Medical research shows there is no reason why you shouldn't ride on your period. In fact, being outdoors and exercising can boost your happy hormones (dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin). Plus, if you've been horse riding for years your mind and body will be used to the movements.
Broadly recently conducted an investigation to determine what type of pets are most skilled at sniffing out someone's menstrual cycle, and the results might actually surprise you. It turns out that both cats and dogs are able to detect menstruation by odor and hormonal levels.
What experienced horsewomen say. Women who have worked extensively with many different stallions on a regular basis tend to agree that, from their own experience, there's no difference in how stallions behave towards them when they are on or off their period.
Choose your menstrual method wisely
If you choose sanitary menstrual pads, we recommend using them only for short rides as they may cause UTI (Urinary Tract Infection). Tampons are a better choice for equestrians, as long as you can place them correctly so that they don't cause discomfort while riding.
The cervix of a mare, when in estrus (“heat”), is relaxed and has a glistening red appearance when viewed through a speculum. Often the relaxation is such that the cervix appears flattened and lying on the vaginal floor. Penetration of the cervical lumen is very easy at this time.
And on a practical experience level, we know of no evidence that stallion behavior is affected by menses of a handler. The question of working safely around stallions during menses might stem from some of the old-fashioned ideas in some cultures about what women should be doing when menstruating.
Horses can smell you are on your period.
They have a strong sense of smell and would be able to smell the blood. They can also smell hormones and pheromones. The smells of being on your period are a sign that you are not in season for mating.
Most horses aren't cuddly or eager for contact. But women develop loving and even romantic feelings towards horses—because the connection with the horse is how a woman's psychological gifts enable her to gain beauty, grace, swiftness and strength.
Many experts agree that horses do, in fact, remember their owners. Studies performed over the years suggest that horses do remember their owners similar to the way they would remember another horse. Past experiences, memories, and auditory cues provide the horse with information as to who an individual is.
This is because those people are excreting a higher level of pheromones. So even when a dog is familiar with their owner, if that owner is menstruating or just had a baby, they are letting off a different smell and the dog wants to know why.
“Dogs are scent-driven creatures,” said Kate Mornement, an Australian animal behaviorist and consultant. “They experience their world predominantly through their sense of smell. When a woman is on her period she probably just smells different, which is interesting to the dog.”
It's natural for dogs to sniff crotches—it's a form of communication and information gathering. In the canine world, sniffing is the primary way dogs learn about their environment and the people and animals in it.
Although horseback riding involves moving up and down, and doing splits puts pressure on your groin area, these activities do NOT change the hymen. The only exceptions are some injuries such as falling on a sharp object in a pool, bathtub, or a water slide, or a water skiing accident.
Why do horses sniff your hand? Horses greet each other by smelling, and shake hands by sniffing noses. Horses smell people, objects, and food to determine whether, good, friendly, or obnoxious. They also sniff and smell things they are fearful about.
The most technical term for a person who loves horses is a hippophile (from 'hippo,' meaning horse, and 'phile,' meaning one that loves). A lot of people also use the term equestrian when referring to someone who loves horses. What is this? You also may hear terms like horse-enthusiast, horse-crazy, or horse-fanatic.
The researchers conclude that, assuming a similar riding ability between riders, there is no fundamental difference in a horse's stress responses elicited by male and female riders.
Are they really as gender-neutral as we've come to believe? Research has so far failed to find any differences in the way horses respond to male and female humans — not just during ridden work, but also when handled.
Because it can detect your stress and wants to make you feel better. Cats know that cuddling makes humans happy: they can "decipher" changes in their owner's body when it happens.
Female cats in particular can pick up on emotions and when the owner isn't feeling well. It may be PMS and stomach cramps she can sense and is comforting you. I've heard that cats know when you're pregnant as well.
It's very possible horses can sense when a woman is pregnant by smelling the change in pheromones and hormones. Whether horses actively realize you are pregnant or are just reacting to the smells of pregnancy, it is hard to tell because we can't talk with them and get a clear answer.
You'll need to wear something for protection, and you pretty much have three choices nowadays: a pad, a tampon, or a period cup. A lot of dancers find it most convenient and comfortable to wear a tampon, but some girls, especially younger girls, opt to wear a thin pad.
Conclusion. There is no definitive answer to the question of whether horses like being ridden. While some horses seem to enjoy the companionship and the attention that they receive from their riders, others may find the experience to be uncomfortable or even stressful.
The most likely reason that mares lie down after mating is because they are overwhelmed and need to rest to bring their heart rate back down to normal levels. Stallions can be aggressive and hyperactive when courting and mating, and horses are socially sensitive creatures.