Bringing a mare into heat ...

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Leeana

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I know of a couple way to bring mares into heat such as changing lighting ext. I heard somewhere there was a shot as well?

We're taking our mare down to KY sometime around mid April to get bred and it seems like she is in heat all the time but other then her attitude she deosnt seem to have any of the other signs, its still pretty early in season though. She lets some of our geldings mount her, but other times she wont have anything to do with them. No tail off to the side and no 'winking' as far as im noted, been keeping a real close eye on her for signs and still nothing. I was told just having her around one of my 'geldings in denial' would bring her into heat. Im thinking about keeping her under lights but i was also told by the farm we got her from they had great success with a shot that brings them into heat. I've heard of allot of methods so far, i just dont know which one i would like to use.

What methods have worked for you to bring your mares into heat and which have not?

Is it possible for mares to be in heat all year around?
 
Yes, an injection of HCG will bring your mare into season, but not super reliable if you short-cycle her at the wrong time. You should talk to your vet about HCG, but the good thing is that it's way more predictable. My friend uses it, as she AIs all her Andalusians and it's easier on collecting and shipping semen.

Andrea
 
hCG doesn't bring the mare into season
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It helps her ovulate a follicle that has already formed and is ready to go. It allows timing to be used with frozen or shipped semen. Deslorelin does the same thing in a different timeline.

There are a few chemical methods that can be used to cause a mare to cycle. If she's cycling normally, but is currently out of heat, a hormone called "prostoglandin" can be used to kill the structure keeping her out of heat and cause her to start a new cycle, coming into heat after about 5 days. There are two brand names of this drug... Lutalyse is the natural version, and causes cramps and major sweating (you never would have though eyeballs had sweatglands, but she'll try to show you each and every one!). Estra-mate is a synthetic hormone and has much less side effects.

A drug called "P&E" can help bring a mare into heat during the spring transition. Its a combination of progresterone and estrogen. Regumate can work too. Neither is a good option, but its something that has been shown to be semi-effective.

Lights are the only proven, reliable method of causing a mare to cycle earlier in the year. You should start about 3-4 months before you want her cycling (November usually). Make sure there are at least 16 hours of light every day, enough that you "can read a newspaper in every corner". If you are adding lights, do it in the evening rather than the morning.

The reason your mare is in heat all the time is that she's in "spring transition", the period where her overies are short-circuiting, getting ready for the normal breeding season
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To get her cycling, you can try to get her to ovulate. hCG or Deslorelin can help that, if your vet can ultrasound her. Once she's ovulated once she should cycle normally. Its not worth sending your mare until you are sure she's cycling, if she's in spring transition she may act in heat for weeks at a time.
 
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