Mare squealing when touched

[soloequestrian]

My young mare has always had a bit of a thing about being touched lightly - I think she finds it tickly. She is fine with firm touching and things like having the saddle put on. Last autumn I lost one of my older horses and now have a replacement - a gelding. The young mare has been much more noticeably hormonal since he came - she started cycling in January and they spend a lot of time canoodling when she is in season. Since then she has also got worse about being touched in that now she often squeals and cow-kicks when I do something like put a hand under her rug to check temperature, and sometimes when I go to groom her on her flanks/ belly. It's an instant reaction, so as long as I keep pressure in place she stops but it's quite un-nerving and sometimes I find it hard to hold my ground!
Has anyone dealt with this sort of thing? At the moment I'm really just hoping it will disappear of its own accord...

 

[AmyMay]

Tell her to get over herself, and always use a definite firm touch.

 

[J&S]

Just in season, will dissipate.

 

[twiggy2]

Tell her to get over herself, and always use a definite firm touch.

I would do this and possibly try something to balance out her hormones, possibly look at a vet check when things return to normal, she may be having problems with her cycles and need a marble or something similar.

 

[The Jokers Girl]

Have you spoke to your vet about Regumate. I think you can only get on a prescription as it's a hormone replacement. You Cant have it come into contact with skin, as it can be absorbed, but it is very good as dealing with hormonal mares.

 

[soloequestrian]

Thanks for the replies. Although the behaviour has got worse since she's been more obvious about her seasons, it doesn't seem to be particularly connected to her being in season i.e. she doesn't only do it when she's in season. Perhaps as above I just have to be a bit more cross with her about it. I find it hard though because it's such a quick, knee-jerk type reaction from her that it tends to make me jump which then means my conscious reaction to it is slower. Ho hum, this is such a stupid hobby.

 

[Upthecreek]

The problem is highly unlikely to cure itself. You have probably inadvertently stopped doing the thing she objects to due to her reaction (understandably because you don’t want to get kicked), so she has learnt that this behaviour achieves the desired result. Doesn’t sound like a pain response more that she finds it irritating and is responding by being rude and telling you to sod off.

I wouldn’t respond by getting cross because then you are just fighting fire with fire and not actually solving the problem. Sounds like you need to do some de-sensitising work with her.

I would stuff a rubber glove and tie it on to the end of a stick or pole (keeps you out of harms way unlike doing it with your hand). Attach lunge rope to her (ensure you are wearing a hat) and start touching her with the glove (start with somewhere she doesn’t normally mind too much). You have to continue touching her when she has a strop and kicks out because she has to learn that doing that doesn’t make you stop. As soon as she will allow you to touch her without reacting stop. The key to this is repetition and to try to end on a good note so you will probably need to do quite a few sessions before you are able to touch her without a reaction. When you feel more confident get rid of the stick and use your hand.

Some mares are hormonal all the time, not just when they are in season, so it’s worth speaking to your vet about hormone therapy.

 

[soloequestrian]

Thanks, that's a great idea. I used the hand on a stick when she was a baby so will resurrect it!