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.
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.