Are mares really that bad?!

I've had loads of mares and they've all been lovely, even the bossy old bat I have here now isn't nasty, the grumpiest, most self-opionated, awkward horse I've ever had was a bottle reared gelding.

I think it's like people, luck of the draw, some are naturally grumpier/bossier/braver/more shy than others, sex, colour, breed doesn't matter, we all have bad days and PMT doesn't count. I'd look at a mare before a gelding if I was horse hunting but that could be because I can't breed from a gelding!
 
Until recently I would always have mares over geldings, as once you have a mare on side you are laughing. I also find they are so much more rewarding. The only downside to mares is when they are having a bad day they normally go all out.

Bailey is my first gelding, and after a string of mares I have to say I am swaying.... The consistancy is fab and not something I am at all used to.

They say you ask a mare, tell a gelding and discuss it with a stallion. It couldnt be more true
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I have three mares and they are all proppets, certainly wouldn't swap any of them for a gelding and I have one of those too and he is the grumpiest......
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how often are they in season? do they become mad and unrideable or nasty?

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Despite my username (suited to me as much as the horse) mine is just grumpy on the ground but lovely to ride - she always pulls faces at other horses in the school because she's always been territorial. The only difference in season time is that she can be difficult to catch (the monty roberts technique always works!)

There are two geldings at our yard that I can think of that lash out with their hind legs without warning and have to be led everywhere in chiffneys (and they are teenagers riding club horses) - yet everyone is so quick to comment on the 'moody mares'!

TBH I prefer the spirit that alot of mares have and would rather have to cope with the quirks of one than have to clean a gelding's willy, anyday!!!
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Not necessary, you just ask gently and ask once and you will normally get a response.
If I ask Megan or Chess to do something- they do it- if I try and force either of them into doing it I would be there all day. They will always go for the last word.
 
Hmm, I'd say quite the opposite. I could bribe my geldings, you can't bribe my current mare
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or many of the others I've owned. I'd say respect - sounds a bit tacky, I know. I really do think there's truth in the saying quoted above and that I "ask" my mare... thinking about it it's very definitely the difference in how my farrier would even speak to Star compared to the boys I had.
 
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You tell a gelding what to do!
You ask a mare and
Discuss it with a stallion!

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Or the alternative, I was always told, you "reason" with a stallion
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so whats the best way to ask a mare? Bribary?!!

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Negotiation is the key! There are very few things I have to negotiate with mine on apart from grooming - she hates it before a ride but loves it afterwards...wierd!
Lunging can be a bit of a battle - if I ask her to go 'out' and point the stick at her she comes at me with a look of 'P**S OFF!!!!!' on her face. But I don't think it's cos she's a mare, necessarily.
 
I have geldings at the moment, but in the past ive had a few mares and it all depends on the mare. we had one who was a total nightmare when she came into season, when she wasnt in season she was a lovely mare, could catch her easily, do anything with her etc, when in season she turned into a raving lunatic that took 3 hours to catch, couldnt be tacked up as she would try and kill you if you did and would flatten you in the stable.
The other mare i had was an absolute sweetheart and even when she was in season was a wonderful kids pony.

Id never let the fact that it was a mare put me off looking at a horse, but i wouldnt want one that was particularly mareish.
I also couldnt get a mare with the current ponies ive got as 2 of them were cut late (one at 4 and one at 8) and last time we introduced a mare into the field we had all out war between the 2 geldings which ended in a kick which cut into an artery. the mare had to be moved off the yard as through no fault of her own she was causeing havoc.
 
Agree above, I just think as a horseman/ women you need to be more in tune with a mare. Maybe that's why some people don't get on with them, they lack patience and that intuition.
 
Is it an arab mare that you are going to see?

Just one little thing to add - I agree about the negotiating with mares bit, I have also found (and please feel free to disagree with me arab experts, but arab knowledge is limited to only a few horses I have encountered) that you have to negotiate with arabs, mares or geldings. Not that they are diffucult, but there is a way of asking (rather than telling) them what you want them to do - they can be very sensitive. So you will have to negotiate either way - mare or gelding,...

I had a fantastic partnership with a mare I had although she pulled some awful faces when I was tacking her up!
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WIDGET!! I wondered where you had gone! Yes it is an Arab mare - chestnut, has raced and bred 3 foals...she sounds lovely though so am going to have a look. Although Trooper might still think he's a stallion...
 
He he, I was just about to post that we have 3 mares and one gelding...who happens to be arab!
My husband's ISH mare isn't mareish at all so far, but we only got her in the autumn so haven't had much experience with her seasons yet (although he rode her regularly before we bought her and never noiced a difference). My old trakhener is a chestnut mare, and is the sweetest girl ever, not particularly affectionate but I think thats probably due to her past (she was whacked around the head a few times before I got her and used to be very headshy). She gets a tiny bit hyper when in season but is NEVR bargy or arguementative! The companion pony is a grumpy little thing, makes faces all the time but if you actually go and say hello her ears pop forwards and she licks you to death!
So my arab gelding, who defies most 'arab' stereotypes (ie he is a real allrounder, totally chileed to work with, never hyper to handle etc), does conform to that one, in that you definately have to ask not tell! If you try to bully him, you'll soon hit the dirt! Trying to boss him around just makes him evade you in every way possible!
So yes, my arab gelding is more mareish than any of the 3 mares!
 
i have a Arab mare and she has the most wonderful temperament I have ever seen in a horse (honestly I am not biased, people who have met her only once have said so) she is sensitive but that is a good trait i think... My mare isn't affectionate if you request the affection but she does surprise you sometimes which makes it allot more special...
 
no they aren't - the art is in the feeding - lots of fibre and short chop fodder

mares also seem to need higher oil based feeds than geldings - not just to look 'well' but to behave as if they feel well

when I've not fed my mares (all sorts) enough oil based feed they've been stroppy (from welsh pony up to tb X horse) but I now feed all the mares Alfa-A Oil and I've got NOT a bit of problem

so fibre and oil - and on a bad day - magnesium calmer (not valerian based - those seem to work on geldings but the mares seem to 'fight' thru them).
 
I tend to think that there is not that much difference between a mare and a stallion and they should be dealt with with the same consideration. All hormones and more sensitive than a gelding. Sometimes you are lucky, as you are with Stallions, however in general I find them to be more sensitive than geldings, more hormonal, more quirky.

Thats only my opinion though!
 
I have only ever dealt with geldings - but last year i had a mare to bring back into work.
I definately found a difference, but not a bad one!
She was a very loving mare, even more so when she was in season!
One thing i found was that you needed to work more in a patnership with her whereas with Ash, he works for me. I don't mean that to sound as bad as it does - i don't boss him around - but i'm more in charge!
 
I've had 3 mares, only one was a bit moody in season and she was a chestnut. I have also known moody chestnut geldings, so I think thats more of a 'red head' thing than a mare thing. The mare I have had for the past 3 years isn't moody with people when in season. She is a bit more 'jumpy' and 'away with the fairies' - but so am I when I'm hormonal and she tends to be irritable with boys (geldings) - as I am when hormonal!

I much prefer mares to geldings. I find they have more character (in a good way), probably because they are entire
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so whats the best way to ask a mare? Bribary?!!

[/ QUOTE ] No you just ask. i.e. you give the aid for what you want and if you don't get it you just keep asking, rather that 'shout' the aid (e.g. use a crop). Generally, she will decide to oblige, but if you 'shout' she may stubbornly refuse or have a drama.

You can actually 'tell' my mare up to a point, but you don't usually need to and if the 'shout' is too loud, she will get very upset so you won't have her concentration anyway.
 
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