New mare owner - is this because she's in season?

[Primmula]

So I've owned my mare for a little over a month I'd say, and very recently she's been acting differently and I wonder if it's because she's in season? I got the feeling that she was feeling a bit all over the place!

- Tail raised - when I bring her in from the field to groom her, I notice that her tail has been raised and when I brush the tail it twitches.
- Peeing a lot - she only comes in from the field to be groomed before riding/lunging - so not for a long amount of time - and she's being peeing loooads.
- Difficult to work in the arena - she's usually so good but she has been such hard work and doesn't listen, instead wanting to get the hell out and go back to the herd. She's usually very responsive to my voice and I rarely need to use the whip, but I was constantly having to crack it to get her attention - like she was daydreaming.
- Desperate to get back to the herd - she has some separation anxiety that we're working through, but she has been INSISTENT on going back to the herd and will scream, even if other horses are on the yard. She usually calms herself down but this hasn't been happening.
- Clingy with me - she's a very friendly pony anyway but she just wants to constantly be with me. She will shout after me if I walk away, even when turning her out in the field, and get's visibly upset (weaving, kicking the door, pacing). This was also apparent in the arena and she wanted to constantly be at my side.
- Spooking - nothing much usually fazes her but the slightest rustle spooks her and she comes straight to me for protection.

Does this sound like she's in season? What do you with your mares when they're in season and feeling a bit 'mareish'?
She's not an absolute witch so I don't want to put her on any supplements or treatment - I'm just curious and want to hear from your experiences

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

Yes, definitely sounds like my little mare in season (Although, it also sounds like mine when the wind goes more than about 3mph....) Are there any riggy geldings on your yard? In my experience, sometimes a change of environment/exposure to new horses can bring on a particularly strong season- she might just settle on her own, and we're coming towards autumn now anyway. But be aware that the first season of the year can be more intense than normal.

 

[Louby]

I swore never another mare but I love the bones of mine. She rarely shows shes in season but if theres a change, like a new horse, new yard (like you atm I presume) then I definately see a difference in her. Shes not unmanageable but I kind of ignore her diva paddys and just work with her. Ive used the supplement Oestress and do think it makes a difference. Ive always used the liquid but bought the powder this time as it works out a little cheaper, will see what happens.

 

[Shay]

Yes - sounds like a fairly full on season. She may not be peeing- she might be squirting. She will cycle every 28 days or so until late autumn.

She sounds desperately unsettled - calling back to the herd and clinging to you. That might be just the fact she is somewhere new and she doesn't yet feel settled - but might also be a response to her season.

Great that you want to bear with her and it might be that this first cycle is just unusually tense becuase of the move. But a bit like human females the calm between the storms can be breif. Bear with her through this one and see what she is like next. Do you have conatct with the previous owners? Did she need support before?

 

[Equi]

Most of it sounds like a mare in season yes she could also be having anxiety and separation issues etc

 

[Caol Ila]

Yeah, sounds like she's in season. My horse has no separation anxiety but if you saw her during a really strong oestress cycle, you would not believe me. She gets clingy, herdbound, anxious, and unridable. For about three days. Then she's fine and hacks out alone, etc. when outwith the height of her season. I try to keep it semi-contained with Dodson and Horrel Stroppy Mare, which has St. John's Wort in it. Early spring cycles are the worst but by summer, her heats aren't as strong and she's quite reasonable, even when in season.

 

[Muddywellies]

Yep that's mares for you. Cycle is 21 days so just keep a diary and you'll find for maybe 3 or 4 days out of 21, she's a bit more difficult. Mines terribly hormonal so I tend to give her a few days off around this time.

 

[dogatemysalad]

There's a tendency to blame undesirable behaviour in a new mare on seasons, but generally this isn't the case.
With any new horse, they often check out the boundaries after a few weeks in a new home. The quiet, compliant horse starts to check out it's owners leadership and reliability rating. Mares, who by nature run the daily life of the herd and are decision makers for youngsters, will question their humans ability to take a senior role.
Similarly, undesirable behaviour in a gelding is often blamed on it being a rig, which is much rarer than the number of geldings wrongly labelled by owners.

 

[ycbm]

If she's like it every 3 weeks, then I'd calm it down a bit. I put a little mare who used to have raging seasons on agnus castus, called Monks Pepper for good reason! It was great at just damping down the worst squirting and squealing. You can buy it as powder or seed on ebay.
.

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

If she's like it every 3 weeks, then I'd calm it down a bit. I put a little mare who used to have raging seasons on agnus castus, called Monks Pepper for good reason! It was great at just damping down the worst squirting and squealing. You can buy it as powder or seed on ebay.
.

Agree! If you look at branded things like Oestress, agnus castus is the main ingredient. It works out much cheaper to buy it on it's own and means you aren't adding all the unnecessary additives as well.

I use it on my mare from April - September/October depending when I run out of it and I don't really notice my mare's seasons anymore.

 

[Caol Ila]

There's a tendency to blame undesirable behaviour in a new mare on seasons, but generally this isn't the case.
With any new horse, they often check out the boundaries after a few weeks in a new home. The quiet, compliant horse starts to check out it's owners leadership and reliability rating. Mares, who by nature run the daily life of the herd and are decision makers for youngsters, will question their humans ability to take a senior role.
Similarly, undesirable behaviour in a gelding is often blamed on it being a rig, which is much rarer than the number of geldings wrongly labelled by owners.

Don't think that's quite analogous because most mares are entire, whereas most geldings aren't rigs. The instinct to breed is powerful, even when it's frustrated, and some mares don't show their seasons while others get a personality change. If the OP's mare is peeing a lot, it's fair to say that she's probably in season.