Mare Getting Spiteful

TheresaW

TheresaW

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My mare is 5 and a half months pregnant. Over the last couple of months, she has started to get quite spiteful when I put her rugs on. She is really biting me, and has got me a couple of times and left quite a bruise. This morning, as I bent down to do her chest straps, she lunged at me, and luckily only got a mouthful of my coat. I really don't know what to do with her. I don't think she is in pain, as I am still gently riding her and she is absolutely fine having her saddle put on. She has been like it on odd occasions before getting in foal, but nothing as bad as this. How can I stop her doing this? She has also started opening her mouth wide and trying to grab the headcollar as I am putting it on her.

Have posted in Breeding as well.
 
I would think it is either hormone related or possibly her rugs are feeling a little restrictive now she is putting on weight so she is trying to let you know she is uncomfortable. It could also be that she is not happy with being ridden anymore through her pregnancy and is showing some resentment because of it.
 
Are you sure you are not over-rugging her and making her far too hot? I don't know about mares, but I do know when I was pregnant I was very hot most of the time. And I know that people (including me) drastically over-rug their horses, completely underestimating a horse's ability to cope with cold.
I tortured my poor horse for years by making him far too hot, and he told me in the only way he knows how: by being 'grumpy' and snapping and biting. How else could he let me know? It was literally years before I understood what he was trying to say to me. But I do at long last.
So before you condemn your mare as 'spiteful', at least try to find out what she's trying to say.
As for the headcollar thing, my horse also does that - grabs it with his teeth. I have no idea why, but it's only a problem when I am in a swampy field gateway, trying to stand up whilst sliding about, he is dodging the other horses who want to come in and I am in a hurry to get him out of the melee .................
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I suppose she could be a bit hot, but she is only having a no-fill rain sheet on in the field, and a very lightweight stable on overnight. She doesn't feel hot in the mornings, but it is a possibility.

Spike, I have thought that about riding as well, but she does seem very happy to go out. I fully intend to stop riding at christmas anyway, but will stop sooner if necessary. She saw the vet the week before last, and she was quite happy with her.
 
My mare who foaled in June had a few weeks of this and I would estimate she would have been around the 6 month mark..I think she was a bit claustrophobic wearing a rug and had started feeling the foal move around I persevered with her just made sure she was tied up for rugging...it didnt go on for too long a couple of weeks I also think as you reach the half way point they have a surge of hormones...my mare also went thru a giddy stage around this time too...
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