Ginger mares' reputation: fact or fallacy? Discuss!

trying to get a straight forward answer to this is impossible. Too many variables, in that one persons sharp is another persons ideal off the leg type. Plus how many people other than Janet George and other large breeders, have really had enough direct experience with enough colours / genders to make an informed decision.

I personally think its nonsense. Ive had 4, all have been very different. But then they would be, all different breeds, different ages etc etc.

I love the colour, and I love mares. Of the 4, none have had issues with skin sensitivity
 
growing up, my favourite pony at the RS was a late gelded chestnut Welsh C, who was a bit mad but I thought he was brilliant and he seemed to share my enthusiasm in thinking he was great.
RS also had a few chestnuts, there was a chestnut mare who was very grumpy and didn't like other horses, but she was safe for beginners and was fine in the stable to handle, although she did try and buck me off once during a lesson but it was very out of character. The other chestnuts they had were all geldings, apart from one older mare who was one of the kindest and gentlest horses I've ever met.

If chestnuts are more sensitive, I don't know, but the ones I have met have all had their individual characters and interestingly it was the palomino mare who was the one that was known to bite or kick in the stable and was a bit of a sensitive grouch.
 
My jumping pony was chestnut and she was fizzy, but that was all. She wasn't overly sensitive or nasty by any means! My jumping chesnut horse however was extremely sharp and fizzy, she was a lovely person on the floor though and never nasty, just sensitive.
 
I think it is an old wives tale. I love a chestnut mare, just prefer mares in general but would pick a chestnut over another colour if everything else was equal. I always think it is a case of a 'bad workman blames his tools' . It belongs in the bin with the 'typical tb', 'typical arab' etc. Just blaming an animal for their lack of education and understanding/ care.
 
I learnt to ride on a TB ginger mare, a gentle soul and very willing but would put her foot down if she thought you were being unreasonable. She was also bat****crazy (in a fun way :D ) if going faster than a trot out hacking. I adored her. I'll have no issues veiwing ginger mares when buying in the near future.
 
Old wives tale.

Yes, the red gene *in humans* is related to poor pain killer and anaesthesia tolerance but that gene is not at all related to the chestnut genes in horses. Anecdotally, my chestnut mare is the sweetest girl I've ever met, a total contrast to my crazy grey mare. If the red gene made a difference in horses it would affect 50% of all horses simply because the genetics of coat color in horses work off the "black" and "red" alleles only. All other colors are a dilution of these two.

Mares are generally felt to be more sensitive than geldings and there may be something to that considering the hormonal and herd behavior differences, but color has no effect.
 
I've never owned one, but I used to adore riding a funny little chestnut Anglo-Arab mare when I was a kid. Everybody else on that yard thought she was grumpy and 'mareish', but I never had a moment's bother with her. Mind you, a lot of people I know are not fond of mares in general, whilst I'd generally pick a mare over a gelding.
 
I have had 3 chestnut mares and all 3 have been the love of my life. Characters every one but not in a bad way. I'd always go for chestnut mare if I had a choice
 
I'm not convinced there is a really strong correlation to be honest but certainly wouldn't completely dismiss it as an old wives tail.
I do think gingers are in general slightly more sensitive, both mentally and physically (skin etc). Combine that with a mare and my gut feeling is that there are some horsemen/women just not cut out to deal with entires.

I've had two chestnut mares in my lifetime - the first was a complete and utter cow bag. The second I own now and it a superb horse, tough as old boots and generally very easy. She is however not a mugs horse and very much chooses which people she deems acceptable to handle her, if you aren't a chosen one is can be quite amusing. She is 99% awesome, 1% very naughty!!
 
Out of all the horses you could have a chestnut mare will give you everything as long as she is on your side. They will jump a house if they trust you. However mares in general may. I will only have mares full stop and preferably a ginger!!!!
 
We bought a chestnut weanling and had her till she died at 17 (horribly). She was simplicity itself to keep, break and ride. People kept offering to buy her off us but she was never for sale! 5 years on we still miss her.
We have, in contrast, another mare, who is the typical chestnut but in bay clothing!
 
Goldenstar said:
It's a fact that red heads feel pain more than other hair colours and red headed people need more drug than people with other hair colours when they need a GA.
Click to expand...

That is true. My friend and me did an experiment with the rest of class at uni one day, which was to be electrocuted basically. Starting off with very low volts and working your way up until you could finally feel it. Most people got quite high, my friend and me failed on the first level. Both got red hair. I then had to do the experiment another time and refused, I knew my score was 0 pretty much. Not going to willingly be electrocuted again for science when I know the answer. :P

I've known a few chestnut mares, not found them to be crazy. The current one at the yard is so lovely and gentle. You can scratch her neck and she'll groom you really gently back, sweetest mare ever. Her field mate is a chestnut gelding and he can be a little aggressive about his stable. Basically if you're standing outside of it and stroke him, he will tend to try and bite you. But if you're in the stable or he's out of it, he's got no issue. I do think though this depends on the person. He rarely goes for his owner and because I go over and talk to him and stroke him a lot, he knows I wont do anything and is usually nice to me. I've even got him slightly trained that when he pulls his evil face, I say 'happy face!' and he instantly puts his ears forward again and looks happier. Its cute. Everyone thinks he's so mean but I love him, he's got a hidden lovely side to him.
 
My final word on the subject; the redhead/anaesthesia thing is an old wives tale. OH is pretty hard line on this...and tells me an anaesthetist who would act on that basis is either a liar or a very bad anaesthetist.

But that's only the word of a surgeon of course ;)
 
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