Chestnut Mares?

are you horse mad?

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malibu211211

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Our YO has the opinion that every Chestnut Mare is evil
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She has come across ONE in particular that had issues and has now more or less convinced a friend not to buy a horse because it's a chestnut mare
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So opinions please
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horses aren't born evil - they are made evil by humans

I've got 2 and both will put head on your shoulder - generally cuddly - doddle to handle - even by a 5 yr old - just red-headed so a bit hot to ride
 
The three chestnut mares that I've known really well (2 my own, the other as good as!) have all been quirky to say the least, but much more rewarding than my others.
I like the red-headed streak that makes them that bit more fiery, and once you've got a relationship with them, so much more loyal.
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Well, I think that's like saying all men are evil, just because you had one bad experience with a man. Or all dentists are eveil, because you had one bad experience. And I also think if you are expecting a bad experience with an animal you are likely to bring one on.
I am not esp a fan of the chestnut colour. However, I would judge a horse by it's merits and ability and if it suited me I would have a chestnute mare.
 
Before I had my chestnut mare I would only consider bays!!! Just liked bays!!! In the end I decided that I was limiting my choice by only looking at bays so looked at other colours!!!

My chestnut mare is one of the sweetest and kindest horses I have ever had!!! Yes shes had behaviour issues but this is linked to a back problem. She can be sharp and on those days I refer to her as a redhead but I dont really think it has anything to do with her colour! More likely to do with her back issues and breeding.

The only "chestnut" problem Ive had is she is really thin skinned, scars easily and is allergic to creams, stainless steel, etc so I have to skin test things. I also have to have really soft bridles, clean girths and numnahs etc and wash her off well if she sweats.

I'll have to take a piccy of the latest reaction! Pretty horrible but now back under control with salt water!!

Despite my sig I love her to bits and would have another -despite really preferring bays!!! Although she has completely changed my opinion!

Dozzie is just the best!!!!
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One of my best horses was a chestnut mare, quirky old bag but brilliant.

We currently have a chestnut selle francais mare on the yard and she is lovely.

I have the philosophy that any colour is a good colour. We were also told once by Steve Hadleys wife that they would rather have a yard full of chestnut mares than 1 black gelding!

Mares much like stallions are entires. You bully a mare or stallion at your own peril. My old mare I had 12 years and turned down lots of money for. She was quirky but we knew each other inside out, she was an out and out trier. If she stepped out of line you could bring the stick down once but if you slapped her twice she took it as personal and told you to get off!!!! and rightly so.

Far too much predjudice against chestnut mares. Funny people don't seem to mind chestnut mare ponies but you get into horses and they have to be an absolute superstar to sell.
 
Neither, I wouldn't be put off a chestnut mare, but in my expierence they can be quite scatty. But thats just my little expierence of the bad ones which of course I remember because of that. I also have memorys of naughty bay geldings, dun geldings, conamaras etc etc/
 
That is just not true- my mum owns the most relaxed and well behaved thoroughbred chestnut mare (i think they are meant to be the worst!). She is so good and is never mare-ish. The previous owner used to breed her with ID's and sell them to the police cos she was so good natured!
 
Yep, I should have added my chestnut is totally unmareish! The only way you know shes in season is because she has messy back legs but she never flirts with the boys! Unlike our grey sec A who flirts with anything and everything!!!
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god this bugs me! what is the scientific backing behind chestnut mares?! all i can think is that its simply because they're mares and nothing to do with their colour. i used to ride xspiralx's chestnut mare and she was fabulous!
 
My horse i had when i was a teenager was a chesnut mare. She was Queen of the field, but an absolute angel with me. She could be stroppy with other horses and people though.
 
treat them as you would red headed children (or women) - handle with care and they will look after you / play nicely. i shared a chestnut mare for 7 months and i love her dearly but i chose to buy a cob gelding!!!!!!
 
I own a chestnut mare and she hasn't got a bad bone in her body even when she is in season. I can honestly say i have never seen her with her ears back and she loves attention. I have never even seen her being nasty with a horse out in the field. She just wants to be everyones friend.

She can be a bit scatty but that is it and thats what i love about her.
 
Well I have 1 chestnut mare, 1 mutlicoloured mare and 1 bay mare- I'd say the bay is more "typical chestnut" than the chestnut LOL.

Amber (chestnut) does have issues, but man made. Really she is just a big softie, but does have a tendancy to throw her toys out the pram of she cant have her own way.

Septre (bay) is pig-headed, more stroppy and the biggest tart I have known LOL.

Gypsy (multi) is just an old sweetie although is also a bit of a tart.
 
I wouldn't let a horse's colour put me off, it would depend on it's temperament and suitability.

As you know Sharon, I made a mistake buying a certain chestnut gelding, but wouldn't rule them out entirely just because of him. Again I viewed a VERY nutty chestnut TB mare and I also rode a very fizzy chestnut Arab mare but believe these are just individual cases and they shouldn't all be tarred with the same brush. I've had just as much experience of nutty bays!

I didn't vote as I neither love them or hate them
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My Hackney chestnut mare is great!, TBH people thought she would be crazy but she is the friendlyest horse ever. I had a chestnut jumping pony when i was younger, she did have scatty days, but not as much as the other ponies I had at that time
 
I've had two - one was fabulous and wonderful in every way - grade A jumper, bred a fabulous foal, a joy to be around in every way.
The other was EVIL incarnate. She was bought as a professionally produced grade B, but napped badly and refused to load. She was difficult to tack up and was very very sharp. I'm pretty sure she had been mistreated somewhere down the line. But she broke a groom's arm and went over backwards on the yard, and was eventually sold on at a huge loss as an unridden companion (she was fine with horses). I still have a bad feeling about her as I know she had been made that way and maybe I could have helped her.

I'd happily buy a chestnut mare if I found a good one! Colour doesn't mean anything!
 
I believe that the scientific explaination is chestnut horses do have thinner skin and therefore are more sensitive, so I guess badly fitting tack etc. would effect them more than it would any other horse, and obviously the whole mare thing because they 'uncut' as it were!
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Personally a good horse is never a bad colour, and I have a chestnut mare...
 
i love them although my previous chestnut mare did rear i loved her (to add she had all the socks too) but i do not see why people think they are evil?
 
My chestnut mare is fab, if slightly nutty sometimes. She does need sensitive riding and can be as spooky as hell but she has a lovely temperament and is a real softy. And when we do get it right together she is a fantastic ride and as clever as a cat over fences..... just not always!
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I have a chestnut mare, she is a bit of a loon but i think that she would also be if she was a gelding. i do think the fact shes chestnut and thin skinned explains why main pulling is such an issue but other than that shes fine. And blimey can she perform when she wants to!
 
My chestnut mares have been no more difficult from any others including geldings, they all have their own character. Mares are entire so will be prone to hormone changes & you could argue that red heads are hotter. When I was chatting to my farrier last Thurs he said he hated black mares, reckons they are evil. But again my fav mare was black & so was one of her daughters & neither were evil. Their attitude to us will in the main be dictated by their handling, along with their own temperament. So if they have a tendency to be hot & are handled incorrectly then this is going to be emphasised.
 
My chestnut mare was the most beautiful, kind and honest of little mares. She was a good all rounder, would go out with her ears pricked whatever the weather and do what ever you wanted. My current mare (bay) looks at me like you must be kidding if there is even a hint of rain!
Sadly my chestnut was killed when we were hit by a car out hacking or I'd still have her now. She is very sadly missed.
 
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