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Shetland ponies grazing on a Highland hillside in autumn light
Autumn Hormones and Horse Behaviour: What the Science Says equine behaviour equine welfare hormones horse behaviour horse care seasonal behaviour Sep 28, 2026

Why your horse may seem different this autumn

Quick answer: As days shorten, horses go through a predictable hormonal shift. Rising melatonin, a natural surge in the stress-axis hormone ACTH that peaks in late September and early October, changes in insulin sensitivity and, in mares, the end of the...

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