Mareish behaviour

[horse&pony1]

My 6-year-old mare has been having regular seasons all year, even through winter. When she’s in season her behaviour is extreme — you can’t go near her without her trying to bite, and she’s impossible to ride. She naps, rears, bucks, calls for other horses and spooks at things she’d normally ignore. The only way we can get any work from her is if she’s completely alone with no horses in sight.
I’ve had mares who get a bit stroppy in season before, but never to this extent. We had the vet out and ruled out ulcers after scoping. We’ve tried supplements like Stroppy Mare and Oestress with no improvement, and we’re now considering Regumate or Improvac. Cost isn’t an issue — we just want her comfortable and back to her normal self.

Outside of her seasons she is the sweetest, kindest mare with a lot of talent and gets compliments wherever she goes. This has worsened over the last six months, so we’ve stepped back from competing, although she does enjoy going out. We’ve moved to a quieter yard which she likes, and everything else is up to date (worming, dentist, shoes, regular chiro).

Any advice or experiences would be really appreciated.

 

[Traks]

My 6-year-old mare has been having regular seasons all year, even through winter. When she’s in season her behaviour is extreme — you can’t go near her without her trying to bite, and she’s impossible to ride. She naps, rears, bucks, calls for other horses and spooks at things she’d normally ignore. The only way we can get any work from her is if she’s completely alone with no horses in sight.
I’ve had mares who get a bit stroppy in season before, but never to this extent. We had the vet out and ruled out ulcers after scoping. We’ve tried supplements like Stroppy Mare and Oestress with no improvement, and we’re now considering Regumate or Improvac. Cost isn’t an issue — we just want her comfortable and back to her normal self.

Outside of her seasons she is the sweetest, kindest mare with a lot of talent and gets compliments wherever she goes. This has worsened over the last six months, so we’ve stepped back from competing, although she does enjoy going out. We’ve moved to a quieter yard which she likes, and everything else is up to date (worming, dentist, shoes, regular chiro).

Any advice or experiences would be really appreciated.

Literally going through the same thing I posted the other day about our saga! I’ve just had the vet (again) who has taken bloods, last time she was scanned her ovaries were normal…but depending on the bloods we may try regumate again (did try this last year for 2 weeks but no help)…or something else! Mine is worse in winter than summer, makes no sense! Has she had a lameness check too? Ours is also perfect when out of season!

If she not had ovaries scanned and bloods I’d start there x

 

[Sciath]

I found mine was awful still with oestress and stroppy mare and a load of others but was better with easy mare from hilton herbs when combined with their calm and collected (non-competition legal versions of both), she's another that cycles all year round.
I have recently stopped them all and focused on her gut health and she's been pounds better with just using freestep composure which mainly is gut based so have my fingers crossed that when spring starts I might be lucky and not need to put her back on herbal help.
I do think when I had had a lot of trouble (2024) with her it was a combination of issues that had been niggling at her that she only complained about during her seasons mainly by "rearing" (Doesn't get very far off the ground bless her), napping, kicking out and generally being unrideable. For her a big part of it was saddle fit (ended up in a treeless), then a change of supplements to focus of gut health and overall health plus what ended up being a year of walk rehab and strengthening work along with reiki and her regular bodywork (6 weeks). So as above I would go for bloods and a lameness check and saddle check if that hasn't already happened. Hope you figure out what your lovely mare is trying to tell you!