Mares v geldings

[Meowy Catkin]

I'm with Stangs on this issue. There is far too much ridiculous, unfounded sexism towards horses.

Edited to remove quote.

 

[milliepops]

part of the charm of all horses, for me, is understanding what makes them tick and drawing out the best from them whatever side of the bed they got out of on a particular day. I don't need to earn a living from them and they are more than just tools to me, so a bad day is only a kick to the ego and nothing more. The way i look at it, it's all good horsemanship practice anyway.

I REALLY didn't take to my most tricky mare to begin with. i found her so challenging and obstructive at times, we butted heads. She was a lot more difficult than i was lead to believe when i picked her up and it was frustrating. I sense she knew i didn't really like her and her drama.. this is not "woo" gradually she grew on me and one day i decided i was just going to decide to like her. it sounds silly but something changed immediately between us, i started to see the good in her and she started to believe she had a partner in me. The rest i history, she learned all the GP work and I adored riding her.

i don't think this all happened because she is a mare, particularly, more that i changed my opinion of her deliberately. I have had other horses that i haven't been immediately enamored with and have had the same positive experience upon just deciding to like them.

 

[Peglo]

My 3 mares are all so different but I enjoy them all so much. Peggy has always been consistent and level headed. Flo has opinions and can be more typically maresh (I guess) but also loves a cuddle (especially with men ?). She’s very hard to offend and never holds grudges which is fortunate as we have words often. Tali is cheeky, Inquisitive and funny. None of mine have been particularly difficult when in season. Certainly no more than if the weather was crap. Usually don’t even notice it.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

i don't think this all happened because she is a mare, particularly, more that i changed my opinion of her deliberately. I have had other horses that i haven't been immediately enamored with and have had the same positive experience upon just deciding to like them.

intention and expectations-I am the least woo person ever but my last horse taught me a lot about both (and also about the ego I didn’t realise I had before him). Current pony was bought as a good lone hack, he wasnt and I was pretty disappointed-I don’t really have the facilities for much else! Eventually we worked around it, we did other stuff, now we are doing the other stuff and hacking.
I think the average leisure horse carries so much owner baggage, quite literally, and they can read our body language etc in ways we don’t yet realise. And I think deciding to like them is something that happens quite a lot without people realising-you basically decide to work with what you have once getting over the fact that they weren’t quite what you expected-and then better things happen.
Of course people will now come along and tell me I am completely wrong and achieved xyz without so much introspection-good for them,

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

I've always had a mental block with mares (my fault, not theirs). I just don't seem to be able to mentally get my head around them, so I have boys. In always more drawn to geldings for reasons I don't really know. But then I also have 7 male parrots, 3 male rabbits, 4 male dogs etc...?‍?‍

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I would always have said I preferred mares but looking back over my horse owning life which spans 53 years and many foals bred over a period of about 25 years I have realised that my specials include 2 geldings, both welsh and 2 appaloosa stallions, one the grandson of the other. Of all the horses I have owned/bred the one I would like back is my Welsh section C. Conformationally probably the worst I have had and nothing special about his ride but just such a nice chap and no problem to handle plus he was great fun and not everybody's ride being rather hot and very strong.

 

[smolmaus]

I've ended up with many more female animals than male over the years with more than a few that have the same "sassy and temperamental" stereotype that mares get too, calico and tortie cats, genetically yellow hamsters (this is one I might actually give some credence to), dogs with a Napoleon Complex. With the horses I've known the ones I've loved the best have had big personalities and plenty of opinions but I can't say there is a clear delineation between mares and geldings. I thought my wee mare was sweet and steady and easy when I first got her but she's come out of herself nicely ?

 

[oldie48]

We've had mares and geldings and tbh only one of the mares was any different when in season and she wasn't difficult to handle or ride just a bit noisy. The geldings have all had their own personality, strengths and weaknesses. Our most successful competition horse was a gelding and the most reactive, dramatic horse we've had was a chestnut TB gelding but just to buck the stereotype he was also as tough as old boots with great feet and lived to 28 with barely a day out of work. By choice I'd choose a gelding but equally I'd never turn down a mare who fitted the job description.

 

[Horseysheepy]

I've owned about half geldings and half mares, so I've never been fussed by their sex, as long as they seem a nice person.

I'd say that mares have a higher self preservation, as in the wild they'd often be the herd boss, have responsibility of a foal and where to seek water and food. They are on high alert and have to keep everyone safe.

Just my opinion, but I do think this and their hormones, contributes to the domestic mare being a bit more challenging to ride and keep.
I do love hacking mares, despite their higher alertness. I always think when they spook, they're just protecting their rider, it's helps diffuse the moment when I think of it like that!

Now I'm reaching menopausal years, I've got a young gelding as my next horse to break in, to take me to my older years and enjoy. I don't think I could deal with me and another hormonal mare in this stage of my life!!!.

 

[scrunchie]

Mares. I currently have 3 mares and one gelding. The gelding is an arsehole.

 

[MagicMelon]

Ive always thought of myself as a gelding person. Ive mainly had geldings and just always found them easy (generally). Ive had 3 mares, 1 was pretty stroppy but then she was a shetland, I had a lovely anglo arab mare who was a fantastic pony and I currently have a really lovely mare who I really get on with and like. She's not at all mareish though so I do feel very lucky. I guess I usually feel theres more of a risk taking on a mare in case they do turn out mareish.

 

[The Irish Draft 2022]

I don’t have a preference I have no problem with mares and geldings. My first horse was a mare she’s a gentle giant and was the perfect first horse and is great with kids. She wasn’t moody you could barely tell she was in session and I have a brilliant bond with her. I also used to part loan a gelding he was lovely to and I had a great bond with him to.

I think the reason you see more geldings people are told to get a gelding as a first horse because they are more novice friendly . which I don’t agree with because it more personally than gender in my opinion.

 

[milliepops]

My first pony was a mare. she was fierce but also a total professional in terms of toleration of children i think i got hooked for life after that. She was a monster to catch, and would regularly let me know that she thought i was pond scum. I worshipped her and she looked after me through pony club etc, went to a family with 4 little girls to teach them all to ride after i outgrew her. Between her and my old fashioned v stern riding instructor, i think they set me up pretty well!