Chestnut mare stereotypes

[ycbm]

As a very generalised thing I would say that all animals with a bright red coat colour seem to me too have a wee bit more about them than other colours. If you add female hormones to that in horses, compared with neuter geldings, and add the improvement we've made in understanding horse behaviour, then it's easy to see where the stereotype came from hundreds of years back.
.

 

[Cortez]

By the way, it's only in the UK that I have ever heard of chestnut mare stereotypes. As far as I know, there aren't any chestnut mare stereotypes in France (we've got plenty of other ones, I'm sure).

This ^^^. In Denmark they say grey horses are spookier, and hence you can sometimes get a nice grey for less than it would be worth in another colour. I've only ever heard the chestnut mare thing in the UK.

There is a speculation that it may have originated with a certain TB line that tended to produce feisty temperaments, and chestnut is a dominant colour if linebred (chestnut to chestnut will always produce chestnut), but I don't really believe that is true.

 

[tiahatti]

My old mare Hatti was the sweetest quietest mare ever.

 

[Palindrome]

I always thought it was just a stereotype.. but my mare bought a chestnut mare 8 months ago and she is the stereotype to the T! ? she wanted a gelding but could only find mares for sale.

Oh, I wish my mare would buy me a chestnut mare.

I can second that in France there is nothing against chesnut mares, on the contrary French chestnuts are the British bays.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Oh, I wish my mare would buy me a chestnut mare.

I can second that in France there is nothing against chesnut mares, on the contrary French chestnuts are the British bays.

Haha - my friend* oops!

 

[exracehorse]

I have a chestnut mare with flaxon mane and tail. Welsh x. She has a split personality depending on her mood. Loving one day. Grumpy the next. Very strong willed. Thrives on work. Quite hot. She’s five now. She can throw some scary faces

 

[Zoeypxo]

My chesnut mare is sharp but a lovely nature
Ive met sharp coloured cobs!
ime ive always found palomino/dun rather fiesty types

 

[WelshHoarder]

Our (liver) chestnut mare is very definitely opinionated, and certainly has an attitude that’s bigger than her 13.2 body. But then she’s a Welsh C - so that probably counts for a lot more than her colour ?. And she’s an absolute superstar really, I wouldn’t change her for the world. Her cheek and sass is so much a part of her, and underneath she’s a teddy bear.

I knew two chestnut mares who definitely fitted the stereotype in the late 80’s/early 90’s when I was growing up, a small TB who was sharp but amazing to ride, but an absolute cowbag to handle on the ground, and a chestnut Arab who saw ghosts, could spin and drop her shoulder without warning, and was essentially a clone of Shantih in the 80’s Jinny books. Probably why I loved her so much in spite of her being slightly crackers.

Back then both were just shrugged off as ”chestnut mares” with the accompanying eye roll. Now, there would probably be a lot more understanding about the behaviour of them both. None of which would be to do with their colour I’m sure.

 

[Xmasha]

The worst horse I have ever owned was a chestnut mare . She nearly killed me . But , the best horse I’ve owned to date was a chestnut mare .
So I’d say it’s nonsense.

The trickiest horse I’ve had to date was a bay gelding .