Mare in Heat out of Normal Heat Cycle Time?

The mare I brought in for trial on Monday was doing terrific Monday through Thursday. I had another rider on her tonight to do some jumping for me but the mare was just plain nuts..looking at everything, dancing and just being a nutcase. This wasn't just being up or just being excited, she was, I don't know, anxious and antsy. We started her outside and to be fair she hadn't been ridden outside but she kept dancing into the canter..sort of a semi-bolt. We took her back into the indoor ring and while she settled a little she was still very strong and just kept sidestepping and dancing around.

When I took her out of the indoor, she did something she had never done with me in that she reared up slightly, just a small hop, danced sideways, her tail went straight up and she was prancing and snorting all the way back to the barn. Again, to be fair, the barn was very busy tonight with lessons and people where it had been quiet the other 4 days, yet, when I brought her out of the indoor, there was nothing there that should have set her off. Even back in her stall she was showing the textbook signs of a mare in heat.

Isn't it unusual for a mare to go into a heat cycle this time of year? Her attitude tonight has convinced me she is going to be too much for me to handle if she is like this in an off season heat; who knows what she will do in a normal seasonal heat, so I am really just curious.

I really don't know what normal is, but my mare came in just before Christmas and is just now out.

She was her good ole self tonight, and I'm glad she's back to normal.

The mare in the next pasture over came in about the same time, so I suspect it isn't that unusual.

Ive been wondering the same thing about the mare I lease...this past week she has tried to buck me off, been spooky about things she normally isnt, and pretty all around sassy. I started leasing in October, so she hasn't ever been this way for me. Its making me wonder if she's in heat?

Some mare's come in heat if you change the ribbons in their tails. Doesn't matter what time of year. If you're in a more temperate climate though, don't be surprised if they never really show downtime, especially if there's a stallion on the place. I have mares who go in heat just because we went somewhere knew and they're excited about that. They hike their tails, squeal, squat, pee and act like absolute morons for a couple of days and then settle back down until we go the next new place. So, while they're showing heat, they're not really IN heat. Unless of course, I bring in a new stallion, then........OH MILOWERED!

Vicks in their nostrils can help as can lunging them for 15 or 20 mins and making them FOCUS. Mares can be a bigger challenge than a stallion ever thought of being.

Most mares have a normal cycle time- like Casey in spring for a month (very long!) and a days in the summer and fall, but they still can have random cycles throughout the year, like Dreamcatcher said, being around geldings or stallions can trigger it if they are used to only being around mares..