Mares.

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Christmas_Kate

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Although I've worked with mares, I've never had one on a day to day basis.

I'd always assumed the old chestnut of " moody mares" was true, until i read an article which said mares just get more confident during a season and will try it on... which makes sense to me.

I have a friend who has a mare who is quite temperamental with people she doesnt know. She likes routine, and is actually quite sweet. I got to know her well, and have handled her alot. However, last time I sa her, i went to enter her stable (after talking to her) and she turned and lunged at me...and she MEANT it. She missed me by inches, then turned her hind on me, and refused to let me near her head (I ignored it and got on with what i was doing).
There was no way she was in season, as this was a week ago.

So are mares really moody? Or is it a misconception?

I'd love to know your views as I we have a mare arriving next week, and by the looks of it, friend is going to be going to uni and has asked me to care for her mare if she does.
 
I've known geldings like that too. I say any horse can have off days- regardless of gender
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I have my first mare now and it is all true. When she's in season she can be a real pain, v tarty, can't keep her mind on the job, screams her head off, and sometimes can't even be tacked up because she obviously has horsey "period pains". When not in season she is just opinionated and stroppy!

I wouldn't change her for the world though, no matter how much she frustrates me, because when she is on side she's a hundred times better than all my geldings put together!! It's just that we only do things when she feels like it...if she doesn't want to, we're not doing it.

My girl isn't nasty at all though, just has a lot to say for herself and has attitude. There isn't a nasty bone in her body, and she's super super sensitive so I've had to learn to be really quiet and calm.
 
I've had a mare for 11 years, personally i think they can be stroppy at times - a much shorter fuse than geldings, however i also think when they try for you they really try. Geldings are more consistent in their behaviour/ mood.
 
I've had more mares than geldings, and am pleased to say that none have been moody at all. The only moody sod was one of the geldings.

And 5 of those mares are/were chestnut!

Maybe it's because they're not on a yard?? Most of mine have lived in a maximum mixed herd of 4 and live out most of the time??
 
My mare can be moody but I think that is her temprament rather than being a mare. She can be a little worse when is season but not significantly.
If she doesn't know you, you do have to be a little careful with her as she will, for example turn her bum on me in the stable if I'm annoying her
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and she will threaten me - I ignore her / tell her to behave / give her bum a smack - this is fine as she only ever threatens me. However, other people have tried the same tact (even those who looked after her day to day on full livery) and she was not just threatening them
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so you do have to be tactful with her but to ride she is fab - always!!
I've had her 9 years now and she has been an AMAZING horse and attracts me to prefer mares rather than put me off.
She has a quirky temp. at times but I don't believe this is because she is a mare - it is just her and I love her!!
 
I am a big mare lover. I find they are a bit temperamental sometimes but not in a bad way really, it can be almost funny. I find once you understand them and they get to know you there is nothing better, I think you get a much better bond with a mare, it may take longer but once you have it then it seems to stick.
Wouldnt swop mine.
 
Load of old tosh! We all know women are far superior to men! The mares just ask questions. Providing they agree with the answer, then they co-operate!
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Seriouslyish having had both I'd go for mares for ease of management but maybe geldings for competition because they are stupid and do as you tell them!

Ive had too much beer!
 
My friend said this mare has done this to others before, but I generally find I get on well with her. I'm used to geldings, and have never had a horse just suddenly decide they don't like me and go for me like that for no reason.
Just ignoring her seemed to work. I'm not the kind of person to react, I'd rather say 'oh sod you then if you're going to be like that" and walk away, than try and get them to stop pulling faces/ interact with me. Hopefully that's the perfect attitude lol.
 
i have always kept mares and gelding together and to be honest never even think about this.my cob mare i have is totally dependable,looks after me and is the same day in day out.
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i have always kept mares and gelding together and to be honest never even think about this.my cob mare i have is totally dependable,looks after me and is the same day in day out.
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Naww!!!
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I've always had mares so have nothing to compare them to but don't find them moody at all including when they are in season. Flirtatious yes but no different to handle or ride. My current mare can be a bit opinionated and thinks she knows it all - you have to make her believe what you are asking her has been her idea all along but I assume this is just her quirky nature as none of my others were ever like that. I love mares.
 
I have 6 mares and 2 geldings. I have no problems with my mares at all. The 2 newcomers are still settling in and can be a bit squealy with the others but that is more to do with the fact they've been on their own for the past 3 yrs rather than the fact they're mares..
I have no problem at all with seasons and mood swings. They are all in together and I wonder if that makes a difference.
 
