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Re: [RC] Mares Tying Up - heidiI'm really glad this subject came up as I just returned from my vet after having a meeting with him on what changes to do for my mare who had a really bad tie up 4 miles into a ride last October . I am seriously considering spaying her as it is a cost effective procedure and my mare although she was not in heat at the time of the tie up has very strong heat cycles and will back up to a fence and kick and kick at the other horses across the fence even though they are doing nothing so I am always worried she will hurt herself . Her mother is exactly the same way . Do any of you guys ride spayed mares in endurance ? Do they loose any of their competitiveness ? Or change in any way EXCEPT for the good ? Except for her heat cycles this mare is wonderfull to ride and be around . Two issues here... One, do people ride spayed mares in endurance? Yes, occasionally. The procedure is not all that common. If all goes well, no surgical complications, etc., then there is no reason why she shouldn't do endurance, and do it just as well as she does now. Question two--do you really WANT to spay her?? And there are two parts to this as well... One, there is some risk involved, and you lose the opportunity to breed her in the future. For many mares, I wouldn't be all that concerned about the latter, but Ruffy IS a pretty nice mare... As for the risk--it is not TOO high, in the hands of a veterinarian who does many mare spays, but I've seen some doozies, with mares that have been sent out to be spayed to become jump mares for breeding facilities. It isn't as simple as gelding a colt or spaying your pet dog or cat. The second part of the second question is, will you really gain anything by this? I've seen some spayed jump mares who simply stay in a sort of quasi-heat ALL the time, since there is no hormonal activity to suppress heat. We LOVE these mares at jump facilities, because we don't have to put them on any hormones--they just tease the stallions and let them mount. Granted, more mares will be "out" of heat from being spayed than will do this, but enough of them do this that I don't necessarily recommend it as merely a way to keep them from showing heat as riding horses. Additionally, is this really Ruffy's problem? I know you've been through the whole selenium testing route, etc., and have ruled that out. But I also remember that there was another horse standing right next to Ruffy being treated at the same ride, with exactly the same problem, and that both of you rode out conservatively and are experienced riders. And the other one was a gelding--sure wasn't HIS ovaries causing the problem! The fact that this occurred to TWO horses in pretty much the same circumstances at the same ride, and the fact that you have ridden Ruffy for two years and 500+ miles, even garnering a couple of Top Tens and a BC, I'm not sure that the conclusion to spay her is warranted. I'd keep looking for the needle in the haystack--you've ruled out selenium, but what about calcium, magnesium, carb issues, something at the specific ride, etc.? I'm simply not convinced that mares tie up "just because they are mares" and particularly not when it is only one incident. Just some food for thought... Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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