In season mares working differently?

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_jetset_

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My IDxTB mare is very obvious when she is in season. She flashes at anything, squirts at anything (including me when I walk behind her and brush her bottom) and is much more spooky at this time of the months
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I have only recently started lunging her over her back regularly thanks to help from my trainer, and I am finding it fascinating watching her (and Grace when she is not on three legs) from the ground.

I rode her yesterday after two days off following the Regionals (where she felt great) and she was a complete horror! She was spinning her quarters, avoiding the contact, not going through and backing off my leg constantly. By the end I got her working okish and much more forwards, but totally different mare to the one I took out on Sunday!

So, this morning I lunged her. I watched her carefully and she came out really stuffy, doing almost what I call a pony trot, and just not willing to open up at all and stretch down (which is how she felt to ride yesterday). She was constantly squirting and swishing her tail, unwilling to accept the contact and push through her hinds.

I gave her a long canter, really pushing her from behind with the lunge whip, and finally after about 15-20 minutes she started opening up and being more 'normal'.

Has anyone else had this kind of behaviour when in season? I know they can be tender through their backs due to their ovaries, which is why I used a roller and was not putting the pressure of a rider on.
 
Yes - Mine is more sharp and sensitive to ride when in season, and can get tight through her back so needs lots more time to warm up, and is usually better if you take her for a walk or lunge her her first to get her back muscles warmed up before asking for her to take the riders weight.

She also gets really dopey and soppy to handle
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Thanks... I have always noticed the change in temperment (I have owned her for 6 years now) but until today never really took notice of the way she changed her whole way of going.

Eventually the choppy strides became more lengthened and open, but it did take quite a bit of work to get her to the stage she is normally at when she comes out.
 
My mare has a definite pattern - she is sharp and easily distracted as she comes into season, then lazy and slow off the leg while in season, then tight in the back when coming out of season. None of this makes her unrideable though.
 
My current mare you cannot tell when she is in season others have been very different to ride. I have to admit I think for good competition mares that lose performance when in season it is worth using regumate.
 
I am umming and ahhing about putting her on something, as if she went like she did yesterday at a competition we would be in some trouble
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I had her on Regumate a few years ago when she was coming in season every 16 days, but it actually also had an affect on my own cycle even though I wore gloves etc.
 
It would be worth trying and seeing if it helps. I would have though if you were very careful and probably used chemical resistant gloves you should be able to handle it safely.
 
as a friend said to me, if they get cramps anything like ours, magnified to horse sized, no wonder some of them don't want to move well...!
try belladonna or other homeopathic remedies, i've had a lot of success with them.
 
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