She's started biting. Hormones?

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somethingorother

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The sweet arab brood mare i help out with has started to bite.

I'm thinking it might just be because she is due to foal in a couple of months and is already pretty big. Plus it will be her first foal.

But that doesn't mean she can bite.

It has only been a few times, but is getting more frequent. It is also only a nip, not a proper 'rip your arm off' bite. And it is just when she doesn't want you to do something, like picking out her feet (has been funny about her legs being touched as not had much done with her until this year- she's 8. She has been getting much better with her legs and feet though apart from the biting which has recently turned up) or not letting her go quick enough in the field, or when i ducked under her neck the other day and she bit me on the head. I know she might be a bit unballanced due to her big pregnant belly, but she still pulls all sorts of funny shapes to scratch so she can't be that bad. Plus we don't want her to go back to rearing and jumping about when we touch her legs.

She is otherwise the most affectionate mare i have ever met, she will stand and be cuddled all day.

She has just been getting a slap on the shoulder or neck when she has done it, but what else can we do?

She never gets hand fed and lives a life of luxury mostly living out with a stable herd. She is 2nd in command out of 4 at the moment. She comes in every morning for her breakfast and a bit of a fuss. She loves a good brush to get all the itchy bits she can't reach.

Cookies and dairy milk to anyone who can help :D
 
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Sorry you've not had any replies - this seems to be increasingly common on HHO these days!
I have no experience of in-foal mares, but my own mare will have a nibble at me when she's in season, usually when I'm trying to pick out her front feet. If I smack her she squeals. It is definitely hormonal in her case.
Hope your mare gets over this, and that all goes well with the foaling when the time comes.
 
Thanks, it's this stupid new forum, it was off the first page in about half an hour!!

I do waffle on a bit too, was just trying to pre-empt some of the common questions that get asked though :p
 
Last time my mare was in season she 'pinged' my jodphurs when I was picking her feet out. I wasn't sure is she was being playful or was trying to nip. Since then I've been keeping an eye on her, and when she turns her nose towards me when I'm hoof picking I give her a stare and she faces forwards again. Funny girl :)
 
This girl often likes to nuzzle you though, she is very affectionate normally. So i don't want to tell her off for being nice. But that makes it hard to know when she is going to bite you. *sniffsniffsniffBITE!*

Just don't want it to become a habit, she is quite a stressy girl and we have got over lots of problems the last few months, but now this has come up and i'm not sure how to stop it.
 
My mare went from the most docile laid back animal...to I will bite you if you bug me too much all in the latter stages of pregnancy...she actually raised a leg at me too which "she also seemed mortified" when she did it..felt very sorry for ponio companion as well he wasnt allowed to look at her without her glaring and stomping at him...anyhoo preggers or not still unacceptable behaviour and was repremanded but I also tried to leave her be she was out at grass and checked thats about it no point chastising her..
 
Did she go back to being nice after the foal was born though? It didn't become a habit?

I can understand she is cranky, and only fuss her for as long as she is happy and enjoying it. It's more if something irritates her she snaps. Then 2 seconds later is back to wanting scratches again.

But it's been about 3 times in the last week, and i think even if she is cranky she might just have to deal with that for a minute instead of going for me! Maybe i could water pistol her or somthing?
 
To be fair to my mare...she was only like this between "I'd say" months 9-10 I think foalie was well bugging her at this point "so derugged her to save her hassle" ...although she did seem very low right up to having foalie she just looked sad...as soon as he arrived she was fine right back to normal although her allegiance was to her baby not you for the first few weeks LOL dont even try and get in the way!!
 
That's good then, that's the month she is in now roughly so hopefully she might be the same. She is pretty much ruggless unless the weather is dire now. She was never a fan of rugs anyway so is much happier since the nicer weather.

I know, as excited i am for a stunning little baby, i will be a bit sad it's going to mess up our lovely bond. Pathetic, eh? In fact it already is with making her a grumpy moo bag lol :p
Will just have to spend all my time taking pictures instead :)
 
Yep shes probably just uncomfortable...and with it going abit warmer its hit home abit!! so go on then whens the due date what have you got what did you put her too is it your first her first what?? come on spill...I was buzzing this time last year awaiting my first ever ever foal...well LOL my mares first ever ever foal :o
 
She's not mine, she belongs to my share's owner. But i help out with them all (she has 5) and i have completely fallen for her.

She is due end of june/start of july. She will probably have it the week i am on holiday the first week in july though lol! I am stupidly excited to say she isn't even mine but she is going to have the most stunning little baby. We are hoping for a filly. It is her first and it will be the first foal i will have been involved with from birth, but her owner has bred another black filly who is now 2, and has just put her other mare in foal for next year.

She is Roe Mahbooba, in foal to Psyches First Edition R.

Gratuitous pictures:
Boo:
26060_383177157635_508967635_4010226_5654972_n.jpg


Her husband:
FirstEdition.jpg
 
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Hey nothing wrong with being excited I know I was :D both mare and hubby look gorgeous!! tell you what though this from birth thing is a massive learning curve has made me feel like a numpty and I've been around horses for 20+ years!! well good luck sure all will be fine...any more worries ??'s pop into breeding they are fab in there!!
 
Thanks for all the replies. I'm too excited to sleep thinking about it now lol! Especially if it will put an end to her teeth coming out too. WinWin :p

I feel a bit daft going into breeding when she's not even mine lol. I did venture in once and only got one reply, so thought i would get more here. (although it was hard work keeping it on this page! Stupid new HHO!)

Hope your little lad is ok now after his erm 'trauma'.. i read your posts about D-Day and hope he isnt missing them too much :)
 
LOL he's fine in the space of two weeks he lost his nuts and then his mum went on her holidays bless...he screamed the place down for about a hour after she went then settled but still a couple of weeks on he's not his usual self think he's realising he cant run for mum when he's antagonised the rest of the crew..so feeling bullied...but hey ho he's being bullied by a 11.2 he's almost 15.2 lol :rolleyes: keep me informed! and want piccies when the new arrival lands!:D
 
Aw the poor lad, growing up is hard lol
Hope he settles down soon, and starts to stick up for himself a bit. The little one's are the worst, they get 'little man syndrome' :p

I don't think HHO will be short of piccies when foaly arrives lol. *fingers crossed for a little black filly*
 
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