Conference noted::equitation

    If your mare seems like she ia always is season, and has a sore back in
    the area of her ovaries, you may want her checked with ultrasound. I
    had a mare that displayed these symtoms, and it turned out she had a
    tumor. Surgery changed her whole atitutude for the better.
    As to mares vs geldings, I have found mares bonding more easily than
    geldings. This is reverse of your experience. My gelding likes people,
    seems friendly, but it took two years for him to bond to me, the same
    way a mare does. My mares only took about six months, for the shyest
    one. It was a very happy day when my gelding first answered my call at
    the gate. Now its a full whinny when he hears my voice. 
    

    Having owned 2 mares and a gelding....and all my friends have geldings,
    I find that both my mare were the leaders.  They ran the yard and they
    kept the gelding away from us (when we let her)....many time in order
    to pat him we had to put her in her stall!!!
    
    I really prefer a mare to a gelding, I too think they have sparkle.  My
    husband (and he loves me dearly, he must he just spent 10K to buy me a
    piece of land to keep my babies) says that mares are like human
    females....and he's right.
    
    My other mare used to beat on the gelding...she was of similar size and
    I didn't think that unusual, but I have a 14h 900lb mare who really
    beats on him....he's over 1K lbs.of course, he does tease her.
    
    Anyway, I have had horses throughout my life and I prefer mares, that
    just my preference and i'm not trying to insult anyone...

    I think this really comes down to personal preference. EQUUS had an
    article a year or so ago on just this subject. They rated mares and
    geldings on several categories and then said "It's a tie! Ride what you
    like!"
    
    Maybe I'm lucky or too stupid to notice but I've never known a mare that 
    was crabby when she was in heat. We've owned 4 and have ridden many others.
    Some of the geldings we've owned and/or worked have been more temperamental
    than the reputation that mares have! Some were classic geldings in
    temperament but others were moody, crabby or even downright ugly.
    
    I know *lots* of people who feel that mares have more
    sparkle than geldings. One was an old draft horse guy who said
    something like "Geldings are all right but, when things are tough, I'd
    rather have a stallion or mare. They have more grit." 'Course, this is
    the same guy who used to say, "Horses and women. You wouldn't give a
    d*mn for either one if they didn't have some spirit."
    
    I used a modified version the latter statement as a personal name for a
    while: "Admire spirit in horses & in women." I still like it! Probably
    because I ride a spirited mare and married a spirited woman. Wouldn't
    trade either one!

    
    It is a persoanl preference issue.  I know alot of folks who only
    want to own mares.  I would never own a mare if you paid me.  Every
    mare I have come accross is Moody!  I have only come accorss a hand
    full of geldings that are moody.
    
    It also depends if a horses attitued is important to you.  I know
    alot of people that the attitued does not matter as long as the
    horse will not bite or kick.  I on the other hand could see a 
    wonderful horse at a great price, but if that horse put it's ears
    back at me as I walk by... I would not buy it.  
    
    I enjoy a good peraonality horse.  There mare would have to be
    something very special for me to consider one.
    
    It all depens what you like.  That's why we have mares and geldings
    to choose from.  :-)
    
    Lou

    Which do I like better? Let's see, I have a mare, a stallion,
    a gelding, and a soon to be foal. So I've got all the varieties.
    
    But to tell you the truth, I don't care for mares. Like another
    noter, it took 2 years for my mare to bond with me. Lately she
    has been really affectionate because she is about to foal. 
    (I know, slap my hand for breeding so late!)
    
    My mare is definitely the leader with any horse I put in with her.
    And she is very jealous. She is EXTREMELY study when she cycles
    and it is hard to get her to concentrate on ring work. But, I don't
    blame all of it on her, because my stallion is in the next paddock,
    probable talking dirty to her!
    
    However, in "my opinion", I find mares to be much more intelligent
    and more graceful than geldings.
    
    Tina
    

    I have one of each, a mare and a gelding. The mare is my 'child',
    she bonded to me instantly, the day I met her, oddly enough. It was
    like she knew I would take care of her and give her a better life than
    the one she had experienced as a harness racer (which she always
    hated). She is quite headshy and distrustful of strangers, to this day
    I am the only one who can catch her or scratch her ears. But, she is
    moody and tempermental, and excitable when riding in large groups. She
    is not easy for other people to ride, she gets nervous with a stranger
    on board and is quick as cat, so people get un-nerved by her fast,
    sudden turns and 'dances' (she behaves fine for mom, tho), and when a
    rider gets tense, it's all over with her. Its probably partially my
    fault, I know she does not like strangers so I rarely ever let anyone
    on anyway, therefore she has never had to adjust. Still, she is a joy
    to me, I couldn't part with her for anything. 
    
    My gelding is a big lug...sweet, good-natured, gentle, with a sense of
    humor I didnt' really know horse's could have. He's very mischiveous
    around the barn, and always getting his nose into things.  The bond I
    have with my mare is missing, though. I adore the gelding and all, but
    it's just not the same. Most people love him, he's a ball to ride,
    comfy and well-mannered.  
    
