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Lisa Phillips
| | Posted on Monday, May 30, 2005 - 6:32 pm: |   |
My six year old draft cross mare has started showing behavioral problems during heat cycles. Actually, this is the first year I have seen any indication of heat cycles at all.
She has been in harness training for six months with a experienced trainer that I respect and has been doing very well. So far her behavioral problems seem to last for about three days. She starts by being less willing to go forward on the first day. By the second day she is downright grouchy when being worked, wringing her tail, not wanting to go forward. When not being worked, she stands around as if sedated, including when being harnessed. She also seems to have an aversion to turning and bending to the right. Today on the third day, while not enthusiastic about it, she would go forward and to the left willingly, but not to the right. When she did finally turn to the right it seemed to be physically difficult for her, and her hips seemed to almost lock up. I don't feel this is general avoidance of work or being barn sour because when asked to turn to the right toward the barn, she would rather go to the left away from the barn. She had no problem leaving the barn area and walking around as long as we didn't ask for a turn or bend to the right.
Can there be something going on that is making it uncomfortable for her to work during this time? So far the pattern has been that after a few days she goes back to being her wonderful, forward, willing to work (both ways) self. For the days she is bad we try to work through it without asking too much of her, but not letting her get away with stuff. I don't want this behavior to transfer over to her good days! It is hard to tell that she is having one of her bad days though until we actually get her hooked up, other than her acting sedated looking. My trainer will try ground driving tomorrow to see if we can start nailing down a pattern of how long this lasts. Today she was better than yesterday, but worse than on Saturday.
My trainer has worked with a lot of mares but has never come across one that seems to physically be unable to do certain things during her heat cycle.
Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 12982
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 31, 2005 - 9:14 am: | |
First Lisa, how do you know the mare is in heat when she is grouchy?
DrO |
Lisa Phillips
New Member
Username: Lisap
Post Number: 2
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 31, 2005 - 11:10 am: | |
Well I can't be positive that she is in heat. This time the trainer didn't notice much of the "typical" heat behavior such as squatting, winking, urinating. The last time she had a grouchy episode (around May 10th) she did exhibit the "typical" behavior to the gelding next door. The only thing I can go on is there seems to be somewhat of a pattern. The grouchy behvior only lasts one to three days. I have gone through a lot of other ideas such as just not liking her job anymore, tack fit, my driving, etc. But after her couple days of grouchyness she goes back to being wonderful, cooperative, willing to work, moving forward, bending (and turning)in both directions, etc. I am waiting to hear from my trainer how she does today, and I am scheduled to have a lesson tomorrow, so we will see if she is sticking to the pattern. |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 12991
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Wednesday, Jun 1, 2005 - 6:46 am: | |
That is the first chore is to establish whether there is a real correlation between her estrus cycles and the problem. The surest way is to have the mare examined by a vet during 2 of her grouchy periods. By establishing this it will give you options for control of the cycles. For more on heat detection see, Equine Reproduction » Horse Breeding & Artifical Insemination » Heat Detection, Ovulation Prediction, and Timing Insemination. For more on how estrus may effect training and what can be done see, Training Horses » Behavioral Problems » Suppressing Heat and Estral Behavior in Mares.
DrO |
Lisa Phillips
New Member
Username: Lisap
Post Number: 3
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, Jun 1, 2005 - 12:02 pm: | |
Thanks, my next step is to call my vet after I noted her behavior for this grouchy period. The trainer drove her yesterday and she is back to her old willing self again. |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 13014
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Thursday, Jun 2, 2005 - 9:20 am: | |
I would also get a calender and start marking days as WI for willing or GR for grouchy, it will help you greatly in seeing a pattern.
DrO |
Michelle Atkeisson
Member
Username: Cmatexas
Post Number: 6
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, Apr 27, 2006 - 10:21 am: | |
Dr. O,
I moved the discussion to here. Hope this is the right place. We have had the mare almost 3 years. She was our first horse. She is 14, and we are her third owners. She had one colt in 2000. She is a very flashy, beautiful paint, and was spoiled by the 2 girls that owned her before. We added to the problem at first, and eventually realized she is not a big dog, and had to send her back to the trainer to correct the bad habits. That being said, when she comes into heat, she exhibits all the physical signs - peeing, squatting, winking. She keeps the base of her tail "up" and "fluffy". Starting last spring, she also has a green (not yellow) discharge, seems to run a fever, is listless, and has green discharge from her eyes. It started out just every few cycles, but eventually became every cycle. The vet tried rounds of antibiotics, and did blood work, but could find nothing. He did not culture her, just said she has bad cycles. (We have switched vets in the last 3 weeks for other problems). We had a warm winter, and she only missed a few cycles.
When she is in heat, her behavior is also more difficult. Her old bad habits come back for a few days - tail swishing and pinning ears when asked to move out or slow down, a little barn sour, refusal to go in the arena, pawing at the ground when tied. She's just not very fun to ride.
After one "green" cycle this spring, we started her on the vinegar. When I asked the vet (the old vet), he said he didn't think it could help, but didn't think it would hurt. We have not seen the green discharge anymore, but her behavior is not better (not that I thought it would be, but one can hope)  The only thing I noticed is that this last weekend, she was VERY bad at a sorting clinic, refusing to go in the arena. By Sunday, she was standing with her legs stretched out behind her, almost like she had colic, but with no other symptoms. She came into season on Monday, and I noticed when we saddled her yesterday, she was standing that way again.
I cannot find any soreness above her kidneys, but cannot say for sure I hit the right spot.
The new vet is coming out on Friday to give annual shots. He is the one that recommended the copper to stop the cycling. We have not tried it because I have another young mare and don't want to do any damage. Should I ask to have her cultured? I keep thinking a cyst on an ovary, but the last vet looked at me like I was an idiot. The shots are out of our budget. Is there anything else I should tell him or ask him? |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 15483
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Friday, Apr 28, 2006 - 7:50 am: | |
Michele you need to cut and paste this in a new discussion rather than in the middle of Lisa's discussion. Back up one link to the article and look at the bottom of the list of discussions and you will see the new discussion button. Thanks for helping to keep the boards organized.
DrO |
