Am I going to regret buying a mare!

[Laureltree]

I currently have a yard full of geldings

I’ve found a mare I really really like (3yo warmblood) but it’s 20 years since I’ve owned a mare and a couple of friends have warned against it!!

Will it cause unmanageable chaos on the yard?! Are they really so much more tricky than a gelding?!!

 

[irishdraft]

I've just bought a mare 7 yo not had one for a few years. I have a couple if geldings here & she's next door to them field wise but none of them have kicked off so probably depends on the mare ?

 

[bonny]

I currently have a yard full of geldings

I’ve found a mare I really really like (3yo warmblood) but it’s 20 years since I’ve owned a mare and a couple of friends have warned against it!!

Will it cause unmanageable chaos on the yard?! Are they really so much more tricky than a gelding?!!

Yes, nobody else has them ?

 

[Laureltree]

Yes, nobody else has them ?

Hahaha, I take your point!!

 

[JBM]

I love my mare she definitely has to be head of the herd but she is a horse I’d trust my life with
After I gained her trust she has looked after me through everything
She’s affectionate in her own way and stubborn but would never ever part with her
I have heard tho that sometimes mares feel threatened in a gelding herd because usually it’s one male and a lot of mares
Definitely depends on the mare tho

 

[Bowie]

I didn’t want a mare.Always had geldings. 6 years later I would never be without her! Now I would only look for that ‘lovely person’ regardless. She is kind, funny and not perfect. That suits me fine.

 

[Dexter]

I regretted it and it did cause chaos with my two geldings. I sold her an breathed a sigh of relief when everything settled back down.

 

[Skib]

I started riding about 20 years ago and, apart from my beginner gelding, all my three long term rides have been mares.
The old lesson horse was a grumpy mare whom I eventually shared. My best loved horse was a Connie mare, quick on her feet, clever and a dream come true. My present share is a sturdy mare and after 3 years, today for the first time i felt I was getting a feel for her and she for me.

My RS expereince is that you dont get that feel and interaction with geldings. I always felt they were a bit like riding a typwriter. You pressed the button and could know in advance exactly what would happen. My respected RI told me that was why she owned geldings. That to compete one needs consistency.

 

[maya2008]

I would be cautious about putting one mare in with many geldings, but not about having a mare as a riding horse. I love mares - so loyal, think for themselves and help out so much. For me, geldings are sweet but missing something. Husband and son feel the opposite way though!

 

[Greylegs]

I bought a mare in December, having had a gelding for years before that (still got him - he's retired). She's fine on a mixed yard and stabled next to a gelding with just bars, as opposed to a solid wall - between them - with no problems. She's an opinionated madam, never boring and different every time I see her, but love her to bits and very glad I overcame my mare aversion and took the plunge.

 

[Snow Falcon]

I was always a "gelding person" until I purchased my foundation NF mare. I had 8 mares & 1 gelding at one point. None of mine have been marish (although complete tarts when in season). Personally we used to keep the mares and geldings seperate. I wouldn't discount either now.

 

[FlyingCircus]

I too was not a mare person..until 3 years ago when my mare accidentally came home with me! We had a testing relationship to begin with (everything I asked was met with "but why?"), but now I absolutely adore her and would never wish to be without her.

I have a gelding who I also love, but he is just keen on the job. The mare is far more loving and affectionate in her own way.

 

[Zoeypxo]

I have a mare turned out with 7 geldings, never a problem. She is pretty tough though for a chestnut warmblood!

 

[millikins]

My only doubt would be that your mare may not like being the only female. I have a little herd of 6 ponies, they all get along but usually split themselves into sex based grazing buddies.

 

[JackFrost]

I don't think mares are more tricky than geldings, it's down to the individuals. But you may find your geldings are the ones to create chaos if a 3 year old mare is brought in.

