Why would my mare display stallion behavior?

Question

I have a 3 year old miniature mare. She is pastured with another mare, a gelding, and one sheep. While its not a common occurrence I have observed her displaying territorial stallion behaviors such as investigating a pile of the other mare's f***s, doing a flehmen, then urinating or defecating on the pile. Most recently however she investigated one of the mare's piles, began winking immediately and squatted over the pile like she was standing to be mounted. The other mare is the alpha mare and my mare is the beta. Any explanations on her behavior?

Answer 1

sounds like your mare is trying to take the alpha mare position in the heard. she is trying to put her smell where the other mare's is to make herself seem the more domiant.

Answer 2

I used to work with/ride a mare who had a hormonal imbalance (I forget what gland or whatever was the actual culprit) but she had too much testosterone in her system and would show stallion behavior.  She had surgery to correct the problem, although she was always an alpha mare.  Only a vet could tell if it's something like this, though, but I'm throwing that out there :)

Answer 3

She is displaying signs of wanting to be bred and in charge since no stallion is around

Answer 4

Your mare is in heat and she is getting territorial and becoming different in personality. Or your mare wants to become the alpha mare and be in charge since there is no stallion around.

Answer 5

Im not too sure why, but it could be that she is in season or the mare shes turned out with is in season. Iknow one or two of my mares act weird whilst in season, so it may be that. If it is you can buy suppliments suchas calmers to calm her down. Good Luck With Her. x

Answer 6

She's in season by the sounds of it, they try to mount other mares too.

Answer 7

Maybe she is being the alpha mare. The dominate one.

She could also be ready to mate. Some mares  come on season just with a gelding. My mare comes on season alot when she is sharing a paddock or just next to a gelding

Answer 8

it would be because we have entered the pleasant season of HEAT. Mares tend to do that and go insane. Mares will be mares. They tend to do weird things in heat, sometimes, nobody will never understand.

Answer 9

This is typical behaviour, especially for small ponies when in a mixed herd. Firstly she is showing that she is, or will be the lead mare, and probably sees the gelding as a stallion. If he has not been castrated long, he could still smell of the hormones. Secondly she  would also show this behaviour when in season.

These typical reactions are almost always seen in mixed herds, or herds of young colts.

As long as the behaviour is not overly agressive towards the other herd members you don't have to worry.