Mare or Gelding?

[helen1h]

Just wandering which you prefer and why?

I mostly ride mares and although I find them a little bit stroppy and hormonal I like the challenge.
(Saying that though when I buy my own i'm looking for a gelding!!! lol )

No seriously though just wandered if anyone else had a preference.

Helen

[maverick927]

There's a poll about this somewhere, which I did not too long ago, probably i the cafe area.

Well while I'm hear I might as well give my view. I prefare geldings because they're so loveable.

[Peace]

There's also a poll in the "General" section on this subject.:)

I've always heard a gelding is the best choice for a first horse - as someone once put it "I don't want to have to deal with anyone's hormones but my own.":D

When I was first starting out, I was one of those very timid riders who actually did better with an assertive, confident horse, so I usually got along best with older, "boss mare" types. They can be surprisingly kind with a rider who wouldn't dream of crossing them!:)

I bought a young gelding for my first horse, though. Since he was only three, I was forced to develop my leadership skills in order to teach him things. And since he's basically an humble soul, my attempts at being the leader usually meet with success.:)

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule: I know plenty of sweet, submissive mares!

[galadriel]

I have a boss mare who's an angel to beginners; she really looks after them, much like she wants to look after all the other mares in the herd.

I have an incredibly submissive mare who, at most, has only given a moment's hesitation for most things I ask her to do. Usually she's enthusiastic about *any* thing I ask of her. Neither of my girls is terribly hormonal, which helps.

I know geldings who range from bossy to submissive too. The funny ones I handle at the moment are the 2 6-yr-old HUGE warmbloods who still have baby brains. At the first sign of anything scary, they try to hide behind me. Hard for a 17.2-ish and an 18+ -ish hand horse to manage. I think it's funny that the other people out at the barn blame a mostly-unhandled rising 3-yr-old's temperamant on the fact that she's a chestnut mare, and don't comment at all about the same attitude from the 11-ish grey gelding!

Go for temperament, and ignore other factors :) I pay attention mostly to how a horse acts. I'd been handling one yearling+ gelding at this stable for a couple of weeks before I realized he wasn't a filly ;) ---He's in a barn with broodmares and most of the other young horses, and the rest of them just *happen* to be fillies. So everyone calls them "the mares" or "the fillies" :) And I just assumed that, well, they meant it! No harm done; judge by individual, not by external characteristic that may or may not have an impact.

[western]

well i have a gelding. so far he is nice to ride but of course their are days where he just dosent want to work or go in his pen. all he is nice and easy to catch and loves to get outside. i never rode mares but i guess that thir are days too where they can be moody and bossy.

[Yann]

I prefer mares, there always seems to be more spark there, and although they might possibly be more challenging to handle at times you get far more back from them.

[ponynut]

Mares every time! I have never bought a gelding- I like the personality of a mare. I do seem to always gel best with the most mareish too.
Only draw back I have found buying mares is the buy-one-get-one-free!
But Taz producing Kizzy filly to me was just a big bonus!
Sometimes wonder tho if Taz had given me a colt if I would have kept him.

[galadriel]

Today turning horses out, heard that characteristic "gelding sound." Turned to barn person & said, "looks like he needs his sheath cleaned." We then discussed how much you'd have to pay us to *consider* doing the job :) (lots)

...I like having mares.

[ponynut]

Oh yes the other reason I prefer mares!!!!!!!!
Even cleaning up after foaling is preferable to sheath cleaning!
Can say that in all honesty!

[Lgd]

Very much a mare person. I get on much better with them than geldings, I get on OK with stallions as well, so I obviously just like them with their hormones intact.

[ashesscott]

Got geldings and a mare, happy with both. Second the 'its the temperament' line - every time

BTW mare owners - there is a nasty job to be tackled! Have a look at her udder and see how manky it is !

Ugh.......


Needs doing though

[ponynut]

Kizzy loves having her udder scratched! Her upper lip quivers and she starts grooming back! Still prefer it to sheath cleaning!LOL:)

[Bebe]

I'd have a mare everytime, I get along with them far better than with geldings.

My mare is another that loves to have her udder cleaned, she goes all soppy and soft eyed when I do it. It never actually gets that dirty, but I do try to clean it every fortnight or so.

And it's much nicer than sheath cleaning!