Why is my older mare mounting my 3 year old filly in heat?

[barnbum]

Mazie is three and I noticed she came into heat last month. She pees a lot and I noticed she had crusted pee between her legs--upper thighs from dribbling. I checked again today and washed her all up again. I even trimmed the hair length a bit to help keep her clean. I also braided her tail--but when she dribbles, that won't help. But during this heat, she is making nickering sounds to my older broodmare and Chloe is mounting her. What the heck?? Advice?

 

[chandab]

Wait for her to go out of heat. While I haven't seen it often in horses, its quite common in cows. Unless Chloe is quite a bit larger than Mazie, no harm should come from this behavior. If it continues with other heat cycles, you might consider having Mazie tested for cystic ovaries (not common, but it might make you feel better to rule it out, not a big problem if you're not breeding).

 

[barnbum]

Thanks Chanda. Chloe is wider, but not taller. lol It's not hurting Mazie, or I would have separated them. Rosie had quiet heats--I never know when she's in. The same with the other mares, well, except for when Jazz was around.

Edited to add--Mazie's always been a frequent pee-er. If I put her in her stall to eat--she pees. And if she goes in another's stall--she pees. If she goes back in her stall--she'll try again. She's also one who has a stronger smell to her urine if I give her more than a tbsp a day of TC30 (high protein). As soon as I cut her back, the strong odor was gone.

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

I woul get your vet to come out and check them both for cystic ovaries. An $8 gnrh shot each could fix it all!

 

[Jill]

I concur with the advice given

I was going to suggest that, and for other people reading, we have seen newly pregnant mares do this to other mares when they come in heat (in case that is helpful to know).

 

[Joanne]

My mentor loved mares that would let her know when other mares were in heat, especially the ones that did not show easily. She felt they were worth their weight in gold !

I have learned over the years to watch these mares and see what they tell me about my "silent heat" mares.

 

[Ashley]

Well, I personally would be going to check anything or give any shots of anything unless the mares are breeding mares. HOwever, I know you dont breed so no big deal. That said we had one mare do that. The vet told us the one with issues would be the one mounting, not the one being mounted. However, the mounting mare had no trouble getting in foal and actually foaled every year (that we owned her) until she was 16, then stopped breeding until she came up bred at the age of 20.

 

[barnbum]

My mentor loved mares that would let her know when other mares were in heat, especially the ones that did not show easily. She felt they were worth their weight in gold !

I have learned over the years to watch these mares and see what they tell me about my "silent heat" mares.

Well--this is one valuable mare then: she mounts mares in heat, she allows other foals to nurse off her, AND she poops all in one pile in her stall. Think I could get $5000 for her? ;-) She did it a few times today and I yelled at her to stop--and she did. She cast a glance my direction of "what was I doing wrong?" I'm not going to worry about it just yet and see if it keeps up.

 

[SMW]

i've seen this in geldings... never with mares. that's interesting.