preferring mares?

ponies4ever

ponies4ever

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 April 2014
Messages
404
Visit site
I'm shortly going to be starting horse shopping again having outgrown my wonderful mare :( I have seen loads of other wanted ads over Facebook recently and the amount of them that state gelding only/gelding preferred astonishes me?! Am I the only one who would FAR prefer a mare?
 
I couldn't tell you why but I definitely get on better with mares. Not sure if it's because it's all i've ever had? I've only ever had geldings for a few months at a time.
 
I don't get on with mares unless they are proper tomboys! Mares have to fight like terriers and prove they are just as good if not better than the boys for me to like them at work. I don't do pathetic, soft, mareish mares! Give me a gelding or a stallion any day of the week!
 
Nope, you're not alone. I very rarely look at geldings if I'm horse shopping. I've had a few in the past, but the only I got on with had been a stud stallion for ten years before I bought him and never forgot it! It may have something to do with having a gelding who very nearly killed me a couple of times as a teen or may just be how I'm wired -- I also have two mares, two bitches, a wife, and one of our two cats is female!
 
I love mares but my most recent purchase of a Connie mare has made me understand why lots of people won’t entertain the idea of owning one!
 
If you get a good mare NOTHING compares. If you get a mare that you don't see eye to eye with....run away! I don't consciously prefer any (well, I do like stallions), but two of the best horses I've ever had were/are mares. Also so were the two that I absolutely hated the most, but there you are :-)
 
I had geldings for 30 years but am a recent mare convert. I just have so much respect for the way they can have such strong characters. I find my geldings very bland now - And I know if I had to go into battle tomorrow it would be on one of my mares!
 
Nope your not alone, I love mares, always have done. I'm happy to have either mares or geldings, a good horse is a good horse, but I do prefer mares, and will always look for one over a gelding, my best mare is grand prix now, we have gone through so much together, and she is just incredible, we would walk through fire for each other.
 
I have both and I have to say, I’m sorry, but I find the geldings much easier! One mare is very non-marish, so she’s not too bad but she’s quite aloof, the other one is a real flirty girty and such a pita. When she’s in season she just walks around with her legs apart. Regumate helps but she’d still rather be shxggxng than being ridden.
Bless her, I do love her, but only for a few weeks at a time. She has no interest in me other than basically I am her slave, and she’d probably sell me if she could as I’m never quick enough with the food, and she doesn’t like the way I comb her mane.

Whereas my little geldings are just so cute and friendly and amenable. They have their moments but they back down quickly, they try to please me and follow me everywhere. Love them!
 
Another one here who prefers a mare. The two geldings I had were like big, daft puppies that needed constant micro-managing. Literally couldn't think for themselves at all.

Mares are just much more forward thinking. You need to work harder to get them onside but once you do they are fiercely loyal and will do anything for you.
 
I prefer mares too, even the really mareish ones. I'll happily own/ride either, but would go for a mare if I could get one.

They're just much more workmanlike and practical than geldings in general. Geldings tend to be so much more ridiculous in their reactions to things, training them involves forever requesting them to just stop a minute and engage their brain
 
ponies4ever said:
I'm shortly going to be starting horse shopping again having outgrown my wonderful mare :( I have seen loads of other wanted ads over Facebook recently and the amount of them that state gelding only/gelding preferred astonishes me?! Am I the only one who would FAR prefer a mare?
Click to expand...

NO WAY!! you are not alone.

I much prefer mares any day and have only ever bought mares, a total of 8 mares, and the only gelding i have is my mare's son so bred him and had no control of what was born. I won't buy a gelding ever as far as my choices go.
 
Last edited:
DabDab said:
I prefer mares too, even the really mareish ones. I'll happily own/ride either, but would go for a mare if I could get one.

They're just much more workmanlike and practical than geldings in general. Geldings tend to be so much more ridiculous in their reactions to things, training them involves forever requesting them to just stop a minute and engage their brain
Click to expand...

This sums it up pretty much for me. Having had my current mare for two years, and even though she can be opinionated, I have recently said that I will only ever buy mares in the future (I had one for 30 years, then my gelding for a few years before he broke). In my experience, geldings tend to be more spooky as they don't notice the pheasant etc. till they are right on top of it, then have to react wildly, mares see the pheasant 200 yards away, think about it and walk past with out an incident. :D ;)
 
Yep I also love mares and would look for one in preference to a gelding. I really don't understand all the negativity about mares.

I'm especially pleased to have a mare when I see the geldings play fighting, and destroying each others rugs!

Mine is just brilliant, clever, brave, and loyal, with a fantastic work ethic and always desperate to please.
 
I definitely prefer mares. I don’t like the neediness of some geldings and find mares are often more intelligent and willing to work with you. Someone else mentioned the need to micromanage some geldings which I completely agree with. My horse of a lifetime is a mare and I must confess, I would now never have anything but. What they say about having a good mare is completely true - when you get a good one, you can’t get better :) I couldn’t wish for a more intelligent, willing and fabulous teacher than my current girl. Even on her opinionated days, she never, ever lets me down or allows me to get complacent that I might for one second be in charge ;)
 
Last edited:
I looked at adverts for both mares and geldings and was regularly told people couldn't see me with a mare or even that I'd be better off with a gelding - not sure why!! - but though we have pretty much always had a 50/50 of mares and geldings, I've always been "closer" with the mares. I loved the geldings, of course I did (I still do!), but they seem to gel more with everyone and seemed to be less influenced by their rider's/handler's moods and just got on with the job. The mares really seemed to be a mirror so I find I learn much more from mares.
When looking, I looked at ten horses, and all were mares/fillies!
 
Defiantly a mare person. I own six mares and one gelding. I had a gelding years ago now, he was fab I did everything on him and for someone who thought I’d never jump said it all. However I just never clicked with him and haven’t truely with any other gelding since I’ve owned horses.
 
Mare person here too! I wouldn’t buy a gelding (although have bred a colt so didn’t have a choice there!)
I just love mares, their whole attitude if their onside is brilliant I have never enjoyed riding any gelding in the same way I enjoy mares.
 
I have had 3 mares and 1 gelding. If you have a mare that you have bonded with but once you do they are just totally amazing and will try to do anything you ask of them. As with previous comments you are forever having to ask the gelding to think and focus. My gelding is a air head that wanders off into his own world and they will freak at a leaf or flower or whatever because he was do busy day dreaming that he didn't see it until he was standing on it and then performs a major-league-total-over-reaction-spook. I think I have more spooks from him in a month than I have had from one of my mares in her lifetime.
 
I always thought I was a Gelding person. I would never go looking for a mare. But I ended up with one by chance. She can be a stroppy cow but she is loving and brave and clever. Never realised how stupid the boys were!
 
I’m not so convinced spookiness is gender related, maybe I’ve just got lucky with all my boys! Currently have 1 gelding and 1 stallion in work, I did have one mare 7 years and then another for a short while after her, nothing against them just management wise at home boys only works best.
 
Only mares in my field too I love their independance and love of life. They will die for you if on your side or kill you if not it is sometimes challenging and generally easier to get true commitment from an entire. Geldings are often bland a bit thick
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top