Mare in Season - Any ideas!

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Letslip

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Sorry this may be a bit long winded - just needed to let go of frustrations!

My 5 yr old ISH mare has come back into season again (she seems to keep coming in very quickly) and although not a major cow when in season she can become very bargy and on her toes.

Anyway after long reining her yesterday which ended in a disaster and me skiing behind her round the indoor school (funny in hindsight - not at the time) decided to ride her today on a quiet hack. However after taking nearly 15 mins just to get on her - with her dancing round the mounting block, nearly knocking me off it several times and then barging over me when trying to line her up to it decided that maybe the fields wouldn't be the best place for a quiet walk so would instead school her in walk with plenty of circles and serpentines etc (coming back into fitness due to back problems so taking things easy at the moment). Well after getting thrown around, spending most of the the time jogging and threatening to go up - she finally decided that up she would go, she doesn't go high and is not a rearer normally, but she managed to wrench my shoulder a bit, so decided to end it there, after losing feeling in my fingers - where we proceeded to come out fo the school like some prancing idiot.

Needless to say she got none of the usual loving at the end of our very short ride and after untacking, brushing down and booting and rugging up I put her in the field. Now having left the yard I feel so angry and frustrated at myself because most of the time she is the sweetest, most genuine mare and very loving and obviously in a bit of pain due to being in season and also wanting to get to all the boys, so really shouldn't blame her, and I feel I was really quite harsh with her, especially whilst trying to mount. I can't abide horses that won't stand still for you to get on, so of course with her performance this morning got myself worked up and ended up shouting at her and being quite stroppy myself getting her back into position.

I don't particularly want to put her on regumate unless I really had to - she is only like this for on average 4 days during her cycle, yet don't really think I can keep putting up with this every 15 or so days, but doesn't show any other horrible traits apart from being harder to catch and a bit more bargy - although I do use a stallion chain with her when she is in these moods! Has anyone tried Moody Mare or Oestress (sp?) not sure whether to try her on this for these few days, or does it have to be fed on a regular basis, or do you think I perhaps should try magnesium during this time?

Any help or ideas on this would be appreciated as I have come away today feeling rubbish :(
 
Oestress is great IMO... A friends DR mare and a DR mare on the yard are on it after having problems with tension and tightness through their backs during their seasons - its a amazing how the one mare has changed!(the other has only been on a week) She is so much more on side, just like she is when she is out of season! Worth trying for a while, but you do have to feed it for a period of time, not just whilst she is in season. Hope that helps x
 
If you want to try magnesium then try Equine America Magnitude. I put my mare on it this time last year to regulate her seasons a bit better then decided to keep her on it all year as it also helps with spookiness. Its worth a try to see if it does take the edge off her. Best of luck!
 
Brought my mare in today and she was the biggest fidget arse imaginable, anxious, couldn't settle, couldn't do a thing with with her - I'm seriously considering the marble option!
 
Thanks everyone - lots to think about from all your advice on which way to go - could be an interesting time ahead!!!!

Hadn't ever thought of the marble option, but going to do some research into it thanks for the link Mairi.
 
Think the supplements are worth a try first. Then if no change I personally would try the regumate. My mare refuses to go forwards when in season and it is impossible to get her to do antything other than walk. If you ask for more you just feel her back tense and then she plants her feet. The regumate has so far eliminated this happening and normal schooling sessions have resumed.
 
My almost 18 year old mare is a total tart when she is in season. She does occasionally suffers with a sore back but just flirts outrageously. She squits and squirts and anything and everything and it is harder to get her to concentrate. She has been on Oestress for almost 2 years now and it had made her moods better but has not reduced the other season symptoms. She doesn't seem to have mood swings now and is a happy bunny most of the time, so it does work on her but not with her tarty behaviour!
 
I started using Stroppy Mare a few weeks ago and I can't say yet if there is really a difference. My 16.2 ISH mare has had to be separated from our recent addition... Cookie the shettie... due to a dramatic love affair. He has been taunting her and when it came to ride her up the road for her lesson, she wouldn't leave and kept trying to run back to him! I think she's oblivious to the fact that he can't reach!

I wouldn't beat yourself up too much about getting angry, it happens to us all, just try to remember it for next time and to be more patient. Belle won't often stand still for me to get on (not just when in season!) and it drives me INSANE but I just keep leading her back and my mum gives her a treat once I'm on. It's so frustrating, especially when you're trying to be on time for a lesson, but I suppose we'll get there in the end.

I like to try and think how I feel at that time of the month and then I usually end up a little bit more sympathetic. :) I hope you get it sorted out!
 
I use Oestress and find it take's the edge off but isn't a "cure", I am considering regumate now as the last competition we went to coincided with her season and she was difficult to handle, also a new gelding on the yard has made things worse. Also with the Oestress she doesn't like the taste I have to mix with marmite tea or apple sauce to try and hide it and even then she's not keen.
 
I don't think it helps that on the yard she is kept at there are plenty of geldings and two stallions!!!! The other mares on the yard are on regumate but they become really nasty when in season - which my mare doesn't - dare I say YET!

Her main problem is the fact that she goes from a lovely forward going horse - to one that never concentrates and makes it feel like you are sitting on a jet propelled rocket that is about to explode at any time!!!! Becuase of this I wonder whether it is better to go down the magnesium route. Think it is going to be a bit of trial and error for a bit, but has been great and really informative reading everyones thoughts and hearing about differing experiences.
 
Two things come to mind straightaway. Some of her behaviour could be made better with Magnesium. Much better to buy it in pure form though and you can easily get it on ebay at approx £10 per Kg as Magnesium Dioxide (Heavy) give it to her at a dose of 2g per Kg of bodyweight - don't worry too much about overdosing as they will just pee out any excess. Give it to her all year round but especially when she goes out onto spring grass as contrary to popular belief the spring grass behaviour thing with horses is due to a deficiency in MgO2 which lush grass doesn't have a lot of.
The second thing is, could you just not ride her for those four days? Maybe do some nice things in the school, free-schooling etc. She can't help how she is, and she certainly won't be doing it to 'wind you up' - bless her! I would also avoid grooming her as well if you can bear it.
Don't beat yourself up about it though, she won't hold it against you that you got a bit tense as long as you aren't like it all the time....:p
 
Thanks for that wizzybit, I have certainly thought about the Mg route, however the only concern I have with it, is that when she isn't in season she is a lovely forward going mare but without being strupid and I wouldn't want to lose this for the sake of four days!!! But might give her a decent trial on it and see what happens and if she doesn't lose her forwardness then that might be the trick.

I think whilst she is still new I might look to avoid working her for the 4 days, unfortunately we are not allowed to freeschool at the yard which would be the best solution since as I discovered on Saturday even working with long reins can certainly not go to plan. But think as we get to know each other better I will be able to cope much better with her. Biggest probem being that I ride in a dressage saddle and so if no one around can be a bit of a nightmare trying to do the girth up as she can get quite spooky and flighty and last think I want to do is end up over the shoulder as I am bent down doing up her girth as she spots a pigeon and takes off sideways away from it!!!

However I worked her today on the long reins and she was a dream, back to her old self and it seems all things over the weekend were forgotten - she is a doll in that way.
 
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