Mares or Geldings - which are brighter?

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sorona

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I now own 5 geldings who all have their own individual qualities but had a little forest mare who was super intelligent.
What are others feelings on which sex is the brightest?
 
Mares......why........because they're female
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after my mare of 6 weeks put me in hospital last thursday with suspected fractured pelvis, my first reaction was i no longer liked them, however trainer who'd been training me said not to be so stupid and she really liked her, and it was a matter of 'training' and altering her food!!!

so - i'm still quite fond of her - albeit wary!!!
 
I don't think there is a difference in intelligence, but i do think mares are more questioning

I have part loaned a mare but now own a gelding.

I enjoyed the fact with the mare that when things worked - it was because we were working together and she was enjoying things, but I do enjoy the fact that my gelding is more sedate and no where near as aggressive so it much nicer to handle - but i believe that to be the way the horse has been brought up not to do with it's gender
 
I voted Mares because I love them, but obviously there are intelligent geldings out there and not so bright mares!

Would agree that because they are entires they are quicker and more instintive in their reactions than geldings, who are in the main more accepting of being told what to do.

However, there are of coures exceptions to every rule!!
 
Definatly mares, i have alway had geldings and its taken them ages to learn even the simplist of things.

I have recently brought on a mare and also brought a 4yo mare and they have picked things up in an instant. My 4yo has learnt to do flying changes in 2 schooling sessions
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i think mares are more intelligent my mare is too clever for her own good but geldings are alot more loveable in my opinion out of my 3 its my gelding who wants cuddles and kisses me every morning but the mares have a fuss and clear off lol!!
 
I think its more to do with size, not sex. Ponies are definitely more intelligent than horses. Or maybe they are just clever at different things-horses can learn to piaffe etc, ponies learn how to escape from fields and steal food!
 
I am not sure if mares are really brighter, they are certainly sharper in my experience and harder to train, but when you do click with a mare it is so much more rewarding because they have actively chosen to work with you.

Having said that, I would always choose a mare over a gelding, all other things being equal
 
I think it depends on the horse. Ive had the odd mare who were extremely intelligent but then they were part bred arabs which I think are very bright breeds anyway! I am a gelding person but have found them to be totally different. I have one who is very witty on the ground - will undo himself, brakes the ice on the water trough himself, gets out through fencing etc. Another is plain stupid! Well, I actually think he's very CLEVER at ACTING stupid..... But then my other boy is so clever! He thinks too much! Like if you come to a halt when riding - if you halt for too long he begins to panic thinking he should be doing something, so starts doing turn on the forehands etc.! But god, is he clever jumping. He's very quick thinking.

So I dont know how you can compare, especially as they both tend to have different attitudes. Mare are meant to be more stroppy whereas gelding are more laid back.

Either way, I love my geldings. Geldings all the way!!
 
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when you do click with a mare it is so much more rewarding because they have actively chosen to work with you.


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<span style="color:purple"> I completely agree with you!

In my experience (although not always) geldings are more laid back and easier to bond with etc, whilst a lot of mares are hard to develop a bond with but once you do it's a bl00dy good one and rewarding as you say because you've had to go through a lot to get there. I prefer mares for this reason.
I don't think one is more intelligent than other. Just depends on the horse. </span>
 
I have got one of each. My Mare comes across as the brainy one and he comes across as a bit dim. In reality though, he is pretty smart. He does a lot of things that it seems he puts a lot of thought into. (Hope that makes sense)!
 
Well, as a Mare is a "female stallion" and benefits from an unaltered full hormone structure, it's not suprising they're more sharp then a lazy old gelding who's missing a shot or two of testerone.

I agree Geldings are more docile and lazy. Maybe they have the same intelligence, but are too lazy to use it
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i love Bloss for her attitude, i love her edgyness (although i know some people hate this in mares) and i also love the fact that sometimes she can be hard to ride - but i like a challenge. i cant comment to much on geldings as ive only just got Archie and hes the first gelding ive owned, but hes already settled in too his surroundings after a shakey start and is really laid back about things.
 
Definitely mares, they are the full shilling. Once you get a mare on side she will go forever and do anything for you. In saying that have just bought a very yearling and he is a gelding, but am very fond my mares.

Everyone has their own preference and each discipline has a preference, for example in polo all the best ponies are mares yet in eventing it is mainly the geldings that come out on top (Apart from Headley Britannia)
 
i think mares are a lot more intelligent that why they are harder to train as they can find ways out of it, this is why they say a good mare is better than a good gelding or a stallion as if you get them to use there brain for you rather than against you they can help you out alot

my mare is far to intelligent for her won good!
 
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