Owning a mare...

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SadKen

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So... All being well and if she passes the vet, I've just agreed to buy a mare, deliberately and of my own volition. I've always been a gelding girl but didn't have a huge amount of luck with my last one so have broadened my mind.

I've owned one mare before, but we didn't see eye to eye and neither would budge. This girl doesn't seem moody at all, you'd have to look to know she is a mare! I'm not a moody type and I find moodiness difficult to deal with, in animals and people (although oh is a real diva if hungry). She is a lovely girl, she reminds me of my mum in attitude and laughed at my lack of bravery when I tried her!

What should I expect, and are there any must dos or must not dos anyone can think of specific to mares? Gawd, I don't even know how often they come into season!! Do I need to get regumate? Will she turn her friends against me if I wear the wrong shoes?
 
Chill out, she's just a horse. :) She's unlikely to need any special treatment at all. I assume you've asked the seller if she's 'marish'? Personally I prefer mares over geldings.
 
I'm a mare girl but have now got a gelding as well and would say that he's hard worker than she is!! but he is a baby so ill give him the benefit of the doubt!

I've had my mare 13 yrs and have never given her anything for her season! when she was younger she was a c*w when she was in season, refusing to leave the yard and didn't like being caught some times! but I had another mare and like your one you'd never know she was a mare, in 3 yrs I never noticed her being in season!!

I suppose each mare is different, as is each gelding!!

I don't do much different with my boy and girl, just give her less cuddles and she hates them and gets grumpy with me if I try!! she's also very independent and doesn't bother coming to see me unless she's being fed! but the other mare loved attention!

so really, no advice, just enjoy her :)
 
Oh, how exciting ... it looks like you are going to be having fun! The kid's pony is a mare, but not the girly type, she is a tomboy of a mare ... I don't think she evens suits pink!

Not much advice, sorry ;)
 
Yes, it was one of my first questions and she isn't at all according to the sellers. They said she was their first ever mare and normally they wouldn't have one either, but now they have a few. She didn't come across as moody at all, but I could sense her rolling her eyes in disbelief when I was fiddling with my stirrups. My old lad would be off if you looked down to see if your stirrups were right, so I'm conditioned to make it a big deal now; she thought I was being ridiculous! I like that though, I'm quite like that myself under normal circumstances!

I've just read the thread about the gelding getting kicked by a mare and decided that as she's very sweet and straightforward, maybe there is something mare like to make it all go wrong!
 
Kerrieberry2, our pony is the same in that she really doesn't like fuss and people grooming her forever, she allows quick hugs but then that's it ... although for the last year we started to get kisses from her!
 
Out of 12 horses (I think) over the years, we've only had one gelding. None of the mares has been difficult because she was a mare, although some were not straightforward as horses.
I think you are best not to set yourself up for a battle with a mare, find another way round the problem and let her think it was her own idea. All ours have been affectionate, some more so than others and all, except one, have looked after the rider in one way or another - the one who didn't could barely look after herself!
Your new one sounds lovely, fingers crossed for the vetting.
 
I had my mare for 20 years, and she was never once problematic when in season, she was the most generous and willing horse I've ever known, with a heart of gold.
 
If you get a good mare they will be better than the best gelding. If you get a mare that you don't get along with they can be cows. The only horses I've ever really not gelled with have been mares; the best horse I've ever had is a mare. Mares are great!
 
I too much prefer the boys, I've always found them far superior to any mare I've known in affection and brains, just in every way for me. *However* one of my favourite horses right now is a filly, though tbh she's a bit of a knob.
We have far more mares than geldings/colts here and they are fine, no problems. Bit bland and boring some of them, maybe, but no bother, perfectly nice characters. No-one's particularly mareish, one grumpy baggage but that's not hormonal that's just her sunny disposition, lol :)
Not all mares are horrible moody creatures, I don;t really understand why they get this rep. Sure, some are, but then so are some male horses!
 
