Mare Behaviour – Hormones or Stress?

Does my mare need a hormonal or calming supplement?

If you are the owner of a mare, you are probably aware of the challenges that come with managing your mare’s oestrus cycle. We’re here to help you answer the question; Does my mare need a hormonal or calming supplement?

Hormone imbalances in mares can often lead to undesirable behaviour, potentially making your mare more challenging to handle, ride, and train. However, hormonal imbalances can often be confused with nervous or anxious behaviour, unrelated to hormonal imbalance. We understand that it is sometimes difficult to figure out what is best for them so let’s try and make it clearer;

Hormonal Imbalance?

Signs of hormonal imbalance or sensitivity:

• Change in behaviour at certain times of year
• Sensitive to touch (especially around hind end)
• Frequent or occasional mood swings
• Aggressive or grumpy behaviour such as squealing, biting or kicking
• Unwillingness to work or reduced performance
• Repeated (sometimes cloudier) urination

When your mare is experiencing some of these symptoms, we would recommend feeding a natural hormonal supplement such as our Sassy Mare Plus. Fed on a daily basis or as a support through their times of season.

Sassy Mare Cookies

from €11.15

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Sassy Mare Plus ®

from €31.13

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There are specific natural ingredients within Sassy Mare Plus that will help to support your mare;

Chaste Tree Berry (also known as Agnus Castus) – a plant that has traditionally been recognised for it’s ability to naturally correct hormone levels.

Raspberry Leaf – a multi-beneficial herb that is known to soothe your mare’s temperament and support the muscles and maintain a sense of calm.

Black Cohosh – a plant traditionally used to promote balanced levels of hormone through the cycle and soothe the reproductive tract.

Milk Thistle – a thistle plant that is rich in antioxidants and supports a healthy liver, aids kidney and pancreatic health.

Stressed or Anxious?

You may find that your mare will display similar signs as mentioned above when she is worried, stressed or excited about something. A horse’s natural fight or flight response can be displayed in many different (usually unwanted) behaviours, which we can also help to support them through.

Signs that your mare may be telling you that she is struggling with nerves:

• Changes in facial expressions such as flared nostrils, widely opened eyes, a tightened mouth, teeth chomping and a high head carriage.
• Frequent droppings and unusually messy stables.
• Increased heart rate.
• Freezing/planting, bolting, rearing and other unwanted behaviours.
• Unwillingness to move forward / strong, uncooperative behaviour.
• Box, fence or paddock walking, weaving or crib biting.
• Excessive calling for field or yard mates

A calming supplement may be able to help support your mare through these different behaviours by helping her to stay calm, confident and focused without negatively affecting her performance. We would recommend Premier Calm.

Why Premier Calm?

Premier Calm

from €24.91

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We would recommend our Premier Calm to naturally support your mare with her nervous or excitable behaviours. The active ingredient L-Tyrosine (used in all of our calming products) is a natural mood stabiliser. It can help towards a more focused, confident and less anxious horse. L-Arginine is used by the body to form Nitric Oxide. NO is a powerful neurotransmitter which, as it increases within the body, can help to deliver the amino acids to the nervous system more rapidly.

Premier Calm would be our preferred choice over the Calming Powder for mares. We have found that due to the naturally high levels of phytoestrogens found in the Calming Powder from the base ingredient Soya Flour, might not suit some mares. The Chia Seeds that are the base ingredient of Premier Calm are often easier for mares to break down and digest, making the Premier Calm a more effective product for them.

The Sassy Mare Plus and Premier Calm can be fed alongside each other for optimal support. Read more about mares and their hormonal challenges HERE