Mares in season..

Since a lot of mares are coming into season now I would like to know what to look out for..

How will I know when Lola is in Season?

Do they become more alert and spooky when in season? Today Lola was so bold! She has become so strong these past few days. She tried to run through me a few times. She even turned around and nearly bit me. I had her in a stall and she kept going around in circles in it. Her tail is slightly raised.

BUT...She has also been in a stable for about three days now..I let her out everyday for a run. She really hates being in a stable because she does not like being on her own..

Yesterday she was different than today. Today she was just being so weird.

One clear sign is that she will pee frequently. She may also hold her tail up and "wink" her vulva (open and close it).

Ok thanks =)

I have a question about this kinda stuff. I hope you don't mind me using your thread ;)

My mare seems like she is in heat all the friggin time- like no lie everytime I turn around she's in heat. How often are they supposed to come in heat/in season?

I don't mind XD I would like to know too :P

It really all depends...sometimes mares come into season once a month. Others once every two months, once a year. It all depends on the horse.

Sometime they can come into it a lot, then all of a sudden it stops.

The mare I ride now would come into season every month in the summer to the beginning of fall. Now, she's been in season twice this whole winter.

K. I just don't want something to be wrong. Also, I have another question..... I heard someone talking about having her mare "Sewed Up"? What is that and why do they do it?


Thanks guys- I feel dumb asking these Q's but my step mom has always been there to help me and she's not anymore, so I'm on my own with my new mare.....

I heard that it has to do with the length of daylight in the days. So, maybe horse who are in norhtern/southern extremes where daylight varies a lot will have few cycles during winter, then tons in summer, where closer to equator there is fewer changes? And of course, there is variance between individual horses.
If someone out there knows the FACTS please correct me 'cause this is just me spouting what I read.

I've had my mare since the end of may, I think she was in season when I got her (lots of peeing and winking) but since then I haven't seen her come into season, I thought she might be pregnant so the vet did a rectal and she didn't think she was(but didn't have an U/S machine on the truck) Is it normal for a mare not to come into season for many months like that?

Mares normally cycle from early spring to late fall. A 'normal cycle is every 21 days. In mid-season, a mare is normally in heat 2 to 7 days and out for 15 to 18 days. They ovulate toward the end of the cycle.

Most mare that are kept outside do not cycle in the winter unless they are on wheat pasture or live in the sunny south. This period of time is called 'anestrus'. They are not fertile.

When mares start cycling in the spring, they may stay n heat for 2 or 4 weeks on their first cycle, but will only ovulate once near the end of the cycle. Cycles this time are year are very erratic and not very fertile. This is nature's way to keep foals from being born in the winter months.

Horses stalled and on good feed frequently cycle all year 'round. These are usually fertile cycles and are particularly so if they are under lights 16 hours a day.

It is a pretty good bet that most mares are not very fertile until they have shed about half way out and their necks and shoulders are 'slick'.

A 'Caslick's' suture is where the upper half of the vulva is sewn together leaving room below it for the mare to urinate. It is done mostly on race and performance mares to keep running and performing mares from 'sucking wind'. This is when a mare has air fill their vaginal cavity.

It is also done on older mares that have a 'tilted vulva'. Many older mares have a rectum that is recessed back into their body cavity. This tilts the vulva forward and it catches manure when the mare defecates. This allows for fecal and bacteria contamination and keeps the mare infected.

For either reason, it is better to keep performance mares and older mares sutured. This does not affect heat cycles.

Hope this helps.