Spring can mean many different things to everyone- longer days, warmer weather and the prelude to a hot summer, but have you ever considered what It means for your horse?
If your horse has spent a majority of the winter indoors, they can be easily overwhelmed and quite highly strung when being turned out in the Spring due to the sudden change in environment and potential encounters with other horses. In addition, late March onwards can be the beginning of most mares “cycle” which plays a part in their moods fluctuating severely and can sometimes be difficult to manage.
Geldings can also become more boisterous and tend to show more interest in mares that are in season, which causes them to act erratically and once again, difficult to manage. To help with these Spring related issues, we have come up with some special offers on “The Calming Collection” consisting of Global Herbs FriskyMare Plus, Agnus Castus and Global Herbs RigCalm for you to help keep your horses mood balanced whilst saving money at the same time!
Mare hormonal cycles
As the days get longer, it is a general indicator that mares are beginning their hormonal cycle. This cycle lasts around 21 days but can fluctuate and consists of two different stages, estrus and diestrus. The estrus stage is when the mare is “in season” and ovulating. This stage typically lasts around 6/7 days but can vary depending on the mare herself. Typical indicators that your mare is in the estrus stage would be her squatting to urinate (breaking down), everting her clitoris known as “winking”, and generally accepting the advances of stallions.
The diestrus or “out of heat” stage usually lasts around 15 days, this stage can also fluctuate but it is commonly accepted that it is more reliable than the estrus stage. When in this stage the mare is more likely to kick out at stallions to reject their advances, and also pin their ears back to show their displeasure at the stallions interest.
During this cycle, mares experience a lot of hormonal changes which have a knock-on effect on their moods. They can become easily irritated, more angry in general, and less receptive to affection. To help regulate these mood swings, we recommend using Global Herbs FriskyMare Plus. This efficient herbal formula offers fast and effective calming results, and is best used during breeding season when the mares hormonal cycle is its most out of place.
Managing male horse behaviour
Geldings, stallions and colts are known to begin acting more aggressively and excitably when in the presence of mares that are “in season”, which can make them difficult to control and manage. The horses will do this due to the androgens in their body affecting their brain and forcing them to act more masculine, promoting behaviour such as mounting mares, fighting other horses and attacking humans and foals. Global Herbs RigCalm is the perfect solution to this issue, with its fast acting and effective formula offering calming properties to help make even the most frisky horse more passive and calm. The product does this through the use of its chelated magnesium and potassium, and can be used in both the short and long term to provide calming effects. Not only does this product calm your horses down, but it also promotes good behaviour in other areas also to make them easier to work with and control.
Dealing with a change of environment
Horses that have spent most of winter in the stables can be particularly nervy and high-strung when being turned out in Spring, as the change of environment can be unsettling to them. On top of this, if they have been turned in on their own, suddenly being on a paddock with other horses can also cause them to panic. Many horses also struggle with being transported, and being in a trailer can be quite anxiety-inducing for them. To help keep them calm, we recommend using Agnus Castus, as it has been known to help soothe horses and get them used to the sudden change of environment, making the transition a less stressful process for all involved. Agnus Castus has also been known to help treat Cushing’s Disease and is particularly effective when used on mares prior to their “season”.
If you have any further questions about The Calming Collection or any general queries about caring for your horses at this time of year, be sure to call our team on 01423 332134 or email us at info@wormers-direct.co.uk and we will be happy to help!