I have a little secret….

poiuytrewq said:
Sadly I don’t have many great photos!

After deciding to retire Ziggy and having made the decision that my TB was having a nice spoilt last summer if I couldn’t improve his soundness (I can’t) and 10 years + of awful luck with horses, I found myself at a bit of a x road. Did I call it a day, stop riding all together or try again one last time.
I wasn’t keen on spending big money, although Mr P had offered, they all go wrong on me anyway and I figured loosing £10,000 would be even more devastating!
So, I went down the freebie x racer/pointer route……. Well she cost me the promise of photographs emailed every so often to the guy who owned her the past 5 years!

And I absolutely adore every single little bit of her! My first mare.
Picked her up about 6 weeks ago now. She had run her last race badly, two weeks prior and been out in the field since.
So she was shod still and good to get on and ride.
Picked her up for a few weeks to try her out
Ideally I’d have given her a few months off but realistically I have zero grass and the flies and heat are horrid so we have just very quietly gone straight to her new normal.
She is just hacking away quietly. The first few weeks were slightly hair raising at times. She then had a few weeks off and has come back ten times more chilled.
She has just led an older more experienced horse round a busy village, past lorries including a huge one with no fuss at all. She has learnt she’s ok to leave her friend and hack home alone, scary the first few times now she gets a long rein and strides back home. (Listening to be blubbering on about how amazing and beautiful she is!)
She’s not perfect, nothing is and there are things we need to work on.
I honestly think as long as my curse doesn’t catch up with us this could potentially be my best horse.

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She's gorgeous, I do love mares. All the very best of luck with her.
 
poiuytrewq said:
Thank you!
Her name, that's a funny one actually! I had the option of two to consider, different yards. The other far closer and easier but was 17hh and a gelding. Id always been a geldings only here person so that was the obvious except the size, but I wanted to switch things around to see if it broke my bad luck run ( yes, I know but i think you get a bit superstitious after a run like that!) So I said to a friend If the mare has a good name I'll have her, If her names something awful like Lady (sorry Lady owners!) I'll take the gelding.... Well, guess what her name is 🤣
I then decided the gelding was too giant anyway and I only wanted small so went to pick her up regardless!
I used Lady at first and tried out a few others (she comes to any old name it seems so didnt feel too guilty!) but a friend called her Big Eared Alice as she hashuge ears and it kind of stuck, so her name is Big Eared Alice, Alice for short! I count it as a nick name rather than changing her name.
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My mare's name is Alice, named after her breeders late brother whose name was Alaister. Its a lovely name.
 
poiuytrewq said:
Just got back from a long walk home.... my tip of the day, brush your horses tail really really welll before riding.

Alice got a horse fly on her bum, I carry a schooling whip solely to swipe horse flies off her. Flicked it off, she flicked her tail and the two becaome firmly attached (HOW???) :oops: Que frantic jump forward and tail (with whip) swishing across her bum.
Luckily I'm pretty swift at bailing out so detached whip very quickly and disaster averted, apart from the fact that by this point there was not a hope in hell she was going to stand on a very over grown verge and allow me to hop back on off a very wobby wall. Not wanting to risk panicking her further we walked home 🤣:rolleyes: ah well...

*must also work on actually standing still longer to be mounted, maybe a foot in the stirrup just in case!

@Barton Bounty I hope she is my Orbie! 😍
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Why don’t you carry a proper fly whisk during the summer?
(Basically, a riding crop with a good, long horse’s tail attached), you can quickly curl the horse tail up similarly to a hunting lash to keep out of the way, or use as a crop if so minded, but swishing all around the horse’s body, belly, even head is effective and very quickly appreciated by even quite nervous horses.
Very ‘natural’, and much safer than trying to swat flies with a schooling whip!
 
Exasperated said:
Why don’t you carry a proper fly whisk during the summer?
(Basically, a riding crop with a good, long horse’s tail attached), you can quickly curl the horse tail up similarly to a hunting lash to keep out of the way, or use as a crop if so minded, but swishing all around the horse’s body, belly, even head is effective and very quickly appreciated by even quite nervous horses.
Very ‘natural’, and much safer than trying to swat flies with a schooling whip!
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I had no idea there was such a thing! Bought or made?
I don’t swat with it but it’s a good long reach to wipe under tummies etc if a horse fly attaches.
 
