Moody Mare?

[xlxzxzx]

I have a 4yo mare, who has recently become unusually grumpy for her in the past few months. She kicks out and pulls faces when you go near her flanks, and has become rather grumpy in the stable. She'll pull faces and bite and will try and squish you against the wall. When I first had her as a 3yo she was the sweetest mare and you could touch her anywhere and she had barely even pulled one bad face! At first I thought she was in season but she's been like this for three months almost. Could it be her just going through a phase of being a moody teenager? And has anyone got any tips so I can groom her without being kicked? I dread to think what she'll be like when she gets clipped at Christmas! She is much less grumpy when being ridden when is outside but will still pull a face when you touch her flank sometimes. She does not buck apart from the odd small cow kick if tapped by a whip but she's always done this. All I can think is that she now goes out less often than she used to, but even when she was kept in she was never like this.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I would suspect ulcers, what is she fed?

 

[Keith_Beef]

There's a mare that I ride fairly often who is a bit like this; she's very sensitive around the flanks, I need to have a very light touch there when brushing her, she is very relctant to lift her hooves to be picked out, and sometimes tries to back me into the wall...

The instructor tells me that the mare is almost constantly in heat and has very tender ovaries.

 

[tankgirl1]

Have you changed yards or fields or herd mates or routine or feed? All seemingly little things to us two legs, but can really upset ponies, especially mares

 

[HeyMich]

My mare was exactly like this and it turned out she had stomach ulcers. No other symptoms really, and not underweight. Ulcers treated successfully and now she back to her gentle, sweet self.

Vet also was suspicious of something hormonal too, like cycts on her ovaries, but they were clear.

I'd say get the vet out, just to be sure.

 

[xlxzxzx]

I would suspect ulcers, what is she fed?

She gets hay throughout day and night, and is turned out to grass in afternoons. She gets bran mixed with sugar beet/nuts on Weds and Sunn as when she came back into work after holiday I didn't want her straight back suddenly on feed everyday. I have asked someone v experienced on the yard and she says her mare is the same and does this and she doesn't think ulcers, and that the laziness is because her saddle doesn't fit and she only gets ridden about 3 times a week.

 

[xlxzxzx]

Have you changed yards or fields or herd mates or routine or feed? All seemingly little things to us two legs, but can really upset ponies, especially mares

The only thing that was changed is that she started going out for less time that she used too

 

[Hollychops]

I would speak to the vet and ask them to investigate. She is certainly uncomfortable about something so further investigation would be appropriate and the only way to confirm whether it is ulcers or not. My daughter had a mare who was very sensitive round her flanks when in season and your mares reactions are very similar.

 

[be positive]

She gets hay throughout day and night, and is turned out to grass in afternoons. She gets bran mixed with sugar beet/nuts on Weds and Sunn as when she came back into work after holiday I didn't want her straight back suddenly on feed everyday. I have asked someone v experienced on the yard and she says her mare is the same and does this and she doesn't think ulcers, and that the laziness is because her saddle doesn't fit and she only gets ridden about 3 times a week.

It could be ulcers if she is now only going out for a few hours each day and the symptoms have appeared at the same time, horses like routine and any major change can cause stress, feeding 2 days a week is a rather unusual idea their guts take a while to adapt to changes in diet so that could be upsetting her guts and doing far more harm than good, feed every day or not at all.

If her saddle doesn't fit that could be making her sore and may be the cause of her grumpy behaviour, she is only young and what she learns now will potentially be with her for life, get the saddle sorted before you do anything else, stop riding her until that fits properly, go back to groundwork for a while if you don't have a saddle and try and get her out for longer each day, if she is only out for a few hours do something with her every day even if it is just a wander in hand to break the boredom and occupy her brain a bit more.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

It could be ulcers if she is now only going out for a few hours each day and the symptoms have appeared at the same time, horses like routine and any major change can cause stress, feeding 2 days a week is a rather unusual idea their guts take a while to adapt to changes in diet so that could be upsetting her guts and doing far more harm than good, feed every day or not at all.

If her saddle doesn't fit that could be making her sore and may be the cause of her grumpy behaviour, she is only young and what she learns now will potentially be with her for life, get the saddle sorted before you do anything else, stop riding her until that fits properly, go back to groundwork for a while if you don't have a saddle and try and get her out for longer each day, if she is only out for a few hours do something with her every day even if it is just a wander in hand to break the boredom and occupy her brain a bit more.

Excellent answer!
It is always better to consult a vet than to listen to another livery, or even YO.

 

[HeyMich]

Excellent answer!
It is always better to consult a vet than to listen to another livery, or even YO.

Yep, vet and saddle fitter asap, and no riding until then. If the saddle fits, and vet says no ulcers/ovary/hormone/sore back problems, THEN you can put it down to her being a 'moody mare'. But to me, she is in pain/uncomfortable, and she's telling you loud and clear that she's not happy.

Ignore the other liveries, she is YOUR horse, not theirs.

 

[huskydamage]

My mare doesn't like her flanks being touched or the inside of her hind legs esp when in season. She'll let me do it with a very soft hair brush but ears back and kicks otherwise. She doesn't like a stiff brush on her chest either very fussy! Lol She has always been like that I've had her a long time. If this is a new thing for your horse though best to check first to be sure

 

[xlxzxzx]

It could be ulcers if she is now only going out for a few hours each day and the symptoms have appeared at the same time, horses like routine and any major change can cause stress, feeding 2 days a week is a rather unusual idea their guts take a while to adapt to changes in diet so that could be upsetting her guts and doing far more harm than good, feed every day or not at all.

If her saddle doesn't fit that could be making her sore and may be the cause of her grumpy behaviour, she is only young and what she learns now will potentially be with her for life, get the saddle sorted before you do anything else, stop riding her until that fits properly, go back to groundwork for a while if you don't have a saddle and try and get her out for longer each day, if she is only out for a few hours do something with her every day even if it is just a wander in hand to break the boredom and occupy her brain a bit more.

yes i do admit feeding wed and sun is an odd one myself, at my yard they do full liveries feeds and everyday bar wed and sun is hard feed and then w and s are bran. just read up now on bran and appanrelty it’s not awfully good for horses which i never knew! her saddle is being fitted today luckily and she’s getting feed everyday now so will see how she goes and then a vet if continues! thank you for all your help

 

[xlxzxzx]

got the vet out and turns out she had slightly enlarged follicles so had an injection and hopefully she should be back to her normal self soon