Are all mares unaffectionate??

A

amanda1788

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 December 2007
Messages
204
Visit site
Basically I am going to be looking for a new horse in the future and wondered are mares mostly always unaffectionate and mareish? I have had a mare breifly before I got my gelding and she was very unaffectionate and would kick or bite if she had the chance. So basically do cuddly friendly mares exist? Thanks
 
My section a mare is the biggest cuddle monster ever! She follows me like a puppy, goes to sleep when I groom her, runs to greet me when I go to the field and scratches me back when I scratch her withers. She is so gentle and loves affection. I have known mares that are unaffectionate but also mares who are, I think you have a pretty good chance of finding an affectionate mare :)
 
I met a girl once,she was nasty-are all human females that way? ;)
Horses are as different as we are and how affectionate they are(or are not) has nothing to do with gender.
 
I have three girlies, all completely different characters, but one thing in common - they are very snuggly!

I also think the 'mareish' thing becomes more of a problem if they don't have much contact with geldings.
One of my girls is a complete slapper and comes in season if anyone so much as looks at her, but she lives with two geldings and doesn't play up or get squealy at all. You just wouldn't want to walk too close behind her or you get squirted :eek:
 
Of course they can be affectionate! Also you get some horrible geldings!!

All horses are different no matter whether they are a gelding or mare. I know some affectionate mares and some very unaffectionate geldings. My mare was not very affectionate and a huge cow when I first got her. Once we had bonded and clicked she is absolutely lovely...but only with me :) which I quite like.
 
Last edited:
Definitely not! I do know quite a few mares who are mareish and grumpy but I also know quite a few sweet mares who you can build up a really good bond with. Mares tend to be one to one horses but it is true that once you gain the trust from one, they will do anything for you! I had a really affectionate mare on loan about six years ago and she was lovely and never mareish. I also looked after a lovely mare a couple of years ago and became really attached to her because she was so affectionate.

I definitely wouldn't rule out a mare altogether, although the individual temperament does depend on the individual horse.
 
I have 3 (soon to be 4) and they are all softies, I think horses sometimes can be what you make them/want them to be.
When one of my mares came here she hated any sort of fuss but now she comes for some attention.
 
both my girls are cuddle monsters to a degree. Toffee often comes over while poo picking and snuggles up on my back or shoulder. Samba always comes over with a whinny and a snuffle in my ear. However they are limited and then walk off unlike my boyf cob who just becomes your shadown while im in the field lol. All of them all like a groom and a cuddle I cant do grumpy horses.
 
I have a very affectionate little mare, she loves her cuddles. Also got a very unaffectionate mare, who can just about tolerate a hug if no one else is around and it doesnt last longer than a few seconds!!! Neither are grumpy in any way, shape or form
 
My daughter's mare is quite affectionate to her, she's kind of a one woman horse in that way, but it took her quite a long time to be that way. I have a love-hate thing going on with her, sometimes I could gladly make her into a kebab and other times i find her enchanting.

She can be very moody mare-ish, she can be stubborn and exasperating, but she can also be extremely rewarding and will try her heart out when she feels like it.
 
I've had 2 mares - my old mare was sweet natured and affectionate, she could be tarty when in season but was never nasty. Current mare is unaffectionate and grumpy most of the time but becomes all lovey dovey when in season. She is quite a strange horse and not typical of mares in general I would say.
 
Not at all. I click much better with mares than geldings. My mare used to gallop up to me when I saw her, and would happily come for cuddles!

However, she did have her 'moments' lol :p
 
Mares in general are one-person horses. Maybe two at a push if the second one carries oodles of sweets, as my dad found out. My mare doesn't cuddle but she will occasionally rest her cheek against mine and I think this is a real sign of friendship. She's not mareish whether in season or not, she was shut down for a long time when she first came too. She's not vocal, but her expression shows when she's pleased to see me.
 
my girls are great love a good cuddle, and follow me everywhere just for a cuddle and good scratch. they can be marish with each other but always good to me, it all depends on the mare really some are right wee madams and others is great.
 
Lacey was always a grump and never liked cuddles until I went away last sunday until thursday.

When I came back she has been a hug monster since and won't leave me alone, turned out after a few days of me going she was being a bit of a baggage until I came home.

I just hope she carries on being loveable Lacey and not leave me alone Lacey.
 
Cuddly friendly mares definitely exist - I have a lovely one! But I have found that you have to work a little harder to earn your stripes with a mare, the ones I have had have 'withheld' themselves for much longer than any gelding, but they have all been the sweetest characters and very partial to appropriate cuddles. And my best mares have always got me out of some seriously nasty potential spots of bother, both under saddle and in the field, for example when I moved a mare to a new yard and another mare in her turnout group took a serious dislike to her, the latter mare would just charge my mare; even if I'd just put the rope on my mare and this happened she'd give me 'that look', so I knew to slip the rope, she'd take off like a rocket in a loop away from me with the aggressive mare in chase, outrun her, straight back to me, rope clip on, and out the gate we'd go. If that's not a sign of a good partner, I don't know what is!

Mares rock, IMO - they keep you humble and keep you in awe.
 
My mare is far more affectionate than my gelding, who in reality would prefer not to be touched at all, if possible. She loves attention, being scratched and brushed and runs to call in the field. However she appears to prefer my OH to me. He spends ages with her and she seems to like it, however she seems to just tolerate me as I am the food provider!
 
We've had 9 mares and one gelding. The gelding had a nice placid temperament and always looked after us but you could not call him affectionate.
Every-one of the mares has been affectionate in her own way. The TBXWelsh, who was actually the grumpiest on occasion, would kiss over the stable door, by smacking her lips and making a 'mwah'-type noise- mind you she would also put her ears back and pull a face if you had your back to her, then as you turned round she put her ears forward, so that you wouldn't see her!
 
absolutely not .i have 3 and they are all affectionate .my warmblood would let me hold her head in my hands and cuddle her all day .she talks to me constantly and is gorgous.
 
Definitely not, my mare adores me, my kids, my partner, she "helps" me pooh pick, don't get me wrong she can be a grumpy old bag too! Scowls at people she doesn't know, used to terrorise my mum-in-law, who owned her before me! Today, I popped my head round the corner, called her name, and she whinnied, and galloped to the gate to come in for a cuddle, and a groom, bit miffed when she realised she had to work too!:)
 
depends what side of the stable mine gets out of :p she is never mareish as in 'ears back and I hate you!' but some days she will groom me and come straight up for cuddles and fuss, when I walk near her she whinneys a greeting etc. but there are other day (only a few) when she refuses to be caught and acts all divaish and aloof!!


Those are the days I threaten I'll turn her into glue ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top