Mares Vs Geldings/Stallions- Worlds top horses

[ycbm]

in addition to this, I think for breeding people have sometimes overlooked the influence of the mare and really focussed on the stallion. therefore having a stallion proven in a discipline is really important to market him to breeders.

Lightbulb! Of course, follow the money and the money is in stallions so of course you'd pick the stallion if you have two equally talented horses and only one is a stallion.
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[Elf On A Shelf]

Lightbulb! Of course, follow the money and the money is in stallions so of course you'd pick the stallion if you have two equally talented horses and only one is a stallion.
.

Look at how ridiculously expensive racehorse sires are! The very, very good ones are private invite only and upwards of £250k a mare. This is why many flat owners buy more colts because if they are good enough that's where the money is. It's not in winning races for prize money it's for the stud fees afterwards.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Thanks for all of the replies, interesting to read.
I'm not sure why the broodmare bit didn't really occur to me ?? Makes sense though.

Interested in this though MC

I have often wondered if some amateur horse owners like geldings because they are 'desexed'?
A couple of people have said things to me that made me wonder this. It really appeared that having a neuter was preferable to an entire (male or female) because they weren't comfortable with having a horse that displayed sexual behaviour.

I always prefer entire male dogs as they seem to have a bit more about them that neuters. I also keep parrots and, for those not familiar with them, they display very raw sexual behaviour...esp if they view you as their "mate".
I think I just like an easy life which is why I like geldings but I do love stallions too.....I just don't have means to keep one.
I'm learning to like mares alot more though. I don't think I ever really appreciated them and just found them hard eork rather than really trying to get to know them.

 

[Cortez]

Whatever about personal preferences, it will ultimately be about the money when it comes to competition horses. A good mare will go off to have babies after her competition career and produce, if you're lucky, on average two foals every three years of her breeding life. A good stallion can cover many, many mares over a much longer reproductive career and earn stud fees sometimes into his late 20's. I believe that is why stallions are often preferred.

 

[DabDab]

But then why geldings? They are worth nothing unless you sell them at the height of their career. And you can only sell them once so that's all they will ever be worth. Are all the high level geldings cut late stallions that for some reason couldn't be kept entire?

 

[Cortez]

But then why geldings? They are worth nothing unless you sell them at the height of their career. And you can only sell them once so that's all they will ever be worth. Are all the high level geldings cut late stallions that for some reason couldn't be kept entire?

Geldings are usually not up to scratch in the conformation stakes, or bloodlines, or height, or temperament, or whatever. Take Valegro, for instance - he was too small to make the gradings. Most stud books have minimum standards before they will accept stallions.

What do you mean "you can only sell them once"? Horses may be sold many times throughout their lives.

 

[milliepops]

Yeah but the owner at any one time can only sell the gelding once. Then it belongs to someone else. Whereas their stallion can be "productive " many times, and the mare can too, up to a point.

 

[Kat]

Yeah but the owner at any one time can only sell the gelding once. Then it belongs to someone else. Whereas their stallion can be "productive " many times, and the mare can too, up to a point.

Yep, I think a reasonably well bred mare is a much better investment that a similarly bred gelding. If she sustains a career ending injury her competition career may be over but you can potentially breed a replacement (or several). Obviously a stallion is a better investment but only for those who can keep one.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

A gelding isn't always not up to scratch to be a stallion. Some studs protect their stocks value. If every colt they bred ran on to be a stallion then their own stallions would become worthless because you have the choice of 30 others by him. The more there are the less the value of the original.

 

[DabDab]

Geldings are usually not up to scratch in the conformation stakes, or bloodlines, or height, or temperament, or whatever. Take Valegro, for instance - he was too small to make the gradings. Most stud books have minimum standards before they will accept stallions.

What do you mean "you can only sell them once"? Horses may be sold many times throughout their lives.

That might be the reason they are gelded. But what is the reason that someone would buy/choose/invest in a gelding for high level competition if the choice of sex for high level competition can be simply explained by following the money?

 

[Hallo2012]

its not just the housing of stallions its the fact that they can (in some cases) be SO distracted by their hormones that they will never realise their potential/talent.

gelding them may in some cases allow them to achieve more. and lets be honest the majority of riders compete for fun,love and a modicum of success and NOT to try and see a return on their investment.

i am lucky as mine is a good boy and will tie up next to mares, hack with the etc and nothing silly he ever does is sex related............but not all are so easy.

 

[Cortez]

That might be the reason they are gelded. But what is the reason that someone would buy/choose/invest in a gelding for high level competition if the choice of sex for high level competition can be simply explained by following the money?

You will have to ask the people who have chosen a gelding, I suppose? Stallions have a lot more oomph/presence than most geldings, and build muscle more easily, but can also be more challenging to train (not in my experience, but not everyone gets on with stallions - or mares for that matter). And sometimes that particular horse is just the one you want to ride, simple as that. I don't ever go out to buy any particular sex for competition (unless of course you are riding for a stud farm and need to promote the horse and his get), I go looking for the horse that is "the one".

 

[sport horse]

That still indicates a level of prejudice against mares. If it was equal it would be 50% mares and 50% male horses being a combination of geldings and stallions.

Possibly but of course you have to take into account that very often top sport horse breeders retain their best mares for breeding and they never go near the sport whereas stallions can breed and compete and geldings can only compete!!