Capriole said:
I too much prefer the boys, I've always found them far superior to any mare I've known in affection and brains, just in every way for me. *However* one of my favourite horses right now is a filly, though tbh she's a bit of a knob.
We have far more mares than geldings/colts here and they are fine, no problems. Bit bland and boring some of them, maybe, but no bother, perfectly nice characters. No-one's particularly mareish, one grumpy baggage but that's not hormonal that's just her sunny disposition, lol :)
Not all mares are horrible moody creatures, I don;t really understand why they get this rep. Sure, some are, but then so are some male horses!
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Funny you should say that some of the mares at your yard are bland etc, because that's what everyone always think of my mare when they first meet her. They say that's she's a pleasure to handle, nice to ride, but there's no character there, and it's true for people she dislikes or doesn't know, but once she knows you and likes you, her character comes through and actually she is anything but bland!
OP what i'm trying to say is that in my experience, it takes longer to build a bond with a mare, it's taken me 2 years with my mare to get to the stage where she will whinny at me and canter up from the bottom of the field to see me, and she will chose to come to see me even if there's a person with a feed bucket stood a few feet away from her. I think it just takes more time and effort to build a bond with a mare :)
Your mare sounds lovely and i'm sure that once you have a bond, she'll become the best horse you've ever had :) Good luck with her!
 
PingPongPony said:
Funny you should say that some of the mares at your yard are bland etc, because that's what everyone always think of my mare when they first meet her. They say that's she's a pleasure to handle, nice to ride, but there's no character there, and it's true for people she dislikes or doesn't know, but once she knows you and likes you, her character comes through and actually she is anything but bland!
OP what i'm trying to say is that in my experience, it takes longer to build a bond with a mare
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No, didn't mention a yard :wink3: These are our own mares, we know each other perfectly well and I like them well enough and they like me, I just find some of them bland.
Why when someone says they prefer geldings to mares does someone always come out with the 'it takes longer to bond with a mare comment' or imply that your mare mustn't like you or something. I could say exactly the same about geldings but I wouldn't as it takes each horse and owner combination as long as it takes to get to know each other or form a bond, there is no timescale attached for either sex, so I find such comments silly. Can't we all just have our own personal preferences?
 
Capriole said:
No, didn't mention a yard :wink3: These are our own mares, we know each other perfectly well and I like them well enough and they like me, I just find some of them bland.
Why when someone says they prefer geldings to mares does someone always come out with the 'it takes longer to bond with a mare comment' or imply that your mare mustn't like you or something. I could say exactly the same about geldings but I wouldn't as it takes each horse and owner combination as long as it takes to get to know each other or form a bond, there is no timescale attached for either sex, so I find such comments silly. Can't we all just have our own personal preferences?
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Sorry must have read your post wrong, my post wasn't supposed to offend/annoy anyone, just simply putting across my own experience with my mare and my experience with bonding with mares vs geldings, that's all :) No offence intended :)
 
I have two mares. And they're chestnuts. And arabs. Both fabulous. They can be a bit spooky with the first and last seasons of the year, but as this coincides with the spring and autumn flush I blame Dr Green! One is ticklish about having her bits touched. The other will lift a leg to let you gain access to scratch harder. In other words, they are different personalities. Both are cuddly when in season, less so (but still very people friendly when they're not). Both are very willing to work. I just adore them both. They are 'big' personalities, but again I would put that down to breed rather than gender.

My advice? Treat her like a horse first and foremost.
 
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I always swore blind I'd never have a mare and now look at me, 100% converted! I love her to bits. Most of the time she's not much different from a gelding but there are a few things to be prepared for. We had another new mare introduced to mine and they bonded intensely and spent a solid six weeks in season together. Six weeks of two screamy mares and all the 'marish' attitude that comes with was a bit tiring. She wasn't particularly aggressive during that time, just whiny and ultra sensitive.
 
