Mare personality change in season?

[littlen]

Sorry this may have been done to death.

New pony, 5 years old. We had a few teething issues first week but settled completely after then. Ridden alone and in company with no problems. Had basic lessons and basic schooling, if anything pony lazy. We've also don't lots of inhand work. Unfazed by anything she has seen so far. Travelled without breaking a sweat etc. I am working with an instructor with her. Tack professionally fitted, teeth just done.
She has not been pushed at all, gentle hacking in walk close to home and also walking, trotting in the school nothing strenuous!

Last week she came into season and was spraying wee everywhere etc. Mounted by gelding in the field multiple times (her instigating it!) She then became incredibly obsessed with him refusing to leave him until we eventually separated them all together. I tried to ride her the following day but she was incredibly spooky and unpredictable, spinning and whinnying to get away which she has not done at all. In fact she is incredibly dominant and confident and has no issue strutting out in front when ridden or walked out.
When the whinnying and spinning didn't work she resorted to planting and bucking.
She's had 3 days off since to chill but is still acting the same and is still in a raging season.
Saddle fitter checked tack again and nothing's changed and he suggested it could be due to her being in season?

This is my first mare and I'm really gutted at the thought of having this every time she has a season. I bought her as a fun all rounder and she is not fun at the moment. I appreciate she's a baby but she's not been overworked at all and we couldn't have gone more slowly. She's acting up in hand which is out of character for her unless she's always like this in season?

Has anyone any thoughts as to whether the season could be causing all of this?

 

[Equi]

At this time of year they could all still be transitioning, and they can be worse than normal seasons. Wait it out for now and wait until shes finished her season then see how she is. In another three weeks, watch her behavior and if she goes back to being horrible, ask the vet about options...there is stuff they can give/do for mares who are awful. Obviously as a woman i totally sympathies with them...if someone tried to saddle me up when im on the doot i would bloody kill them lol in some major cases mares can be spayed but its not like doing a cat/dog, its a full on operation.

 

[littlen]

Thankyou equi.

I knew there was a reason I never considered mares previously!

Like I say she has been so sweet bar the first few days when I had the what Have I done panic.

She's very green and very much a baby so I am not really concerned about a bit of silliness but it's that her whole personality has changed. She's gone from a lovely girl cantering over for a scratch and happily striding out on walks to this awful ears back grumpy creature that plants and won't do anything I ask without an argument.
For example tonight she refused to walk in the direction of anywhere but the field or the stable and was constantly weeing and squealing.

I'm really conscious that she's so young and I am doing something wrong and ruining her
I can't decide if it's just testing behaviour as she's settling or whether this is typical mare behaviour that I should have expected.

 

[cally23]

My mare has just had a particularly full on season. I gave up on riding on Saturday and Sunday as bringing her in from the field was enough for me to see what a state she was in. Spooking at every little thing and eyes like on stalks. Like Equi, being a woman and knowing what we go through, I could have some sympathy for her. I brought her in from the field on Monday and she was far calmer, we went on a small hack and she was very good, just a bit fizzy on the way home, same again yesterday. I do think that they settle a bit after the first few seasons. I also have her back on Oestress, which made an improvement last year.

 

[Equi]

Hormones eh

 

[Caol Ila]

I have a sweet, laidback mare who is very easy to school, hacks out alone or in company no bother, but when she is having a strong season she becomes a barn sour, spooky maniac. You'd think she'd never hacked out alone before, with all the airs above the ground palaver if she has to leave her mates. She has one thing on her mind and one thing alone -- breeding. No stallions anywhere near us, but that is neither here nor there. After a few days, she goes back to normal. It happens around this time of year but later in the spring/summer, the seasons won't be as strong and she will be less of lunatic.

I reckon that now is the best time for a horse to get pregnant, as an early spring foal has the best chance of surviving the winter. So mares are hardwired to be most inclined to breed now, hence some of them acting crazy and more interested in finding a mate than in anything we want them to do. Our horses lead very unnatural lives, of course, and unless breeding is in your plans, she's not going to find a mate and get pregnant. I suspect that the nutty herdbound stuff comes from the subversion of their very strong instinct to breed.

That said, I don't get my horse get away with being a nut. Never get into a fight you can't win, but at the same time, pick your battles. I might not be able to do exactly what I planned on doing that day, but the horse doesn't know that. The horse doesn't know whether you planned a 10 minute hack or a 2 hour one. She doesn't know that you were planning on working on simple changes of lead instead of walk pirouettes. If your mare is too far gone into 'I want babies and I want them now' mode, find something you can get her to focus on, even if it's for like five minutes, and end your ride on a positive note.