With the first day of spring right around the corner, it is time to say goodbye to the cold winter and hello to warmer weather - and hormonal mares! It is true spring may bring out the prettiest of flowers but it can also bring out the ugliest in mares thanks to their heat cycle resuming…and continuing every 3 weeks until winter returns. Many mare owners know that the delicate art of navigating mare moods can keep a person on their toes and it is certainly never boring! While some lucky owners have mares that barely show signs of estrus, many own others with mood swings, irritable behavior as well as have cramps and pain associated with their heat cycle. One may ask themselves what can they do to manage a hormonal mare and the side effects of said hormones. Fortunately, there are plenty of options available. Read on for 4 easy tips on how to help manage and support even the sassiest of mares and make this your easiest year with your mare yet!
1. Track your mare’s heat cycles.
Tracking when your mare may be starting her heat cycle can be done easily; simply count 14 days from the day she appears to come out of her cycle (stops displaying overt signs of being in heat and/or stops responding to a stallion’s attention) and at the end of that estimated 14 day period it is safe to assume your mare may once again start to cycle with the cycle itself lasting 5-7 days. With this knowledge on your side you can easily predict when your mare may come into season and, especially for the more hormonal mares, plan your activities with them accordingly. It is also helpful to take note of when certain behaviors take place and what activities or happenings seem to make your mare “tick” while she is cycling. It is easier to plan your rides and training around an amicable mare versus one that is overwhelmed with hormones and may not want to participate. For example, if you notice your mare really does not like being saddled during her heat cycle it may be wise to spend those days on the ground and since you have a good idea of when she may be cycling, you can plan future rides/shindigs/lessons around when you assume she may start her heat cycle.
2. Manage her environment.
This one may seem like a no-brainer but the environment can affect your mare’s heat cycle, the strength of her heat and her behaviors while she cycles. It is common that a mare kept around other mares and with seriously disinterested geldings may never show signs of when their heat cycle begins. However, the same mare who has never displayed signs of being in heat or behaviors associated with the heat cycle may suddenly make a complete change when a stallion is brought onto the property, such as with a boarding facility, or a brazen gelding becomes a neighbor or is put in with a group your mare is also in. If you see your mare reacting strongly to a pasture mate, neighbor or even a horse nearby it may be best to adjust which horses yours has contact with.
3. Consult with your veterinarian.
For behaviors considered very irritable, uncomfortable or dangerous, hormonal imbalances may be mostly to blame but it is important to have your veterinarian examine and clear any other health concerns which may contribute to those behaviors. Examples of health concerns mares may potentially experience related to their uterus and/or heat cycle include ovarian bleeding, UTI’s, ovarian tumor, back pain or conditions such as vaginitis… and they can all contribute to behaviors beyond typical hormone swings and/or environment. Therefore, it is important to consult with a veterinarian if you suspect any health concerns so that they can be ruled out or addressed accordingly. Regarding hormones, a vet can perform a blood test while your mare is in heat to conclude where an imbalance may be to confirm or deny that hormones are the culprit of the heightened behavioral responses. If confirmed, further action may be prescribed such as administering progesterone or altrenogest, placing a glass marble in the uterus or surgically removing the ovaries altogether. Each of these methods can be considered invasive and quite unnatural. For horse owners who do not want to turn to extreme options immediately, the first step is to provide the mare with the nutrients to help her hormones fall back into equilibrium naturally.
4.Provide nutritional support.
To provide proper nutrition with the goal of hormonal balance one must understand a few important details… The balance between estrogen and progesterone is a primary key to the health and wellbeing of the mare and fluctuations of the two are what can lead to unwanted behavior. The goal is not to stop these fluctuations from happening but to provide the mare with nutritional support so that the fluctuations are not as sharp with the result being a more balanced temperament from the mare. Que herbal remedies! Herbs have been used for centuries to alleviate a variety of equine ailments, among those being a mare’s moodiness. Whole food supplements such as Balanced Mare Blend are well-known for being bioavailable, natural and effective at not only regulating hormones but also providing relief from cramps that may be experienced during estrus with the outcome being a more calm and comfortable mare.
Owning a mare can be so incredibly rewarding but does come with its own unique challenges and the above is a nod to said challenges. With time, patience and a little understanding of where the source of the difficulties with your mare may originate from it then becomes quite easy to correct or alleviate. Consulting with your veterinarian and making simple changes in your mare’s daily schedule, who they turn out with and providing mare-oriented nutritional support can make the biggest difference so that your mare can feel comfortable, calm and less impacted by her hormones fluctuating.
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Sassy mare