Thanks folks, I guess I'll find out for sure when she's home and we start working together. I think she has quite a bit of personality, although she is quite easygoing so it's not in yer face like my old boy. He was like a cheeky lil bro rather than a friend. i think this girl is like my mum, but that's great as I like my mum and she looks out for me! When I thought 'that's enough canter' yesterday she stopped straight away without me doing anything which was nice, but we both enjoyed popping a jump! Hopefully it will go well and I won't be back on with a 'my new horse hates me' thread!

Hayinamanger my username is from the tv series Bottom, my sis and I love it, there is a racehorse called sad Ken that they all bet a load of money on who has three legs and is blind, (it's ok, it's fiction) and he ends up in a tree during the race... I always wanted to enter a show and do well on a horse called Sad Ken because it's such a miserable uninspiring name!
 
Cortez said:
If you get a good mare they will be better than the best gelding. If you get a mare that you don't get along with they can be cows. The only horses I've ever really not gelled with have been mares; the best horse I've ever had is a mare. Mares are great!
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This. I love my gelding but have FAR more direct connection with my mare, it's much more of a live conversation and I understand her thinking far better. I always used to think moody mare and didn't want one but I'm a total convert.
 
We have 5 mares -( 4 of these chestnut:eek:) and 1 gelding. Also currently looking after 2 broodmares and a colt.

All are completely different, just judge on what is in front of you, not on what others say.

as for building bonds, we have only had 1 of the broodmares for a couple of weeks, and she whinnies every time she sees me ( wish I could keep her:() But then, all of ours talk to us, I like them that way. :D
 
We have two chestnut mares and owning them has been a real privilege. We have an incredible bond with both and there has never, in five years, been any mare-ishness. I woldn't swap them for any other.
 
I'm currently looking to buy, and 95% of the ads that I have seen and liked they have been mares! I think I have seen 2 ads which are geldings and they are around middle of my 'list'. I am also a bit dubious of mares (due to things iv heard and seen at yards) but I've never had a direct chance to bond and get to know a mare and I'm willing to give it a go. I am actually going to look at my favourite of all the ads on Wednesday and she is a mare so I am pretty excited! Good luck OP x
 
I have a filly didnt set out to buy one sex over the other just fell for her! She doesn't seem to get mareish when in season but she is still young. My experience of mares over geldings is they seem to be a bit more switched on but they tend to either be very sweet and affectionate or total cowbags. Give her a go and see, you don't know unless you try!
 
I've had my mare for 5 years now and I don't think I've ever been aware of her being in season apart from when she was away at stud with stallions around. To me she's one of the sweetest, most loving and affectionate horses I've ever come across, but to people she doesn't know or like she can be grumpy.

Unless you're noticing problems when your mare is in season (approx every 3 weeks over the summer) then you don't need to do anything different for a mare over a gelding
 
Baby was the most unmareish unmoody mare you could meet. a proper little sweetheart to humans and horses alike. and didnt change when in season. But she was a bit of flirt and always had a fella or 2 around her. :) x
 
Cortez said:
If you get a good mare they will be better than the best gelding. If you get a mare that you don't get along with they can be cows. The only horses I've ever really not gelled with have been mares; the best horse I've ever had is a mare. Mares are great!
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This. I have had some great geldings over the years, but they've never been as special as the mares I've had. I've never had as much drama from the geldings, or wanted to kill them as much, but overall they've been much more rewarding! I've not had many hormone problems with them either. If anything my current mare is less grumpy when she's in season!

ps, at the end of the day a horse you like is a horse you like, colour, sex, breed doesn't really matter..
 
I have four mares, three live with me and none are moody - I have had no more issues with them than the boys, and none even to speak of. As someone else said, you can get grumpy boys as well as grumpy girls. I do think some mares suffer more with their seasons than others, and it is up to us to be thoughtful at those times. After all, when I am feeling period pain, I wouldn't want someone strapping a girth on me and expecting me to work.
 
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