mares vs geldings

E

emma.is

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 November 2011
Messages
1,066
Location
Lancashire
Visit site
I think I may well have found the perfect horse... very pretty, tb x, 16hh, 7years old, bombproof, been out jumping, dressage and hunting.

The only thing is that she's a mare and I've only ever had geldings on loan. So anything I should know? What different care will she need? And what about seasons?
 
I bought my first mare 19 months ago. She was generally very sweet but we didnt really click. She had terrible seasons, could be moody around her food and and I did think a few times I had made a mistake buying her (not helped by the fact that she has spent the majority of the time i've had her broken!)

But about 6 months ago everything just slotted into place. Our relationship is brilliant and her whole demeanor is different. very trusting and loving. Even her moods around seasons have disapeared. I love her to bits. I have just started bringing her back into work and so far so good!

One thing you will have to learn is how to get her on-side. With a lot of mares I have come across there is little point in arguing with a mare. It will get you nowhere! You just have to figure out how to gently persuade her to do something that she doesnt really want to do!
 
Last edited:
They vary in how they are with seasons. Some get very stroppy & sore, others you don't notice. I have one that is a complete slapper, squirts at horses on the opposite side of the road. The other just gets very soft & affectionate. Neither have had seasonal strops though. Both very determined to do things there way, but once they are working with you put the same determination into everything you ask. I've had geldings & worked with loads, & wouldn't say no to one that was otherwise perfect but on the whole prefer mares. There's a very true saying ' tell a gelding, discuss with a stallion and ask a mare'
 
I have one mare and two geldings and if I ever bought another horse it would be a mare. She is opinionated and always lets me know what she wants but she is very loyal.
The boys are great but I kind of feel they don't mind anyone looking after them as long as they get their food.

The old saying of 'ask a mare, tell a gelding' is so true, I find I can 'nag' a gelding into doing something he doesn't want to do whereas if a mare doesn't want to its more of a negotiation.

Season wise, I think they're all different, some mares you won't even notice, some can become quite sensitive and silly.

I always think turnout wise (if you are on seperate mares/geldings) the mares seem to sort everything out pecking order wise within a few days and after that you rarely get injuries. With geldings they are constantly playing and messing about and coming in with nicks and cuts.

Otherwise in terms of care, can't think of any other big differences.
 
I only ever had geldings until I bought my last horse, a lovely mare:) Honestly, she is no bother at all and I have a really strong bond with her. Don't think I'd go back to a gelding..
 
I've only ever had two mares but both have suffered from really extreme seperation anxiety - not sure if that's just my very bad luck or that mares are more prone to it, so definitely a question to ask the seller.

Seasons vary from horse to horse - my own mare is a total slut and gets very wound up / bargy, but I could never tell when my loan mare was in season.

Agree with "ask a mare / tell a gelding" - if they don't agree with something you're asking, you can't keep asking them in the same way because you'll get nowhere - you have to get crafty & somehow try and convince them that it was their idea in the first place ;)

In my experience the mares I've had have been much brighter and more aware than the geldings, they pick things up a lot quicker and seem to suss you out faster than geldings do, so you'd maybe need to work harder at bonding with them than you would with a gelding, as i find that the boys don't really care who's looking after them as long as they get their dinners on time, but mares tend to want to get to know you and you need to earn their trust.

We have 3 geldings, 1 mare - I find geldings are much easier to be around / do things with in general, but the "good" mares will really try their hearts out for you and definitely keep life entertaining! Love my girl to pieces, even if she is a complete nutcase! x
 
Last edited:
Agree with everyone, with seasons it totally depends on the individual mare, just like humans, some people don't get period pains some do and some just want to lie in bed with a hot water bottle.
What i have found though is that with mares once you have that bond and have earnt their trust, a mare will try her heart out for you and she will also get you out of trouble if you get yourself in a pickle coming up to a jump, a mare is more likely to figure it out and get you out of trouble.
Once you have that bond with a mare, you will not want to let it go :)
 
Wouldn't even bother to worry about it. Every horse is different. I've had mares and geldings in almost equal numbers during a very long riding life. If the horse suits your needa and you like it, have it! Some mares are mareish, many are not. Some geldings are solid and dependable, other are flip and edgy. They are no different to humans.

And, in my experience anyway, there's a lot of rubbish talked about not running mares and geldings together. Mine have always been in mixed herds, and no troubles.
 
I have always had geldings since a small child. I am now 53 and had my first mare 7 years ago. When Jasmine's mum was in foal I hoped for a filly all the way through and that's what I got!! :D
Then I took on a little Arab mare, abandoned at my previous yard (now a companion to my friend's horses).
Now I am soon to take delivery of my fourth - a chestnut Arab/TB/Welsh mare :)
I'm lucky with mine, in that they are not particularly mareish or moody. Blaze is perfect (bless her!) Jas is a cow, but she would be a bugger if she was a gelding, baggage that she is! And Marygold has been perfect on both occasions that I have tried her, and I know her mum (human mum. I mean :D ) and she has always said she's an angel.
I love my girls, would go for a mare every time now xx.
 
Before I got my current mare, I hadn't really clicked with one before, although the two I had had were loan mares and I only had each of them for a year. I had always owned geldings before. I thought mares were rather aloof and bland until I got the horsey love of my life, my current (now unfortunately retired) mare. It was hard going for the first year. People were telling me to sell her. She was a complete loon. But then we just clicked when the trust came. I could go anywhere on her and tackle any obstacle. She would have tried to jump the moon if I had asked her to. I have had lovely geldings in my time, but nothing comes close to the relationship I have with my mare.
 
I have an Arab and a Welsh section D mare both of who have lovely temprements and not at all mareish.However,our WB gelding is just so cuddly and affectionate with a great character,very different from the girls.Geldings also seem to play more in the fields whiles mares seem less inclined,or at least that's what i have observed over the years.It's always the geldings who seem to rip rugs too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top