A $3 Fix?

I have not posted in a while, but wanted to tell everyone about something that made a huge difference in my mare. Pippi has been dealing with cycle pain (back pain, moodyness, spooky, not cycling right) for the last year or so. Had her on Regumate for a few weeks last fall, and may have to go that route again. Tried lots of things....

But in my quest to find anything that could help her, I read about the Equilume lights and the extensive research they did. Mares stop cycling due to lack of sunlight in winter months, and breeders are using these lights to kick start their cycles and control when it happens. So that got me thinking about Pippi...... So I went to my local hardare store, and purchased a $3 full spectrum LED light bulb. My BO installed a timer and my mare is now bathed in white light 12 hours per day if in her stall. (She is obvi turned out too, but with an old tendon injury and a super wet winter/spring that is not as much as we would like some days). So we flipped on the light and crossed fingers. I knew that one sign, beyond a mood change, that it was working, was if she started shedding. All the other horses were, but not her, and the chemical changes in her brain due to more light should trigger that response (if she was high melatonin due to low light that is). In esssence the light should trigger seratonin, which would burn off the sleepy chemical melatonin, which would be causing a foggy brain and moodiness, ie spooky bitchy mare. I am simplifying a bit here. 

Two days later, I walked down the aisle and Pippi rumbled and attempted to go past BO who was cleaning her stall to get to me. Her eyes were soft, and she was just a new active and energized horse. I took her blanket off and she was starting to shed out! I lunged her without any issues. Walked by the flapping tarp and she was fine, where for weeks she has been a loonytoon.
I did not discuss this with a vet before trying, because its a light bulb. Being from the north myself, I know that some people are really bothered by the lack of sun. Turns out my mare is one of them. I am not saying this was her only issue with her cycle, but it helped and I just wanted to share in case anyone else has similar issues going on and access to $3 ;)