Wierd horse behavior

[Sandee]

For those that don't know or remember, I only have 3 miniatures. For whatever crazy reason (where was my mind), I ended up with one of each -filly, stallion, gelding.

The gelding is (hmm, Jan.) 22, the stallion is 7 and they have been here together for 5 1/2 years. My fillly is 5 and has practically grown up here (so here over 4 years).

Of course, the stallion is kept in his own run while the gelding and filly are out to run in the pasture. Only a hog wire fence and pipe gate to separate. Over the years the stallion and gelding have nipped at each other and a couple of times I've seen the gelding chase the filly trying to get "behind" her. (most of the time he runs out of "steam").

Wierd thing is it's colder than cold here been in the single digits at night and only in the 20s, if lucky, during the day but they are all acting like it's spring and time to breed!

The "old" man and stallion make a game out of yanking on each other's halters thru the gate. The gelding is very protective of the filly and won't let her near the stallion's fence. Yet, he chases her and she slams him with both hind feet!

What's up? Do they know something we don't like it's going to warm up soon or are they just nutty from being confined with the bad weather? Anyone else have horses trying to breed (and that old man has been gelded since he was 7) in this frigid weather?

 

[tagalong]

I've had 3 mares cycling all winter... just as if it was actually breeding season. I think that they think they are in Australia or New Zealand.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Temperature has nothing to do with sexual behavior, btw Its 99.5% light-influenced.

 

[~Lisa~]

My mares included our 24+ mare cycle year round it makes me crazy LOL

Seeing as we have had a Nov baby last year I am guessing they are truly cycling

 

[tagalong]

Its 99.5% light-influenced.

Yes, but my mares do not know that, Nathan. They do not care that is dark by 5:30. They never read the equine reproductive physiology texts. They just want The Hawt Red Dude in the end stall. Verrrry badly.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

They most certainly do know

Their bodies are telling them that the amount of light they are getting is the beginning of spring, and time to start producing GnRH.

 

[Humhill]

I wish mine would read the textbooks....

We're past the winter solstice, so the days are getting longer, and the nights shorter. That's all they need to know. Keep in mind though that a mare's first heat of the season many times is not a productive heat. They'll show heat, stand and breed, but they don't actually produce an egg.

They'll start shedding soon too.

 

[tagalong]

Their bodies are telling them that the amount of light they are getting is the beginning of spring

Not quite.

These two girls, as I have said, have not read the texts and do not care that I scored A+ in Equine Reproductive Physiology or Breeding Management. They do not care that you and I can lecture them about hormones and follicles and tell them what they should be doing. They do not care about the amount of light they are getting. They do this all year round.

Which is yet another example of Rule Number One - the most predictable thing about a mare is her unpredictability!

 

[Ellen]

Tagalong,

You said it. The most predictable thing about a mare is unpredictability!

Ellen

 

[LAZY J MINIS]

I'M GLAD I DON'T HAVE THE ONLY MARES WHO CAN'T READ. IT'S IN THE TEENS AND THEY ARE TRYING TO GET MY SHETLAND BOY IN TROUBLE. HE IS SCHEDUALED FOR SURGERY IN FEB. AND I DON'T WANT ANY UNPLANED OFFSPRING. HUSSY GIRLS YOU HAVE TO LOVE THEM, I KNOW I DO.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Are they showing heat or are they cycling? Mares very commonly show heat in the winter when exposed to a stallion or gelding, not because they are actively producing estrogen, but because they are NOT producing progesterone. Only about 10% of mares truely cycle throughout the year, but some do.

 

[tagalong]

Trust me, Nathan.... they are cycling. I do know the difference - even if you do not seem to think I do.

The geeky yearling (perhaps stallion in his future, perhaps not) here is completely confused about why those two cougars want to entice him over to the shared fenceline so they can flirt shamelessly with him. He is still clueless about such things and thinks it is icky.