tips/ideas for an extremely stroppy/aggresive mare?

[clairefeekerry1]

my friends mare is being a total nightmare at the moment. she's a 7yr old ex racer asnd they've had her about 14 months. they are quite novice but really try their hardest and the mare looks brilliant, best she's ever looked. in the last few weeks she has become a total nightmare to handle. she's actually nice to ride the issue seems to be on the ground. she has always been a bit funny about rugs and you have to watch her teeth and back legs. she's normally muzzled to be rugged as she will really bite. but at the moment she is horrific. i haven't actually seen anything quite like it. she has taken to becoming aggresive when they try catch her in the evening as soon as they go near her she literally attacks them like a dog!! teeth, ears, feet- really really aggressive. oddly enough i can get her fine, she just does it with them. i can honestly say its one of the most aggressive reactions i've ever seen. when they rug her at the moment she will kick out, grab her rugs and rip them and even throw herself on the floor. cant put exercise boots on her, cant go near her back end. once you get on her she works quite nicely and is actually quite a nice safe ride. she's out 24/7 at the moment in a small herd of mares, they have cut her feed right back to virtually nothing. vets have been out a couple times and cant find anything wrong. physio and chiro come out reg but she is a cow with them. i know its mares in season etc but i really haven't seen anthing like this, its the sheer agression! any tips esp for the charging when caught senario??

 

[JanetGeorge]

FIRST step is to get her ovaries scanned by a good repro vet - the symptoms sound like she MIGHT have a Granulosa Theca cell tumour. These tumours are quite common - and they excrete testosterone (making the mare think she's a stallion - and behave like one!!)

 

[Happy Hunter]

Sounds the same as Mum's horse! One spring she just flipped!
turned out she is 100% happier on her own. - Dont know if thats an option for you?

I would agree with above though - all signs point to hormonal/ ovaries problems, your average vet will give back end a poke and not really pay enough attention! - Ask a local stud to reccomend a Vet that could scan her.

Hope it gets better!

 

[Shysmum]

sounds like she's in some sort of pain.

 

[VioletStripe]

I'd get the vet out, it could be any number of reasons, but just to be safe.. xx

 

[Orangehorse]

Have they looked into ulcers? Certainly sounds pain somewhere, particularly as the situation has got worse.

After a thorough check, maybe get some handling advice from someone like Richard Maxwell. I had a mare that was a misery in the stable, and I used to dread going to fetch her into the stable every night, so I know exactly how they must feel. She wasn't as nearly as bad as your problem horse though.

 

[Echo Bravo]

As one of the posters said could be she'd be happier on her own as my old mare. Is she itching(sweet itch) could be a number od things, just have to eliminate one by one