poiuytrewq said:
I had no idea there was such a thing! Bought or made?
I don’t swat with it but it’s a good long reach to wipe under tummies etc if a horse fly attaches.
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Bought! Professionally made!
Leather covered crop section, with plaited top button, leather wrist strap and a genuine horse tail, bound on to the end. Crop section is 18” long, the tail another 21”.
The first one I had was brought back from India by my father, who’d seen polo grooms using them, and plenty for sale in the saddlery stalls / market - maybe 50 - 60 years ago, but my very first riding teacher also carried one every summer, so we were fully used to the concept!
Current whisk, I’ve owned c20 years, I think might have been bought from Shires equestrian? Periodically rinse the hairs gently, regularly spray with a mane & tail conditioner and comb thru to keep it silky and swishy.
Have seen synthetic-tail versions for sale, a bit shorter than mine, but would probably do the job fine.
If you have a thick tailed horse with spare, or a deceased’s tail, could probably ask a saddler to bind onto a suitable crop.
Anyway, indispensable part of summer so far as I’m concerned!
 
Hormonal Filly said:
She is a beauty, love her blaze. Well done you on finding a lovely type!

Out of interest, where did you find her? I've been looking for similar but seems difficult to find, I've emailed several trainers and only had a odd reply back. Most of the ex racers for sale seem to be by the middleman for £4-6k straight out of racing and either look lame or have severe 'quirks'
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If you're anywhere near the Malton area, google Ender racing. They will retrain horses themselves and try to find them good/matching homes. Not sure on price but I'd imagine reasonable. They even have one racehorse who races and also competes in dressage, just to prove they can be versatile.
 
I'll have a look, She is totally happy with the schooling whip, Its never been used to smack her and I can run it all over her happily. This was a total freak thing. Couldnt do it if it tried! :rolleyes:
 
Hormonal Filly said:
She is a beauty, love her blaze. Well done you on finding a lovely type!

Out of interest, where did you find her? I've been looking for similar but seems difficult to find, I've emailed several trainers and only had a odd reply back. Most of the ex racers for sale seem to be by the middleman for £4-6k straight out of racing and either look lame or have severe 'quirks'
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Try Philip Kirby , they really seem to care about their horse future and some are offered on permanent loan
 
Ohh that’s hardly a ‘little’ secret - more like a big beautiful shiny bay horse-shaped secret! 😍😁

So pleased for you, wishing you an ever growing fabulous partnership with Alice 🍀
 
poiuytrewq said:
Just got back from a long walk home.... my tip of the day, brush your horses tail really really welll before riding.

Alice got a horse fly on her bum, I carry a schooling whip solely to swipe horse flies off her. Flicked it off, she flicked her tail and the two becaome firmly attached (HOW???) :oops: Que frantic jump forward and tail (with whip) swishing across her bum.
Luckily I'm pretty swift at bailing out so detached whip very quickly and disaster averted, apart from the fact that by this point there was not a hope in hell she was going to stand on a very over grown verge and allow me to hop back on off a very wobby wall. Not wanting to risk panicking her further we walked home 🤣:rolleyes: ah well...

*must also work on actually standing still longer to be mounted, maybe a foot in the stirrup just in case!

@Barton Bounty I hope she is my Orbie! 😍
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My trainer used to say that horses had five gaits
Walk
Trot
Canter
Gallop
Two steps forward one step back
 
Being a long time horse owner but new to mare ownership I was a little horrified last night to turn out, she is out with my older TB and ponies but I take the two bigs ones first, she started backing into him and squirting 😳 he responded by umm ( use your imagination)
I had a slight panic then they both spied the hay piles and wandered off… phew 😂🙄
She had follow up physio yesterday so we were told to go for a half hr walk so that’s all we did and she seemed normal to ride, the only difference was they both seemed pleased to see each other when we returned, neither cares usually!

I’m really hoping this is a true picture of her in season as it’s something I’d wondered about, if she’d turn into a nightmare but I can handle this 🤣
How long will it last and does it get worse before better or can it be happy this is probably her in season and as bad as it gets?!
 
poiuytrewq said:
Being a long time horse owner but new to mare ownership I was a little horrified last night to turn out, she is out with my older TB and ponies but I take the two bigs ones first, she started backing into him and squirting 😳 he responded by umm ( use your imagination)
I had a slight panic then they both spied the hay piles and wandered off… phew 😂🙄
She had follow up physio yesterday so we were told to go for a half hr walk so that’s all we did and she seemed normal to ride, the only difference was they both seemed pleased to see each other when we returned, neither cares usually!

