I have heard of having the vet insert properly sized marbles into your
mare to trick her body into thinking it is pregnant. As a result, no
heat. I think they only last about six to ten months before coming out and
must be reinserted, but it beats chemicals! I would look into this by
asking my vet if I were you. Regumate is expensive as are most chemicals,
and I can't believe that this would be any more expensive and sounds MUCH safer
and easier to deal with.
My best friend did this with a mare that really comes into season hard all
the time. Of course spring and fall transitions are the worst (she colic's
almost every time). We found the marble helped for exactly 2 1/2
months. We could tell to the day. After talking to the vet, he said
that's pretty much the response he'd been getting, if the mare responds at
all. It was relatively new when we tried it, now we know. Between
the expense, and the risk (minor, but still a risk of infection), my friend
decided not to do it again. Of course, even though the marble isn't
tricking her reproductive cycle any more, it's still in there. We're
undecided on whether the expense is worth getting it out. We were under
the impression that she would expel it on her own, and maybe most mares do, but
of course she didn't. Next step will be spaying.
