Mares V's Geldings

TicTac

TicTac

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I am interested to know what it is people have against Mares. I must admit that over the years I have been predudice against them having always owned geldings. I thought that my temperament wouldn't suit a mare. However, I have just bought my first mare and I have to say that, to do what I do with my horses,so far she is proving no different to a gelding!

She has a sweet nature without a nasty bone in her body. She can pull a face when rugged or girthed. ( So does my daughter's gelding) and she finds it hard to concentrate when she's in season, but I know plenty of geldings that dont concentrate. I could go on and find a similar fault in each sex. Your opinions please!
 
My mum only ever had one mare, and it was horrible, which is why she forced me to get a pair of geldings, but they can be grumpy old s0ds when they want to be.
 
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My mum only ever had one mare, and it was horrible, which is why she forced me to get a pair of geldings, but they can be grumpy old s0ds when they want to be.

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yeah but not as much as some mares
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Some mares are lovely. I have a couple of mares who are darlings. I also have a stallion who is a dope on a rope, not like a stallion at all.

I prefer geldings for working... because you have the same horse every day, not sweet one day, then hormonal witches the next.

So I guess thats it!

There is also the thing thing about performance. How many mares have ever won Badminton for example.
 
well i have only ever had mares and i do moan about the mareish moment, but i love them, and i think it just adds character!! i can be a right bitch some days too so i guess thats why i'm sayin that lol!!!

i love mares!!!
 
I have currently owned my first mare for the last 2 years. She is very sweet and willing to please, but I'm glad I have been married for a while and have experienced a few moments as demonstated by my wife!!
They remarkably similar in certain character aspects.
Will that get my head bitten off?????
 

I've had one utterly evil gelding but then I've ha two sweetheart geldings.

I've had 3 mares & each have been darlings. None more so than my current one who is an utter star & is not moody in the least, just very affectionate & loving.
 
I'm glad you put this thread on as I am sitting here looking at horses for sale having the same debate myself, I automatically discount mares before even looking at them and am begining to think I may actually miss a good opportunity - I will wait and see what everyone says!
 
Have had 4 mare - 2 have been absolutely top class, amazing, but the other 2 when they came into season were literally lethal. So, i'd never discount a good one, but it would have to be special.
 
My spidey senses suggest that mares have probably derived the 'mareish' reputation not so much from their actual behaviour but mainly from that age-old (and thankfully vanishing) discrimination against anything female, and that a relatively minor difference has been exaggerated on that account alone. After all, people never get upset about 'stallionish' behaviour in an entire male horse; it seems to be accepted as simply a given, whereas if a mare who is equally entire, intact, etc. has a 'mareish' day then she's being a horrible, hormonal witch. I think it's no small compliment to mares that most are generally still able to carry out their various jobs even in full hormonal swing, whereas a good proportion of stallions become fairly, if not downright dangerous. Bluntly, it doesn't seem fair to compare a gelding to a mare and suggest that one doesn't equal the other. Give me the choice of riding a hormonal stallion or a hormonal mare, however, and I know which I'd plump for in a heartbeat.

ETS: Don't do gender studies at university. It ruins your life.
 
I have just acquired a Chestnut mare.........hmmmmmmmm.

Exactly what I said I would never even bother looking at.

I'll keep you updated, but at the moment I think she's rather lovely (mind you she's not arriving til the weekend ....!!!!)
 
I've had my mare for 13 years. She isn't one for fuss, can nip when being girthed and is temperamental and unpredictable when in season. She is good to ride (most of the time) and is very bold and willing to try new things. When I was looking for another horse, I wouldn't even consider another mare because of the unpredictable streak, and I ended up with a gelding.

This gelding is great to handle, groom etc. However, he is temperamental, unpredictable, scared of his own shadow, grumpy and generally unco-operative to ride. Out of the two, my mare is by far the better horse.

Needless to say, I won't rule mares out the next time I'm looking!!!
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I'll keep you updated, but at the moment I think she's rather lovely (mind you she's not arriving til the weekend ....!!!!)

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Lol!!! Please do!!!
 
I much prefer mares, i think you form a much better bond, neither of mine although scatty are mareish i dont really know when they are in season i did used to with one who until put on oeatress used to mount other mares. I would never have a gelding as most i find dont really give a damn if you are there not that i've ever owned one!
 
