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I've been tracking my mare's heat to have her bred again. She seems to bleed slightly when she's in heat, or is this a sign she's going out of heat? She should start her heat today, but I don't see any bleeding.

Last Updated: January 05, 2010

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The most used method to tell if a mare is in heat is to use a teasing stallion and tease her. You will not be able to tell from her vulva if she is in heat. A veterinarian can palpate or use ultrasound to determine the condition of the follicular and reproductive tract. She should not be bleeding from her vulva at any time. If she has a bloody discharge from her vulva, she probably has an infection and should be treated by a veterinarian. Mares do not menstruate as human females do, so there should not be blood seen. Her reaction to a stallion will help determine if she is in heat.

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