Caramac71
Well-Known Member
We have a mare on trial with a view to buy.
The first time we viewed her she was in season. Not noticeable really until after ridden and turned out, she then went to flirt with neighbouring horses. Owner did mention she is a complete tart! She didn't perform to the gelding in the herd she was turned out with, just the ones over the fence.
We saw her on 2 other occasions when she wasn't in season. We arranged the trial and within a few days of her arriving she is back in season which makes sense as it was about 3 weeks after we had first seen her.
Whilst she is on trial she is turned out on her own in a small paddock next to geldings. She took a while to settle as it was a huge change from where she had come from, but gradually over the course of a week she stopped stressing and calmed down. Since coming into season she spends a lot of time squirting at the boys over the fence and one pony in particular is rather obsessed with her. This has been going on for a full week now.
From our point of view, other than the constant flirting and squirting, she doesn't really seem to be a problem in season. She is no different ridden, she is happy to come in from the field and be taken away from the boys (in spite of their calling), she can be groomed all over, does not appear sensitive in any way.
Yesterday she was ridden in a group in the school for the first time, with 2 geldings and another mare. She did not display any floozy behaviour while being ridden. But because of her displays in the field, the instructor told our YO she would never buy anything that mareish.
I'm a bit confused by that as what I would call mareish is something that becomes difficult when in season. She isn't difficult but she has been a complete tart with anything that comes near her field. If we keep her, she will be turned out with mares on the other side of the yard anyway.
She's young, rising 5, she's moved from private land to a livery yard, she is the only mare in sight of about 10 geldings, and she's turned out on her own for the first time in her life. I'm not convinced that once settled in a herd of mares she would be quite as tarty is she is right now, but even if she is, is it a problem as such? Instructor was saying that she may need a mare supplement, but if she doesn't appear moody, sore, stubborn, uncomfortable or unwilling to work, is tarty behaviour a problem in itself?
The first time we viewed her she was in season. Not noticeable really until after ridden and turned out, she then went to flirt with neighbouring horses. Owner did mention she is a complete tart! She didn't perform to the gelding in the herd she was turned out with, just the ones over the fence.
We saw her on 2 other occasions when she wasn't in season. We arranged the trial and within a few days of her arriving she is back in season which makes sense as it was about 3 weeks after we had first seen her.
Whilst she is on trial she is turned out on her own in a small paddock next to geldings. She took a while to settle as it was a huge change from where she had come from, but gradually over the course of a week she stopped stressing and calmed down. Since coming into season she spends a lot of time squirting at the boys over the fence and one pony in particular is rather obsessed with her. This has been going on for a full week now.
From our point of view, other than the constant flirting and squirting, she doesn't really seem to be a problem in season. She is no different ridden, she is happy to come in from the field and be taken away from the boys (in spite of their calling), she can be groomed all over, does not appear sensitive in any way.
Yesterday she was ridden in a group in the school for the first time, with 2 geldings and another mare. She did not display any floozy behaviour while being ridden. But because of her displays in the field, the instructor told our YO she would never buy anything that mareish.
I'm a bit confused by that as what I would call mareish is something that becomes difficult when in season. She isn't difficult but she has been a complete tart with anything that comes near her field. If we keep her, she will be turned out with mares on the other side of the yard anyway.
She's young, rising 5, she's moved from private land to a livery yard, she is the only mare in sight of about 10 geldings, and she's turned out on her own for the first time in her life. I'm not convinced that once settled in a herd of mares she would be quite as tarty is she is right now, but even if she is, is it a problem as such? Instructor was saying that she may need a mare supplement, but if she doesn't appear moody, sore, stubborn, uncomfortable or unwilling to work, is tarty behaviour a problem in itself?
