Squealing mare

[ironhorse]

I really am at a loss to know what to do with my mare - she is booked in at the vets on Monday for a thorough investigation including a session in the stocks to look at her ovaries.
She has always been touchy and hormonal - most show seasons we usually end up putting her on regumate. Last year she had a marble inserted and we got away with it, although she still came in season and would stand and wee near any male horse.
She's turned out on her own with three in foal mares in the adjacent paddock. There are sometimes geldings on the other side and they make her more hormonal and difficult.
She has always been prone to squeal when you touch her flanks, belly and sometimes her quarters or legs (hence why I've never attempted to clip her!) But more recently she squeals when you rug her up or put the saddle on. Today she squealed when I picked her front foot up ,then did nothing ten minutes later when I picked the same foot up.
She has had a chiropractic treatment in the last month, and the chiro thought she was maybe a bit sore round her withers but couldn't find anything specific.
You can poke and prod all along her back without getting a reaction.
She also squeals and lashes out when you are riding her -she's mainly ridden in western tack, which she prefers, but will suddenly decide she doesn't want any leg pressure.

Sorry this is so long and rambling - anyone get any ideas?!

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

If you're absolutely certain it isn't because of pain, then squealing in a tarty sort of way is what some mares do! If you watch a mare put with a new group of horses, she'll probably let each horse come up to her but only as close as SHE wants and after a preliminary sniff, some mares will squeal loudly and strike out with a front foot. Some will spin and kick out. Some mares will flirt atrociously with anything male nearby but then squeal and spin and lash out (in a half hearted sort of way) if the object of their desires wanders over for a sniff. Absolute tarts, some mares! Your mare may be just very very mareish and is playing the "not in my space" card with you. If this is what it is you need to be understanding but at the same time let her know in no uncertain terms that YOU are the boss and though she can squeal all she wants when out to play, when she's with YOU, she better tow the line!!! The milli second before she squeals and lashes out, you need to act immediately. Give her a growl and grow a foot higher and wider and look her straight in the eye and stamp your foot at her. Keep a crop in your boot and if she's serious, whip it out and slap the ground in front of her. Mean it! If she looks shocked and backs away a foot or so, just let it go - it's over and forgotten. But you need to be alert every second you're with her.