Using a Phantom Mare Sexually Transmitted Diseases Stallion Search Stallion Vices Abnormal Heat Cycles Abnormal Heat Cycles Mares exhibit a great deal of individual variation in their heat cycles. It is important to know and watch your horse and understand these variations. Abnormal heat cycles can cause failure to breed, failure to conceive and infertility. Most mares cycle at regular intervals of 21 to 23 days but some cycle at shorter or longer intervals.
Many mares posses a known imbalance in their hormonal make-up.
This imbalance shows up often and causes the follicle-stimulating phase and the luteal phase to be off . If you feel you are dealing with an abnormal heat cycle in a mare the first thing to do is to try and determine whether she is ovulating. The best way to do this is to have a veterinarian examine the mare and palpatate the female reproductive tract. During breeding season this exam should be carried out by your veterinarian on a regular basis about 2 or 3 times a week. Abnormal heat cycles most often occur when a mare is going into winter anestrus or coming out of it.