Mares in season

[maxapple]

I own a mare for the first time in many years as a horse owner! (always had boys) so am learning all about mares in season.

I have a very laid back cob who is having her 2nd season with me. Am I right in thinking it will happen every 3 to 4 weeks or so? She's a very good girl - just seems to get very grumpy and more nappy to ride (she just stops!)

I know nothing about mares! Do they just come into season in the spring? Has anyone tried herbs etc to help?

 

[tubby1]

No advice sorry but will be watching this thread as a novice mare owner.

 

[Arizahn]

Oh if only it were once a year!

Nope, it's a three to four week cycle. Some are best admired from afar when it is their special time...approach only whilst wearing full body armour, helmet, riot shield, and carrying copious amounts of carrots/hay!

Other people have nice mares. I have heard that there are certain calmer type things and herbs that can help but I'm not sure what they are...

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I'm the opposite as I've had mares only for years and now I have a gelding too and he's so male! I'm rapidly learning how to handle his boyish ways.

TBH, I've been very lucky with the mares and none of them have been grumpy or difficult with their seasons. Chestnut mare did have one particular gelding that she fancied and would pee at, but she ignored every other gelding.

 

[Echo Bravo]

Well I have 1 mare who shows no signs and doesn't like other horses of either sex, my younger mare is a nightmare when she comes into season, squeals alot and tries to kick her stable wall down,goes through electric fencing, have tried Regumate did work for a little while, I'm afraid you have to take the rough with the smooth, but there are some good products out there, just I haven't found them yet.

 

[Arizahn]

Oh yes, mine leans forward and goes up on tiptoe on her hind feet to pee whenever a certain gelding is near her...

On concrete, I might add!

 

[scrunchie]

I....... Am I right in thinking it will happen every 3 to 4 weeks or so? She's a very good girl - just seems to get very grumpy and more nappy to ride (she just stops!)

I did read a few years ago that saddles tend to end just above where a mare's ovaries sit and that's why they get more grumpy to ride when in season (a bit sore).

I don't know how true this is.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Oh yes, mine leans forward and goes up on tiptoe on her hind feet to pee whenever a certain gelding is near her...

On concrete, I might add!

It can be quite to own a mare.

 

[Arizahn]

But they are worth it

 

[BeckyMason97]

One of my mares seems to be in season all year round! Stroppy and grumpy beast she is! She has Dodson And Horrell Stroppy Mare all year round, not sure if it's making any difference but would rather buy it that mess about with testing whether it works or not for the price! It's just a tub of herbs basically, good if you want to know what's in it! Yet my other mare is the softest thing you've ever met, when she's in season she's just a flirt basically, all the weeing at the boys, tail up and whinnying away when she sees another horse, wouldn't say it causes problems but I put her onto stroppy mare too when she comes in season, settles her down a little!

I promised myself no more mares after my first one, yet ended up with the stroppy one a few months later! But you definitely form more of a partnership with a mare than with a gelding! My boys will go to anyone for a cuddle, but the girls are very picky! Apparently when I left my stroppy one in our wash box to get her tack last week, she went off her nut trying to find me! Made me smile! I also get lots of whinnying when I walk on the yard too, it's very nice!

 

[Arizahn]

I may try that Dodson & Horrell myself...never mind Hippo, I will be too destressed to notice

 

[BeckyMason97]

I think it's around £10 for a 40 day supply. That's the tub version, haven't used the liquid as it makes her feeds too mushy!

 

[Arizahn]

That's not a bad price...is there garlic in it? Hippo won't eat garlic; hates it! Tips her food bowl over and throws it across the stable

 

[Littlelegs]

Mine are both tarts. Big one has never been grumpy in the 20 yrs I've had her, just gets all sloppy & cuddly. Daughters is a real tart, will squirt at anything & has the odd stroppy moment but not enough to notice if you didn't know her.