    I really don't have a preference between mare and gelding, I think I
    tend to choose a horse more on the individual personality.
    

    
    I prefer geldings, and my gelding is the biggest puppydog! Of course,
    if you have had them since they were young (1.5) that makes a big
    diference, IMNSHO.  My other gelding, who I got at 18, who is now 20,
    is the typical crotchety old man.  But, there's a reason for his
    wariness and standoffishness...nothing like a botched gelding job
    to put you off of men and make you suspiscious of strangers...   
    
    I have only met and handled 1 mare that I would consider a sweetheart.
    The rest were moody, bitchy and some were downright mean....
    
    

My mare is sweet and I think she just wants to be everyone's puppy dog! - not 
moody or bitchy toward me or strangers.  She will be 6 in February and my Dad 
got her when she was 6 months, I've had her for 2 years and she has always 
been a joy to work around.  She is very intelligent and graceful too.  So I 
agree I have no preference, mare vs. gelding, I just judge them on individual 
personality.

Dawn

    My two mares are as sweet as pie.  My stud colt is a puppydog.  I owned
    a gelding who could be down right nasty - that's why he's gone ;^).
    
    I prefer to take my Paint mare in an equitation, showmanship, dressage, 
    or ideal class because she tends to get studdy, and really show off!
    My Fjord mare is a definate pleasure type and would rather be logging
    that riding.
    My colt is most likely going to be my pleasure class horse.  Nothing
    phases him at all.
    
    I have had the opportunity to work at a hack stable and breeding
    farm and have found that it does not really matter what the sex
    of the horse, it's the personality.  Mares, geldings, and stallions
    all have a mixed-bag of personalities, and I've found that all the sex
    generalizations should be thrown out when looking at a horse and to go
    for the one that `clicks' wth you.
    

some of you told about owning a stallion as well and I would 
ask for the preferation of mares, geldings or stallions. I own
a gelding and a stallion and I've ridden many mares. The characters
are quite different, I don't come along with mares very well 
because they are too female to me (maybe because I'm female as
well and that's enough :-))... but of course there are differences
between mares and mares...

what I want to say is that a stallion (which is not foolish or 
running after the mares of course) is much nicer to ride and more
easy to get along with. the thing with a gelding is that there is
obviously missing something and I believe that it stamps the 
character (is it the right expression?). I love my gelding very
much, maybe because of his exaggerated sensibility and because 
he was my first horse, but the stallion has more courage, spirit, 
he is not that pretentious, he is never bored or in a bad mood.
and, of course, a stallion is more studious.

it's a pitty that geldings are the rule, that most of stallion
foals do not get the chance to stay a stallion - even if they
are not complicated.

what do you think?

iris

    
    Unfortunately, I have met way more "unruly" stallions then
    well trained, well mannered stallions.  My QH's father was
    so well behaved, you had to "check" (8 to make sure he was
    a stallion.  My friend's Morgan stallion is a sweetheart, and
    so gentle he is used for beginner saddleseat lessons.
    Then there are the many others....)8
    The 2 yr old Appy stallion that was at a barn I worked at.
    He attacked someone, and was gelded immediately after.  The
    saddlebred stallion that attacked the stall door when you went
    by (different barn).  Or the 2 year old left out in a field,
    because he became "mean" and frightened the inexperienced owners.
    There are many stallion stories that have been heard, about someone 
    being injured.  Of course, IMNSHO, I think there are many people raising
    a stallion, that don't know what they are doing, and when the stallion
    reaches maturity, and becomes a handful (due to little/no/wrong
    training) accidents result. 
    
    
    
    

of course there are many horror stories about stallions -
which are certainly true. if my stallion would become foolish 
i would geld him immediately as well. but i think in many cases
they become foolish because of wrong education or treatment 
and - as you already mentioned - not enough training.

i would not geld my stallion just for prophylactic reasons.

    I don't have a lot of experience with either one, mares or geldings. 
    But, from what I've seen, the gelding I used to ride every night never
    seemed to have a bad day.  He was extremely affectionate and was always
    in a good mood.  I have since bought a mare, and I have found that she
    gets crabby right after being in heat.  While she's in heat, though,
    she is unusually calm and friendly.  I think she has bonded to me in
    her own way- she's not as responsive to strangers, and sometimes only
    lets me catch her.  We sometimes argue over who's in charge, which is
    something the gelding never questioned.  I can see why even-tempered
    geldings would be the preference of most.  Personally, I would rather
    experience the challenges of my sweet little mare.

    My husband and I have had all of them.  They are all different and have
    their own personalities.
    
    As far as stallions go, I believe it is how they are raised.  We have
    had a couple who were no problem at all.  Our son handled both of them.
    In my opinion what happens is that some people get intimidated by their
    "boyish" play and then avoid them...not giving them enough exercise.
    In addition, if you don't have the appropriate setup for a stallion it
    only makes things worse.
    
    They can all be sweet if they are treated properly...and this starts
    when they are young.  We have had a number of mistreated horses...some
    of them came around and some of them didn't.  Whatever the outcome they
    are all treated with love and kindness.
    
    Kathie