I've got three mares, who live together in a field which is adjoined by geldings' fields, and my mares never kick, bite, barge or anything....they are all good natured (but then, I make rules black and white for them).
The only way I've ever been able to tell if my older one (18yrs) is in season...is by looking for discharge on her back legs...and yes, she is fertile, before you ask. She has never squealed or kicked a stable wall in her life...
I think you just have to remember that mares equate to stallions i.e. they are 'entire' animals, rather than geldings which are 'neutered' and therefore don't have hormone issues.
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I have had a few mares over the years and have one at the min(Bea)
I have found it always takes longer to bond with them and after 8 months with the current one, we are just cementing our bond. None of my mares would ever ever hurt a human. Bea does not like other horses in her space univited. She has a gelding on 1 side of her and she hates him (unless she is in season!) and if he looks at her in the wrong way she will lunge towards him, tail swishing ears back etc and has occasionally kicked out at the stable wall. However she would never ever do any of this if i was between her and Harry. My old mare was exactly the same! I know when Bea is in season as she is a proper tart, but i still get about the same quality of ridden work out of her, it just takes longer to get it. However she is quirky anyways. I have also make it completly clear to her what is acceptable behaviour and what is not. For example when i got her she could be bargy to bring in/turnout, leaping around next to you etc. I consistently did not let her get away with this and she is like a lamb to bringin/turnout to the point where an 11 year old girl turned her out yesterday and she just plodded along. All the mares i have had have been very very sweet once you have bonded with them. I also find them very clever, too clever at times!!

I do love having mares as once you have them on side they will give you more than a gelding will, but the issue lies in getting them on side. It has taken me 8 months to start to work Bea out due to her complex character but the time spent is more than worth it!
 
I love mares, they (IMHO) have so much more about them than geldings. After all they are entire, so really should be compared more often to stallions than geldings. Of course there will be some difficult mares, but the naughtiest and most aggressive horses I have known have been geldings! I think the idea that geldings are more consistent in their behaviour is a myth.

I wouldn't rule out having a gelding (never say never and all that), but if I was looking it would be with another mare in mind
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Good point...my mare is excellent with children...the smaller they are the more careful she is....
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I've been told this before, seems they like to 'mother' lol. My son and friend's daughter were running round a mare in the field, and she just carried on wih what she was doing. They went very close under her belly and she stood stock still... bless.
 
Love mares. Never had a hormonal one, they have always been the same under saddle no matter what the time of year. Yes they can be more opinionated at times but the old saying of 'ask a mare, tell a gelding' (or something like that ) is very true. I've had some wonderful geldings too, but if I was going to buy a horse to keep, it would be a mare.
Funnily if I am buying a horse to sell on, I look for a gelding as so many people seem to prefer them
 
Taras my first mare and I love her- it feels like you can build a better bond with a mare than with a gelding- my old ponies where all geldings and they loved anybody with food! But my mare is different- she hated my dad to start with, she wouldn't let him stroke her, but after 9 months she loves him just as much as me and my mum!
Yes, she is a sensitive animal and any change in her routine really upsets her. She is headshy and ticklish (when doing rugs/girth etc) but you learn to work around these things and i genuinely wouldn't change her for the world- sounds stupid but she really is amazing when she is having a good day!
 
We have had mares for years and would not have a gelding again, even though our first horse was a gelding and he looked after children and was a lovely soul. Mares are much more giving, if a little more awkward at times, but I think that is very much an individual thing. The mare could well be in season even this late in the year, we had one who came into season all year round.
 
My mare hasnt got a bad bone in her body. She is the sweetest, most affectionate I horse I have met. Shes no different when shes in season, infact it affects the geldings more than it does her. She has her moments but thats her personality rather than her hormones.
 
My mare can be a grumpy cow, and she can also be perfection
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She knows her job, when she gets in the ring, she is there to jump and does it very well.
If she dosen't see the point in something she will let you know, and she can be the most awkward and frustrating thing to catch - she knows exactly what she is doing!
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She is a sensitive thing, and does get a bit aggitated at times, but I really wouldn't change her for anything. She is ace
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The old saying "tell a gelding, ask a mare and discuss things with a stallion" is very true. I have 4 geldings and 1 mare. I have had the mare for 18 months and feel we have developed quite a bond, but she could never be told what to do, she has to be asked nicely! Saying that, I really trust her. She is turned out with two of the geldings (the other two are minis and she is 17hh) - they all get on extremely well and I have never even noticed her being in season.
 
i just don't seem to get on with mares!
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have had 2 mares, and the first hated jumping and the wind, and the other was incredibly greedy
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i tried out a mare who was 4 and she really scared me; she bolted around the school, and when she stopped i patted her for stopping and then she took off again, jumping a fence whilst she did so. mares to me can be a little unpredictable.

i am just getting over my loss of confidence on young horses
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i just don't seem to get on with mares!
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i am just getting over my loss of confidence on young horses
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My mare has confided that sometime mares find 'only_mes' quite moody and temperamental.
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S
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My mare can be stubborn and stroppy but TBH I've owned geldings which have been just as difficult but in other ways. The only major difference Ive found is that geldings are far more willing to give in in an argument where as mares stand their ground - bit like humans really!
 
well, you cant blame me!
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have a huge arse, wobbled off a paint horse last week and stopped the rain with a stomp. AND i am also a human sacrifice
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