 

[MissDior]

oh the joys of mares!!! . I spent years saying I would never get a mare and that I didn't get on with them and what do I have now..... ex racer, chestnut mare . When we got her we were told that she wasn't mareish at all.... I beg to differ. She is seperated from the geldings as she makes them mad and when she is in season they are climbing the fence to get to her haha. She loves the attention though! When she is in season she is quite difficult, first season of this year she ended up with cuts on her legs talking to the 'men'. I have put her on Angus castus though and she seems better this time round (but not sure if it is anything to do with the herb). I have read good reports about it though . Anyway just takes a while to get to grips with your mare and find out her little quirks especially at her special time . I do love my mare as challenging as she is just adds to the fun.

 

[stephaniekate]

mares do cause more trouble when they are in season...but i have to say if you have a mare, she will bond with you far better than any gelding ever will..and she will do all she can for you....good luck with your girl

 

[BeckyMason97]

Nope! Garlic free. Just nice smelling herbs! Looks and smells like the scented stuff people put in a bowl to make the house look nice! It definitely has Chaste Berry and Chamomile flowers in it.

 

[Arizahn]

I will buy her a tub today then, thanks

 

[nikki-lynne]

My mare is in season and is no bother but today the gelding in the field next to her was charging around while she was up at the yard and she was calling and getting distressed and all other horses started charging around! Nightmare!

 

[maxapple]

My mare is in season and is no bother but today the gelding in the field next to her was charging around while she was up at the yard and she was calling and getting distressed and all other horses started charging around! Nightmare!

Ah - so does that explain why my usually placid 18yr old gelding was really on his toes on our hack today after leaving his girlfriend back at the yard with my other gelding!!??

 

[TallulahBright]

My four yr old ditched me v badly 7 wks ago after everything had been going swimmingly. Got her scanned and she had v enlarged and sore ovaries, vet said she would have felt like I was knifing her. Put on Regumate, rescanned this week, got to let her have a proper season then back on Regumate. Poor girlie..

 

[Ibblebibble]

i usually find the first season of the year is the worst, my big girl turns into a raging tart and can be a total biatch to ride the seasons after that don't seem to affect her quite as much but she can still be a little more grumpy than usual
The mare i had before, i rarely noticed her seasons as they didn't seem to affect her behaviour at all
Rather like us i guess , some are more hormonal than others

 

[FayeFriesian]

My mare is grumpy at the best of times, never mind in season!

She gets more skitty, and sensitive around her hind quarters ( jumps to the side and stuff when car comes past!)

I have started to feed her Angus Castus/Chaste Berry - Its the base of all the moody mare supplements, and to be honest - i do think its starting to make her alot better. Only been feeding it 2 weeks and, shes already calmer.

 

[JustKickOn]

Oh yes, mine leans forward and goes up on tiptoe on her hind feet to pee whenever a certain gelding is near her...

On concrete, I might add!

This happens even without a gelding around. Even grooming can set this off

OP, NAF do a supplement type thing, but not sure if it works as never used it.

 

[Arizahn]

This happens even without a gelding around. Even grooming can set this off

OP, NAF do a supplement type thing, but not sure if it works as never used it.

Mine never bothers going up on tiptoe the rest of the time...

 

[BeckyMason97]

D&H Stroppy Mare contains:

Peony Petals, Raspberry Leaves, Chamomile, Vervain, St John's Wort and Chaste Tree Berries.

All just thrown into the tub, no nasty strange things!

 

[Chestnuttymare]

I did read a few years ago that saddles tend to end just above where a mare's ovaries sit and that's why they get more grumpy to ride when in season (a bit sore).

I don't know how true this is.

this is true, i don't ride for the first 2 days of her season as i don't think it is fair. I have used NAF oestress for years but one of the supplement gurus here told me that the 3 active ingredients are brewers yeast, agnus castus, and magnesium so i have bought them seperately and trying them like that. This is her first season and always the worst so will see how it goes after this. MissDior, how much agnus castus to you give in a day?