barnbum
Well-Known Member
Mazie--age 4. She's had more trouble with heat cycles than any of my other mares. Her urine runs between her back legs and I need to keep watch to keep her clean. No biggie. I walked/worked her last night and she was fine. This morning she was covered in shavings and off. She's eaten all her hay, drank a good amount of water, and had many deposits in her stall. That picture said I had nothing to worry about, but she was off. So we walked and trotted. She peed a healthy stream when we got back. I put her back in the pasture and watched. She ate a bit of hay, then I saw her laying flat. I ran inside for the Banamine, and when I came out she was in an open stall pooping. It looked great--moist and perfect. We walked some more. Gum color good, resp rate fine.
I watched her some more. She relaxed for a while--standing in the sun. Then munched more hay. She gobbled carrots. She's normal now. I checked between her back legs and she needed washing off--which she appreciated. ;-)
So--I found this in an article: A situation that sometimes occurs when a mare is in heat is painful ovulation. During the second half of the heat period, a mare may have pain around a large follicle, perhaps from spasm or stretching of the tiny muscle fibers. Pain may last until ovulation takes place, and the mare will act colicky until the pain passes. A painkilling drug may be helpful to get her through the episode. Some mares experience back pain (and react adversely when being saddled and ridden) or even lameness, due to painful ovaries
The article was mostly about ill-behaved mares, but Mazie is always well behaved. I think this pain is what's going on, rather than colic. We've had massive temp changes in the weather this week--so I've been giving all horses a probotic treat to assist them through it--and my ones who tend to colic are fine. Mazie didn't like the treats as well--so I assumed it was colic--but now I think it's heat related.
So--besides keeping track of when she's in and out--for example she may have trouble again 3 weeks form today so I can keep Banamine on hand... is there anything else I can do?
Has anyone had this issue?
Thanks!
I watched her some more. She relaxed for a while--standing in the sun. Then munched more hay. She gobbled carrots. She's normal now. I checked between her back legs and she needed washing off--which she appreciated. ;-)
So--I found this in an article: A situation that sometimes occurs when a mare is in heat is painful ovulation. During the second half of the heat period, a mare may have pain around a large follicle, perhaps from spasm or stretching of the tiny muscle fibers. Pain may last until ovulation takes place, and the mare will act colicky until the pain passes. A painkilling drug may be helpful to get her through the episode. Some mares experience back pain (and react adversely when being saddled and ridden) or even lameness, due to painful ovaries
The article was mostly about ill-behaved mares, but Mazie is always well behaved. I think this pain is what's going on, rather than colic. We've had massive temp changes in the weather this week--so I've been giving all horses a probotic treat to assist them through it--and my ones who tend to colic are fine. Mazie didn't like the treats as well--so I assumed it was colic--but now I think it's heat related.
So--besides keeping track of when she's in and out--for example she may have trouble again 3 weeks form today so I can keep Banamine on hand... is there anything else I can do?
Has anyone had this issue?
Thanks!