my first mare

[Sol_Gemma]

I have a new horse :D she will be my third horse, but my first mare :p i'm fine with geldings, cleaning their willys etc but have some mare questions hopefully i can ask on here so don't look like a pratt at the stables :rolleyes:first, how do i know when she is in season? Also i assume her bits need some kind of cleaning, i'm thinking sponging down or something?? :confused:

Thanks

[xxxkristinaxxx]

If shes in season she will usually squirt a lot and be a complete tart, but it does depend on the horse.
And I would probably hose down

[shandy84]

My mare you don't notice when she is in season normally, if she goes to a show and sees lots of geldings she may smell different but is very clean and has never squirted, she isn't mareish or mucky and tbh she gets her bottom sponged off and tail washed once through each season to keep flies away but there is less maintenance than with a gelding

[Sol_Gemma]

cool thanks both :D

[ravenstorrough1]

You may notice stronger smelling urine when she is in season if she isn't more obvious/mareish.

Also her udder will need to be cleaned but the build up won't come off with a hose down - her udder will get a build up of oily black stuff, much like geldings and I pick it off - some mares won't like you picking it off so you may need to use udder cream and let it soften before rubbing off with a soft damp cloth.

Just be careful when you first touch her - stand beside her girth area and reach forward just incase she doesn't like it and kicks out! Good luck ;)

[JustJas]

I have never owned a gelding the sheath cleaning put me off.
I love mares. Echo everything said so far- she may also be a bit ticklish around the back end in season and coming in/out of it. They can also be very intersted in the boys and refuse to walk forward when ridden if they find a particularly fine one... saying that my pony mare just planted her self for anything taller than her LOL!
With a mare you know the quirks of they are brilliant- a real partnership.
Enjoy!