Which do you prefer *sex*

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StrawberryFields1

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Geldings, stallions or mares?

I have found the saying that you 'ask a mare, tell a gelding and negotiate with a stallion' to be very true!

I much prefer geldings, all the mares I have encountered have been stroppy things (and I'm quite sure the 10 or so mares I've ridden are probably not representative of all mares ever so please don't get offended :p). But I don't like trusting my life with something that is more hormonal than me so tend to avoid. And as for stallions, never knowingly ridden one so can't comment :D
 
The boys (entire or not). Ive got more mares though, and they arent the least bit stroppy or difficult (well, ones a bit of a grump) , but my gelding is my best mate :)
 
Love my mares but have to agree with you I can't deal with the hormones! One day she's chilled and all soppy and sweet and the next she's charging everywhere at a speedy collected trot and the head collar is going to eat her :eek: :p

Will definatly be getting a gelding next time ..
 
Boys definitely! We do have a couple of mares who are lovely, but i really cant deal with their hormones, its like having a horse version of me with PMT....no thanks lol.
 
Mares all the way for me, I've had both, also find the "ask a mare" thing quite true, me and my girl reach a mutual consensus these days! Would NEVER have another gelding tho, cant be doing with them. Totally numb. :p:p
 
Wish someone would tell my 20yo gelding to be numb lol, he's more of a handful than my friends part warmblood stallion! :o having only owned one horse that is a gelding I can't really compare! Xx
 
Would NEVER have another gelding tho, cant be doing with them. Totally numb.*

Sorry can't quote, I now own the gelding sk is talking about and in his case it does apply :-) He is a special lad bless him.
However I've had mares before and I think I prefer the gelding. He's like my boyfriend just needs to be told what to do lol :-)
 
Geldings (or stallions if I could keep them somewhere safe, don't want to be blamed for any unexpected babies!). I've ridden/worked with some nice mares, but they just don't do it for me. I find geldings to be more consistent, intelligent, more enthusiastic, more likely to have a go than down tools completely. Clearly I just gel far better with them.
 
My gelding is very intelligent but the entire is a bit, well, nice but so super chilled out Im not sure theres anything going on in there :D
The mares range from quite bland to wily :)
 
Mares / stallions (though for practical reasons I only have mares). I'm not a competition rider, so consistency isn't important & I like my interaction with my horse to be more of a discussion / negotiation.
 
This business of "telling" a gelding is interesting. You can tell my old lad what to do, but try to "tell" either of the highlands and you'll get a fight or a paddy on your hands - and stubborness knows no fury like a highland scorned ;)

Ime, very few geldings respond to dictatorships. That said, I find geldings more likely to respond positively and consistently to a polite request than mares.
 
If I HAD to choose, then Colts/Stallions. Much more predictable natured and less 'sudden' about things that catch you off guard. Pretty much know what things/times can 'set' them off, not opinionated really, and if they do have a dramatic moment over anything, it's all just front feet and 'getting air' looking impressive most the time. :)

But in reality, temperament picks that answer. I've known lovely mares and nasty stallions...dopey geldings and 'sharp' geldings....and vice versa etc. Really just goes down to individual temperament and handling.
 
Geldings for me! Only ever ridden one mare that I've got on with and she still has her moments :D I just find Geldings more trustworthy, even though I've only ever fallen off geldings (all my doing :o) I just don't seem to click with mares.
Funnily enough, it seems to be that way with people too! :D
 
I would buy a MARE every time over a gelding all my past and present horses are mares. The only gelding I have is a GIT and he was bred by me so had no choice to accept what was born.

Also above ^5 better bond with the mares than the little git .
 
I had the choice between three geldings and an obnoxious mare.

I came to look at a particularly well-behaved and beautiful gelding, but wanted more choice, so breeder showed me 3 more horses. OH jokes around that the breeder put forward the 3 worst horses possible to make that one gelding look good: a bull of a gelding (only recently cut... his hooves hitting the ground felt like thunder), horse that was forgotten on the paddock that morning (hence muddy and fat)... and my whining mare.

Somehow I chose the mare. I don't know why. But then again, I also prefer riding mares at riding schools, etc. Must be me...
 
