My mare is running around like crazy!!!

[TrueColours]

She wont get in foal / stay in foal …

I keep hearing this time and time again and have to profess that Ive thought the same if one of my hopefully pregnant or newly pregnant mares gets something into her head and runs around like a mad woman in a complete tizzy

Have any studies been done or is there any correlation whatsoever to having a mare losing it and running around like crazy for 5-10-15 minutes and either not getting in foal as a direct result or losing the foal she is carrying?

Just one of those things that Ive often wondered about over the years …

Old Wives Tale or any actual facts to back this one up?

[NOMIOMI1]

If it is something they normally do and is not added stress or new I dont see how it could effect their ability to keep in foal.

[Laurierace]

I don’t see why running around would make a mare lose their foal. My mares all like to run around even late in their pregnancies. If they are running around because they are upset over something like a buddy being taken away or the like the stress hormones could make them lose the pregnancy however.

[K_2]

There was a thread in the racing forum about mares continuing to race while in foal.

[TrueColours]

What prompted the question is not normal “Wheee!!!” running around, but we have a mare in for breeding now, and with the heat the last 2 days, I have changed around the turnout times / orders and my mare and foal and my pregnant mare have changed paddocks to one with more shade. So now instead of having the 2 mares and foal 2 paddocks away in front of her, they are 2 paddocks away BESIDE her and that has totally sent her over the edge. She was pacing, screaming and galloping around like a crazy horse because her world had been turned upside down

She is also due to ovulate in the next 24 hours

So - with this self imposed stress she is causing herself, just curious if this could actually affect her ability to conceive ???

Now thankfully we got another mare in for breeding yesterday and with both owners permission, we have turned both mares out together and now the upset mare is much more settled now that she has a “friend” in with her and she isnt caring as much what goes on 2 paddocks over, thank God.

[Laurierace]

Stress absolutely can cause them to fail to conceive. That is completely different from just plain running around. You need to find a way to minimize her stress level.

[fibbermaggee]

I believe stress can have an impact on fertility. There are alot of chemicals released in the body when an animal has a stress response. I don’t separate my mares for any period of time during the breeding season. I haul them together and they go in the chute next to each other or within site. I gave those instructions to the vet and they agreed.

[EquusMagnificus]

Stress clearly affects fertility, but I think it does matter more AFTER conception, than prior to it…

[TrueColours]

Stress clearly affects fertility, but I think it does matter more AFTER conception, than prior to it…

Well - if thats the case - we are good then. The 2 of them have gone from ignoring and tolerating one another in the same paddock to standing and eating from the same hay feeder and following each other around

You need to find a way to minimize her stress level.

That was the big problem Laurie - ANY change in anything sent her over the edge, as in bringing in one of the stallions to collect him ( everyone else was still outside, in their paddocks, minding their own business and she had horses on both sides of her and in front of her still). She freaked and started running around and screaming her lungs out until he was done and back in his paddock. So - I guess to keep her happy, I could have brought all 8 horses inside for 15 minutes while he was being collected but to be honest, it wasnt going to happen. She has horrible separation anxiety issues and even when they come in at night, if everyone is in except the one that she has deemed to be her best friend in the entire world for that day, she will scream and run around her stall and crap and churn it into her bedding until that one is inside. Tomorrow - I bring that one in first and then she screams and runs around her paddock because she is “alone” even though the other 7 horses are all still outside beside her and in front of her. I cant win

Apparently she isnt like this at home - I am really hoping its hormonal and once she ovulates she is fine and having said that, the last 2-3 days have been horrendous - before that she was merely quirky and anxious but not off the wall like she is now

We can always hope … :yes:

[rodawn]

With your vet’s permission and with the owner’s permission, you might want to consider putting Miss Stress on a small dose of banamine in her feed starting now (5 cc) and continuing for the whole time she is on your property and I would probably recommend continuing for a few days by the owner until the mare settles down at home (i.e. if she is uppity for 2 days post being home, then stay on the banamine for 4 days post being home).

The antiinflammatory effect is helpful, but specifically the antiprostaglandin effect would be useful in helping Miss Stress settle her pregnancy. High stress releases prostaglandin. Prostaglandin on a pregnancy 0-40 days is catastrophic.

Mares that are strongly herd bound and/or have anxiety attacks with a change in structure, stabling, and routine are very prone to losing their pregnancies.

[EquusMagnificus]

[QUOTE=rodawn;6368945]

Mares that are strongly herd bound and/or have anxiety attacks with a change in structure, stabling, and routine are very prone to losing their pregnancies.[/QUOTE]

Off on a tangent, but I’m not sure that’s a bad thing… :winkgrin:

I mean, clearly, if the mare is to produce show horses, she better not give that set of issues to her foals. Show horses have to be able to cope with change.

[Valentina_32926]

Mare could be acting this way due to lower than average magnesium? Thyroid lower than average (T3/T4)? In other words could be physical as well as psychological.

[TrueColours]

Valentina - VERY interesting that you have said this without even seeing the mare

The mare has very deep indents around her eyes (and very noticeable above especially) and when my friend saw her last week, the first thing she said was “Looks like that mare has a thyroid issues”

What can I mention to the owner that she could possibly check on her?

Thanks so much!

[Laurierace]

You can pull blood and test her thyroid levels or you can just put her on thyro-L. That is what all the TB farms do with mares off the track whether you want them to or not.