Horses have different names depending on their gender. A foal can be referred to as a filly foal or colt foal. A male horse is referred to by various terms depending on its particular stage of life.
In horse racing forms, a male racehorse between two and four years old is listed as a colt unless castrated; then, it is listed as a gelding.
Once it reaches five, it is listed in the racing forms as a horse. In the photo above, the horses are listed by color, gender, and age. Number 4 is a 5-year-old bay horse, and Number 5 is a 4 yr. There are many other possibilities of the etymology of the word colt. When a filly reaches maturity at five, she will be called a mare. Newborn females may be called filly foals , and as they age, weanling fillies and yearling fillies. These combinations provide their gender and stage in life.
Other sexual behavior may be exhibited as well. There is a list of things to know about how to handle the mare. First of all, never approach from behind. This is unwise in any case, but especially around a mare in heat.
When grooming, start at the head and neck, rather than the flanks. They will be more sensitive now. Mares in heat may also feel some pain; not unlike the cramping women may feel during their menses. If that happens, the vet may suggest you give her a pain reliever.
There are some that are especially for horses and gentle enough to use. The last question is when does a mare stop having heat cycles. Like older women, the exact time is not going to be uniform.
The official age given is usually at about the age of twenty. Horses can live up to thirty years , so it is not unlike menopause. Again, this will depend. Some may stop at the age of eighteen, and a few may be younger. Some may also be older, even up to about twenty-two years old. However, as a mare gets older, there is much less likelihood of pregnancy resulting from heat.
If you are new to horse ownership or this is your first mare, it is wise to talk to the previous owner and to your vet. They can give you an idea as to what to expect and how to deal with it. The vet can go over options if you wish to avoid heat and which is the best way to handle the situation. Why would someone want to mess with the cycle of a mare? Just as there are for human women, there are many reasons.
As mentioned below, showing a mare in heat may be somewhat problematic. There are bound to be plenty of other horses and some may be stallions. On top of that, having a mare exhibit some of the symptoms of being in heat while attempting to show could be disastrous. She was not submissive at all. She showed none of the normal submissive actions that a yearling would show. Your help would be greatly appreciated. A: Fillies mature sexually as early as the yearling year, but it can depend on the season.
Those born early in the year might cycle and be fertile as early as months of age May-June of the yearling year. Foals born in late fall might miss cycling on the yearling year because the length of daylight affects the cycle.
The best management for prevention of early, unwanted pregnancy is to separate colts and fillies by the yearling year. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.
Start your free account today! Username or Email Address. Remember Me. He joined the faculty at the University of Florida in and was involved in teaching, research, and administration until He died in after a lengthy illness. When are Fillies Fertile? Favorite Share:. Create a free account with TheHorse.
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