 

[TheMule]

I've been a mare convert for years but, due to circumstances, I now have 3 geldings (shhhh, don’t mention the broodmare and filly foal )
But OMG my life is soooooo much easier. I can take anyone away without even a millisecond of drama. They ride the same every day. They try hard without the opinions.
It’s boys all the way for me now (until the filly is ready to back, then I guess I'm back to mares)

 

[Zoeypxo]

My only doubt would be that your mare may not like being the only female. I have a little herd of 6 ponies, they all get along but usually split themselves into sex based grazing buddies.

mine loves being the only female

 

[silv]

I have had 3 mares, all have been exceptional.

 

[Lucky Snowball]

I love mares But the boys may fight over her. MULTIPLE MAREs with 1 gelding usually works bettr.

 

[mariew]

I love the way I have had to ask politely whenever I ride a mare and often find that they think more and make their own decisions about most things in life. I'm a mare person, I love an opinion! I don't particularly like grumpy unfriendly mares though.

 

[chaps89]

Personally after buying a mare by mistake, I’d always choose to have a mare now if I could.
However I think 1 mare and multiple geldings could cause issues, unless you’d consider another yard for her? Have you spoken to your YO/YM, they may prefer to be a gelding only yard?

 

[Trouper]

I think this is a "piece of string" question. I have always preferred mares but they can vary so much. Some are totally chilled and will not cause issues with geldings but if you get one whose hormones fluctuate then you may have problems.
Can you find out how she is at different times of her season?

 

[Green Bean]

Mares are so much more rewarding than geldings in many ways (not all ways!). When a mare chooses to listen to your side of the discussion it is the best feeling ever. Not sure how your dynamic will work but unless you have a 'riggy' gelding, I would think it will be fine

 

[littleshetland]

Ive had the privilege of owning lots of horses, but if I'm really honest, the 2 best ones were mares.

 

[oldie48]

Purely on the basis of turnout, you may have issues and unfortunately you won't know until you introduce her to the herd. One mare we had lived happily in a group with three, then two geldings. Another mare caused havoc when she was in season, she was mainly OK but one of the geldings got very possessive of her and we had a little section A try to mount her although he was gelded and not a rig.

 

[PurBee]

My broodmare had a mini herd of boys when she was 3yo-10yo, while raising foals, with stallion grazing nearby. She’s great with boys, puts them in their place, but with a 3yo mare, hmmm, around loads of geldings….there may be some games initially, then settle down.
You dont know until you try. my mare is never overtly silly with hormones, i barely know what her cycle is, she’s so consistent in behaviour mostly. I notice the occassional sassy 2 days every 4 months and wonder if its hormones, but other than that, she’s very solid in temperment.

 

[Peglo]

I had 3 mares and my cousin had 1 and a gelding. We couldn’t put another gelding in with them as the small gelding would fight with them. My 3 mares all hated him too and would chase and kick at each other but he would actually fight another gelding.

we intentionally only got mares because of this but I love mares so quite happy for that compromise. But just something to think of.

 

[Cortez]

The best horse I've ever had was a mare, and likewise some of the most difficult horses I've ever had have been mares. I've never had any problems with having mares, geldings and stallions on the yard together. If you get a good mare and gell with her you'll never have a better horse.

 

[Auslander]

I have both here, and keep them separated, mostly because my own horse, a gelding, is convinced he is a stallion, and has all the chat - so the mares think he is too!
If there's going to be drama, it usually happens in the girls field, and I do have to be quite careful to make sure certain mares don;t go out together - or there are fireworks! The boys only argue at feed time, whereas the girls will have a barney if one of them looks at another one the wrong way!
I love most of them, and the only two I'm not keen on are a mare and a gelding, so I don't think I'm biased towards a particular sex!

 

[Annagain]

I think you'll need to think about your turnout arrangements. If they're all on individual, that would probably work or if you have one or two geldings who wouldn't turn into Jean Claude Van Damme around her that she could live with happily that might also be ok but if you have one big herd it might cause problems - more amongst the geldings who might fight over her rather than with her directly.