Mare spooky first day of heat?

[TBDressage916]

I just got my first mare ever (after having horses for almost 20yrs now!) and she is a super level headed QH- so level headed that the previous owners used to target shoot off of her back. Christmas day I tacked her up for a quick ride and she was out of her mind, spooking, blowing, shaking at a piece of plastic that was probably 50yards away from her. I spent 20min trying to work her through it and finally decided that we where getting no where and she was just getting more upset so I put her away and went back the next day and she was back to herself, maybe a little blowy at things but much more settled. So the barn owner mentioned that maybe she was in heat because she was bad to lead in that night too- and her ground manners are usually exceptional, even though she didn't show any other signs of heat-peeing, winking ect. So my questions to mare people are-1. have you ever seen a mare act like this a first day of heat. 2. I thought mare's didn't cycle as much in the winter so does that mean that I am in trouble come summer?! Sorry this was so long- thanks in advance!

[magnolia73]

Yeah-
My very quiet mare is spookier and edgier on the first day or two of her heat cycle. If she is that bad, I just don't bother with her- she'll be fine in a day or so. The worst times for her are the first cycles of the season and the last cycles of the season, so late winter/late summer.

[TBDressage916]

Thanks for replying! I will have to watch her and see if I can figure out a pattern, I'm hoping that it doesn't get that bad every cycle because I had to just put her away and forget about her for the night- it won't work so well if we have a show or clinic that day though!

[vbunny]

I've had some that I just couldn't ride for a day or 2, just wasn't worth the hassle. Always made me wish they were geldings ;)

[dalpal]

Is she about 15 hands, chestnut with a blaze?? :lol: If so, I think I used to own your horse. :lol: Out of all the horses I have ever owned....arabs, tbs, warmbloods, and this one quarter horse.....this one little quarter horse beat all of them for craziness during heat cycles.....She would break the crossties, run away...she would turn into a cutting horse in the dressage arena....literally we would cut sections of the ring as she blew sideways off the rail. Once I had to scratch a test because I hadn't a clue as to where the hell I was in the test....I was disoriented from the spins. :lol: I think the judge drew a big sigh of relief when we left. :lol: Oh and anything white, she was gone....dressage ring, jumps, caveletti....you name it.

Well, I have to admit, I sold her.....I wanted a show horse and she wasn't it....last I heard, she's been with the same owner now for the past 8 years.


Now, I have a "looky" TB gelding..and I put him on Mare Magic and I will say....it sure did calm him down a bit....you may want to look into putting her on something like this.

Oh and I thougth the same thing about winter heat....most of our mares (my current one included) at the barn have just had a heat cycle.

[magnolia73]

I find the winter heat to be the worst. The summer cycles I berely recognize a change.
For a show horse, you have regumate, depo and some other options to control the problem. They are expensive though, and if it is just one day or only certain cycles, it may not be worth the expense to you.

[MistyBlue]

Yep, my last mare got more spooky the first day or two of her cycle too. :yes: Hormone rush I guess, but I've know a few mare with the same reaction to the first day of their heat.

Agree with Magnolia too...if you have a mare who cycles all winter those can be more reactive.
Or sometimes that first hard heat of spring can be a real doozy. My last mare got crampy as hell when her heat cycles started getting worse in spring. (she cycled all winter but then had a rough one or two cycles in early spring) Got mistaken more than once for a colic.