[GeM]

OK well...anyone with a mare please help me out! I feel so stupid right now.
I have had geldings all my life, up till last October when I bought my first mare. My mare is a miniature, so she is easier to handle when in heat. Thank goodness. I have friends who have show mares who are such a pain when they are in heat! Can't imagine riding one of the moody ones during that time of the month.
Anyway, now for the question. I am always washing her tail because she defecates in it. I have heard it being called "mares tail". Is there anything I can do about this besides washing it?
Also, how often do you have to clean the teets? Right now I am cleaning them about once a month? Is that too little? Too much?

Any help would be great. I would appreciate it! Thanks in advance.

[Moostang]

I have never heard of a "mares tail" but if it gets really bad around her heat cycles then you can always wrap her dock lightly in vet wrap. But look on the bright side.. winter is comming so the heat cycles will be less and less if you even notice them. Luckly my mare is not bad at all.
I have had my mare for about 15 years.. I used to clean her udders 1x a month when she was young, but as she as gotten older I am doing it once a week with sheath cleaner because she has gotten really bad. It really hard to say how often you should clean, it is really going to depend on the mare and her environment. You want to get to it before it get crusty and they start rubbing their tail. When you clean 1x a week are you getting a lot of stuff off?
Oh, and watch out when cleaning... some mares get a bit ticklish when you start cleaning and might kick, not to be mean, but it like if someone was tickling you she just wants you to stop. And if you ever let it go for a while without cleaning and you know it is bad, sheath cleaner works great!

[Debbie Kelly]

Lucky me, I've got 5 mares in my care. One of them is a true lunatic when she's in heat AND she's gray! Her tail gets washed and conditioned everyday. As for teats, they get cleaned when needed---some of my girls are tidier than others

[GeM]

Thanks Moostang and Debbie Kelly.

Moostang: Nothing comes off when I clean her teets. Her teets are rather clean. She does get tickleish, but I go slow so she doesn't get too mad. I will try sheath cleaner. I think that will help get the dirt\grime off better than water.

Debbi: I am glad to know I am not the only one with a yellow tail! Thanks.

[Cowgirl2135]

I have a mare, and I can't tell when she is in heat. They only way to tell when she in heat is when my stallion see her and he goes crazy. I can't tell at all.
I clean about once a month and wrap her tail when vet wrap.

[Dawn]

I clean Reno every time I see her. I'm not sure exactly how she gets that dirty, but it doesn't matter if she's clean as can be, an hour later, she's dirty.