I've had both. My gelding was amazing and if I could have cloned him I would have. But I've now got two mares and I love them too. The TB mare is definitely harder work than the TB gelding was as he was a real chilled out boy. For instance the gelding would spook out hacking and when I first got him he would threaten to go up for instance, but never actually carried it through - the worst he did was spin round - he would never have done anything to deliberately hurt me. The mare on the other hand if tackled would go up and has no sense of self preservation. I have to deal with her in a totally different way to the gelding. My other is a NFx unbroken girl and she's a dream - unless you looked to check her gender, and just went off her temperament you would probably think she was a gelding as she is so laid back.
 
Mares all the way!!! I've owned geldings and mares and always had better mares!! I have 2 mares and they are both completely lovely and far more behaved then most geldings I know :)
 
elsazzo said:
Mares. I find them more intelligent & more sensitive. For these reasons I find you get a better bond ;)
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I agree. I never wanted a mare until i got mine last year. Yes she can be stroppy, but so can i ;);). She has a huge character, and i know her so well. Yes we have some issues, but i have a great bond with my mare, something i have never felt with a gelding. She tries her heart out for me and is so in tune with me, we are great team! She is different with me than others, and can be so affectionate and loving. I wouldn't change now, i have converted to mares! once you get a good one that you have a great partnership, they really will try for you :o
 
Pale Rider said:
Mares every time, if they like you it works, if they don't forget it.
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Very true!

Not sure what I prefer really, I like them all for different reasons.
I *think* mares, I like the extra intelligence (;)) - not saying geldings are thick, but I find mares pick things up a lot quicker and seem to try harder ime. I like that they make their feelings known, if something's bothering them you tend to know what's upset them instantly, but I've found geldings tend to keep quiet if somethings not quite right. I think they're a lot more entertaining to be around, keep you on your toes!
My mare always thinks she knows best and will take things into her own hooves when she thinks she has to (usually with a bad outcome), but the geldings will listen when it's important!
I think that mares do tend to try harder, if they're on-side with you they will do their best. Mine is so ridiculously determined and gets so annoyed with herself if she messes something up!
I also feel that geldings tend to love whoever is holding the feed bucket, whereas mares bond with their "person" and it's a hard bond to break once it's made. My mare bonded incredibly strongly with her old owner, would do anything for him, and was so upset when she was sold, but she seems to be glueing to me now which is a big relief as I was quite worried about that aspect at first.

I loved my late gelding to pieces, I don't think I'll ever find another like him. He was consistent - he wasn't consistently good (;)) but you knew what he'd like, what he wouldn't like, what would be a big issue and what wouldn't be, and he always took care of me, whereas a mare takes care of herself. Don't get me wrong, he would rear when he didn't want to do something, he would spook, he would nap for england, but I always felt safe on him and never once felt frightened, despite all of that, because I knew what it would be that set him off and knew how he'd respond. He would never have dreamt of kicking or biting me, but both mares have taken the role of lead mare and tried to put me in my place, I find you have to be a lot firmer with mares than geldings as if you give them an inch they will take a mile! Mares ime seem to be a lot more unpredictable and I've had more nasty falls and injuries from mares than I have geldings. I've also found that both mares I've had have been nutcases to ride, difficult to handle and full of vices... but I might just be unlucky! :o

... But I do love my girlie!


I've had limited experience with stallions but the ones I've been around and handled I've got on well with - I respected them and they respected me in return x
 
Had two mares before I had the GD, one of them was sweet enough but left me a little cold and the other had bags of character and totally won me over . . . but she was the most stubborn horse I have ever met. Loved her to bits and missed her so much when she went to France.

The GD . . . well, he's super intelligent, sharp, quirky, stuffed full of character but sweet and affectionate with it. Half the time he is away with the fairies . . . and the other half he is pin sharp and his brain is on overdrive. If I could have another horse just like him, I would . . . mare or gelding . . . but Lord knows what he would be like full of female hormones (if you know what I mean) . . . LOL!

P
 
For riding and my own.its MARES,all the way. But for working with in the riding school and liveries the geldings are far easier!
 
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