I have a mare and a gelding. Both have their, quirks, faults and are individually their own characters. Love them both to bits and wouldn't be put off buying either again.
 
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I have just acquired a Chestnut mare.........hmmmmmmmm.

Exactly what I said I would never even bother looking at.

I'll keep you updated, but at the moment I think she's rather lovely (mind you she's not arriving til the weekend ....!!!!)

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I bought my Chestnut mare from a sales, at the age of 3 & money exchanged hands outside the ring after she'd thrown a wobbler in the ring, bucking, rearing & attempting to bolt & failing to sell.

It's the best thing I've ever done & she has not failed me or put a foot wrong in the 10 years I've had her.

So stop stereotyping!
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I have two Geldings and would only every chose a Gelding, as I cannot cope with moody women, let alone a Mare in season
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But on the other hand I have two very good friends who have Mares (well one is a Filly so that my not count
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) which I have ridden and I love them both
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I really don't care about mare or gelding. I can't say it even crosses my mind when I look at adverts/horses. I've had both and although always quite a mare person since selling my last mare I've had a gelding, colt, gelding and a stallion. I now own three geldings.

If I found two perfect horses but one was a mare and one a gelding I would go for the mare.

When buying projects it becomes a bit more tricky, some people are put off by mares so geldings can sell better but then if the horse brakes or is a waste of time under the saddle there is back up of breeding!
 
I have found mares to be much easier generally. I suppose if I was highly competitive it would be different. For me it would have to be a bloody good gelding for me to consider it!!!LOL!!!
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And my best ever mare...my chestnut! Easiest out of the lot. She has had problems with behaviour but due to injury. And up to a point i dismissed the behaviour as mareish. Now she is "sorted" to a degree she is back to her amiable self. I have had a mareish mare who was difficult when in season but the rest of the time she was a really lovely pony and would give her all.

I think perhaps there is an element of " bad behaviour in mare is because they are mares whereas bad behaviour in geldings is because of bad handling!"
 
If you get a good mare, they can be great! I have had one b!tch mare on loan, and one lovely mare (apart from her bucking etc which was due to kissing spines!). I have had one gelding and he is absolutely perfect - temp never changes. Although he is a bit mareish when it comes to other horses (pulls faces etc)
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I have always had mares - its just the way things went. Out of my two at the moment - one is grumpy and very hot and one is a real sweetie and sensible. I dont think it matters though. I wouldnt mind what sex the horse was if it was the right one.
 
I have 3 geldings and one mare. Most of the time the mare and I are best friends - like most women, we have the occasional falling out but at the end of the day we are there for each other and trust each other. The geldings are far more straightforward - they are always the same day after day and are happy chappies
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. The mare is the leader of my little herd and what she says goes, although she is never mareish and I have never seen her put an ear back to one of the geldings, but she is definitely the boss and they are happy for her to be the boss.
 
I like mares. In fact I don't think I've ever met a mare I didn't like *thinks thinks* Nope, I've liked them all
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I like that you don't have to spell everything out for them and they can think for themselves. Geldings are easier in some ways, I suppose, and then there's Antifaz!
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Thanks for all your replys ..... I had to have a little chuckle today as my farrier came to shoe my new mare for the first time. When I asked him what he thought about her, he just smirked and said " hmm, lets just say I'd have a male horse, but a female dog"
I asked him again what he thought of my mare after she had stood quietly and picked up her feet in turn to have her new shoes on, whilst my daughter's gelding had been a right pain in the a...!
He just smiled!!
 
I've had both, and, if I were to be presented with the choice between two horses, identical in every way except gender, I would go for the mare every time. I love the quirkiness, the I-am-independent-but-actually-do-quite-like-cuddles attitude, and the fact that, like me, she is stubborn yet very, very honest!

That said, I did love my boy Mickey to bits - and perhaps my greatest equine love affair was with my SJ trainer's Voltaire gelding...my God, I loved that horse; it broke my heart when he sold him
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There is a saying: a good mare is better than a good gelding, yet a bad mare is far worse than a bad gelding - and I think it is spot on!
 
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