time when many animal trainers/ handlers would not allow women to work with un-neutered male animals such as stallions because of this.

 

[fburton]

There was a time when many animal trainers/ handlers would not allow women to work with un-neutered male animals such as stallions because of this.

That folk wisdom / myth has been discussed on another HHO thread here:

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=134341