Mares or geldings

[Foxtrot_s]

For sales purposes - geldings. In threads like this the mare people come to the fore (me included) so it is an unbalanced poll.

[Thoro]

@Walk.trot.canter

I wonder if people could lean towards mares because the majority of equestrians are female? Just a thought!

A lot of the male riders I know prefer mares.

[lovezehorses]

Like it was mentioned before, when you have that partnership with a mare, it is an incredible partnership. I prefer mares when I have that bond but overall, no preference. In a weird way, my mare has my back even when she has crazy moments.

[North_Dakota]

I’m open to either mares or geldings. Depends on the horse and their personality. I don’t like riding strong horses that are ‘dumb’. My preference is hot, quick, sensitive and sometimes emotional.

@Impractical Horsewoman

I once heard someone say, “I hate it how when I’m riding my guy, and when something scary happens in one corner of the arena, he’ll spook at it the entire ride.”

I’m currently riding a mare and thought, “The entire ride? Try the entire friggin’ winter, my friend.”

I prefer geldings. I have a naturally anxious temperament and most mares are sensitive and can pick up on that fact all too quickly. That being said, I’m riding a mare now, and if I’m in a good head space, the fluidity and sense of oneness we have is priceless, and I can see why people love riding them.

I feel it takes a great deal of psychological discipline on the rider’s part to ride most mares well, which I sadly often lack. But, like I said, I’m currently riding a mare right now, so I have no choice but to rise to the occasion as best I can.

I feel like I could have written this, but about my gelding, including the spookiness ALL WINTER, being in a good head space and the psychological discipline. But, he rises to the occasion when it counts, i.e. at horse shows, so it’s worth it.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

@North Dakota There are definitely geldings who think there are mares! And I completely agree about hot, smart, spooky horses being easier to ride versus dumb, strong horses who are spooky. A hotter horse can be convinced that she was having a silly movement with the excitement of moving forward. A lazy horse just gets more obstinate that the corner in the arena is going to kill him, and nothing will entice him to believe otherwise. Move AND brave the corner? Nope, standing still is the preferred gait.

The mare that I ride, for example, doesn’t spook when cantering. It’s only at the walk that she’s REALLY bad and just a bit jiggly at a slow trot. I admit that it drives me cray-cray when someone insists on stopping in front of the door to get a crop/take off clothing when I have no way to get around them quickly. because she’s convinced it leads to the PIT OF HELL. I know, I know, “train your horse.”