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In the equine world, managing mares in season has long been accepted as part of the job — unpredictable moods, performance fluctuations, and the hormonal ebb and flow that can make even the calmest horse feel like a firecracker overnight.
But behind the stable doors, there’s a quiet conversation we need to start having: the safety of the people handling these medications.
Veterinarians commonly prescribe Regumate (altrenogest) — an oral synthetic hormone used to suppress a mare’s cycle and stabilise her behaviour or performance during competition. It’s effective, no question. But it comes with serious warnings.
The product label clearly states that women should not handle it without protective gloves, as even minimal skin contact can allow absorption. The risks include disrupted menstrual cycles, infertility, and harm to unborn babies.
Yet this same product is routinely administered in stables across Australia — often by young female stablehands, riders, and grooms — many of whom are unaware of the potential long-term effects. And because hormone disruption can occur quietly, the side effects are often invisible until they’re not — showing up months or years later in ways that are difficult to trace back to a moment in the feed room.
It’s an uncomfortable truth that needs to be voiced. Many stablehands in Australia — the very people feeding, rugging, and medicating our horses every day — are frequently paid below the minimum award wage, often without formal employment contracts, superannuation or access to workers compensation.
Despite being underpaid and underprotected, these workers are expected to handle potent reproductive hormones and controlled substances without comprehensive safety training or protective gear.
When we consider that the equine workforce is overwhelmingly female, this becomes more than an occupational health issue — it’s a matter of gender safety and basic workplace rights.
Suppressing cycles pharmacologically is one approach — but it’s not the only one. Increasingly, horse owners, veterinarians, and behaviourists are exploring hormone-free alternatives that support the mare’s natural cycle rather than override it.
For mares that we never intend to breed from, it may be time to start normalising safe, surgical options such as laparoscopic ovariectomy — a minimally invasive “spay” procedure already commonplace in other species. This can provide a permanent, hormone-free solution for mares whose cycles are particularly disruptive or painful, removing the need for daily hormone handling altogether.
Beyond medical options, it’s also important to understand why a mare’s cycle might cause discomfort or reactivity. Hormonal fluctuations can affect digestion, muscle tone, electrolyte balance, and even carbohydrate metabolism. Some mares may need more magnesium or controlled carbohydrate intake during certain phases of their cycle, while others benefit from support for the gut–liver axis — helping the body process and excrete hormones efficiently.
There’s also compelling science behind the role of light exposure in regulating mares’ cycles. Mares are seasonally polyestrous, meaning their reproductive hormones respond to day length.
Longer daylight hours suppress melatonin and trigger the release of reproductive hormones that initiate cycling.
Breeders have long used artificial lighting programs to safely encourage mares to begin cycling earlier in the season — typically providing 14–16 hours of light daily for 8–10 weeks to mimic spring conditions (Colorado State University Equine Reproduction Lab, 2022; Iowa State University Extension, 2021).
While traditionally used for breeding purposes, consistent light exposure may also help regulate natural cycles without pharmaceutical intervention.
However, these programs are not for cycle suppression and should always be implemented under veterinary guidance to ensure proper timing, light intensity, and welfare considerations.
(Sources: Colorado State University Equine Reproduction Laboratory; Iowa State University Extension; Mad Barn Equine Nutrition, 2024)
This isn’t about rejecting veterinary science or medicated management — it’s about balance, education, and informed consent. No one should have to risk their fertility or long-term health for the sake of daily stable routines.
And no mare should be labelled “difficult” without first asking why. Pain, nutrient imbalance, stress, or simply being misunderstood are often at the root of what we call “mareish” behaviour.
As an industry that prides itself on compassion, horsemanship, and care, we must ask:
If we wouldn’t tolerate these risks or discomforts in another workplace — or another species — why do we accept them here?
It’s time to start prioritising safe handling practices, fair working conditions, and holistic approaches to mare management that respect both the horse and the humans who care for them.
True horsemanship is built on empathy — not just for the horse, but for every person who works quietly behind the scenes. Progress in our industry won’t come from convenience or tradition; it will come from choosing awareness, safety, and kindness in every stable.
Because the way we care for our horses should never come at the cost of our own well-being.