I’m really hoping this is a true picture of her in season as it’s something I’d wondered about, if she’d turn into a nightmare but I can handle this 🤣
How long will it last and does it get worse before better or can it be happy this is probably her in season and as bad as it gets?!
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My mares a right tart and flirts with anything in a new rug... Including mares. She's been turned out with boys no bother she gets tired off them very quickly the hussy. She's never raised a hoof to another horse including escorting youngsters who bounce off her. She can be a bit scatty with the first season in spring as it often coincides with the grass but this year was fine.
 
Cloball said:
My mares a right tart and flirts with anything in a new rug... Including mares. She's been turned out with boys no bother she gets tired off them very quickly the hussy. She's never raised a hoof to another horse including escorting youngsters who bounce off her. She can be a bit scatty with the first season in spring as it often coincides with the grass but this year was fine.
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Not something I’ve ever dealt with! Luckily she isn’t interested in the ponies or I’d be a bit worried.
It seems to be a first turned out thing. I checked a few times since and although she’s still flashing at the boy he’s now lost interest 🤞
 
Mine gets her seasons pretty bad. She can be a bit distracted and silly for the first few days and lots of squirting even walking past other horses 🫣 I think she does get sore along her back so I just have to be a bit more patient and considerate with her but it’s never longer than a week and only full on for a few days.
 
Cloball said:
My mares is my first owned but I've only ever had mares on loan. Mares were always my favourite at work. I find geldings a bit dull 😜
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😂 aww that’s harsh! I’ve had some really lovely geldings. There’s absolutely nothing dull about Ziggy. He’s a really wonderful boy (minus the head shaking and stupidness!)
 
My tb mare got worse when in season as she got older. Until she was 10 you would hardly know, then she bucked mid test in dressage. In her mid teens I would struggle to hack out with a gelding as she would wiggle along squirming at him.
 
Carrottom said:
My tb mare got worse when in season as she got older. Until she was 10 you would hardly know, then she bucked mid test in dressage. In her mid teens I would struggle to hack out with a gelding as she would wiggle along squirming at him.
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Did you every try giving her anything to help?
I've heard mixed reviews about Naf Oestress, I may give it a go if this is a regular thing, for my geldings sake rather than hers!
There is mare on a yard I worked at who was shocking! You couldn't lead her down the yard because she was staggering round flashing and squirting. She has Regumate just over summer and I have never known any medication much such a huge instant difference. Its amazing.
 
poiuytrewq said:
Did you every try giving her anything to help?
I've heard mixed reviews about Naf Oestress, I may give it a go if this is a regular thing, for my geldings sake rather than hers!
There is mare on a yard I worked at who was shocking! You couldn't lead her down the yard because she was staggering round flashing and squirting. She has Regumate just over summer and I have never known any medication much such a huge instant difference. Its amazing.
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I did speak to my vet, he didn't think much of available supplements (it was nearly 20 years ago). He said they could put a marble inside to prevent her coming in season but didn't really recommend it.
 
poiuytrewq said:
Did you every try giving her anything to help?
I've heard mixed reviews about Naf Oestress, I may give it a go if this is a regular thing, for my geldings sake rather than hers!
There is mare on a yard I worked at who was shocking! You couldn't lead her down the yard because she was staggering round flashing and squirting. She has Regumate just over summer and I have never known any medication much such a huge instant difference. Its amazing.
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But is your new mare even any kind of problem?
It’s not clear why you want to start giving her anything, and most vets think that sort of supplement is 95+% for the benefit of the owner’s psyche, not the mare!
True, some mares are exceptionally affected by oestrus cycles and can be helped by medications like Regumate; some women have exceptional issues with theirs; but your lass has only just moved in with these geldings, sounds as chilled and easy as anything - sure you aren’t looking to solve problems that don’t really exist?!
 
I rarely agree with @Exasperated ( 😂) but here I do. Mares generally get a bit tarty when they move herds.
I’ve always had mares and never fed a supplement, I did used to give them a day or two off if they felt like they needed it.
 
She’s not causing me any problems at all no. Ridden wise it’s made no difference and if she was purely stabled I’d not even know she was in season.
It’s the cornering my poor chap in the field with her constant desperation. I just figured it can’t be much fun for either.
If I could get the bloody fencing posts in I could separate them, but actually I’d rather if something herbal worked to calm the hormones and keep them as the happy little herd they have been up until now.
It was just an idea. Don’t want anyone getting hurt.
 
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