There is a relatively new compounded prescription product available – generic Regumate (Altrenogest) – made by BET Pharmacy (http://www.betpharm.com/micro.htm). It creates a new option to give an IM injection every 30 days instead of daily oral dosing.
The new IM option is ~$80/month including shipping, so comparable in cost to the oral. I wanted to share my mare’s & my experience with it in an effort to inform others of this option. I actually read about it here on some more general discussions about Regumate but it was somewhat buried in other threads, so I thought it was worth its own post. Sorry this is LONG but I was documenting it for my own records anyway, so I thought perhaps the detail would be helpful to others.
Some background: I have an 11 y.o. Dutch WB x TB mare that I got as a 3 y.o. She has always had very ‘noticable’ heat cycles in terms of the peeing/squirting/general lack of modesty :o. However, last year she started getting much more uncomfortable/painful during her cycles – to the point where I had to bute her for a few days to keep her comfortable. I had a full ultrasound and bloodwork done in October and everything came back normal, thankfully. So, we left it that I’d try Regumate or depo in the spring.
Fast forward to spring and as I was researching Regumate, I came across the new IM option and decided to try it. I’m at a wonderful boarding barn but with the handling issues with the liquid oral (everyone at the barn who feeds is young & female), the once a month IM was so much more realistic.
None of the vets I use had personal experience with the IM altrenogest, so I am the official guinea pig in this particular area. It has now been almost 5 months of using it and I’ve been VERY, VERY pleased. To the point I wish I’d done it years ago.
My mare had her first shot on the evening of 5/8. BET indicates it takes ~4 days to be fully effective. I took her to a schooling show on 5/10. One thing that was an unexpected difference is she didn’t whinny once all day. There were 2 geldings we trailered with and they were calling pretty consistently throughout the day and it was so nice to finish the experience with my full hearing abilities 
!
Over the next few days, something interesting happened: she became noticeably looser in her back. To the point I put her on the lunge to watch her move because it felt so different. Over 3-4 days, she went from the ‘normal’, fairly supple way she has always moved, to a very loose (almost too much so) way of going in her back and hind end. Then, finally, to a new, more supple and balanced/elastic/athletic yet strong movement. This has been maintained for the ~5 months since she first started on it.
This physical change + the lack of pain/discomfort when she cycles + the general behavioral improvements have all led to major progress in her rideability and trainability. We’ve had a breakthrough season this year and I attribute at least 50% of our improvements to the Regumate. This thread is not a ‘brag’ but for purposes of providing some ‘measurement’ of our improvement, we have gone from consistent low-mid 40’s for our dressage rides at recognized events to consistent low to mid 30s.
She’s built pretty downhill and I can get her so much more off then forehand and carrying behind vs. rushing than I’ve been able to before. She’s also more relaxed both physically (not holding in her back and neck) and mentally (settled immediately when we get to a show or new venue - not as ‘tuned in’ to what EVERYONE else is doing) and for the first time, I consistently “get the same horse” I ride at home when we go somewhere. This has been a HUGE and very welcome change.
We’re moving up from Novice to Training in a few weeks with her jumping being much more balanced, pretty effortless feeling, up to schooling 3’6", and scopier than ever before.
In a nutshell, I think the Regumate has enabled us to progress better than we’ve been able to before because it’s helped eliminate some underlying physical and mental issues that were rooted in her hormone levels.
Our relationship has always been very good and she’s always been enjoyable to ride. But I can honestly say I’ve never had so much fun with her as the past 5 months. 99+% of our work is positive, there are minimal resistances, even when we’re working on something new or harder and it’s a such pleasure to know that day in and day out, we’re going to have a pretty great ride and make steady progress.
There’s no one solution for everyone and I know there are very valid arguments against using Regumate. But, for us, it has been a really positive change and I wanted to pass along this info in the hopes it gives others another option to consider.
Happy riding-
Jocelyn
