Gender preferance ?

[angelsdream]

Ok - I'd like to know what gender everyone prefer's when it comes to riding. I myself have learned to really like mare's. All of my best riding horse's in the past were mares. I've had my battle with gelding's the past few years but I know every horse is different and every person is different. I know some people tend to get along with stallions or geldings better, so I guess it all depends on each persons personality also.

[kimk]

Before I had stallions I loved my mares, didn't have much use for geldings. Now I prefer stallions, then mares then geldings. But as Angel said, each is thier own individual and should be considered as such.
Kim

[fantasykiger]

Oh I love my girls All my riding horses are mares. I started out 50/50 geldings and mares but when the geldings left we never purchased any more. The colts born here were gelded and sold, only fillies are considered for staying here with us. I do enjoy playing with my boys and they are entertaining, I just prefer to ride a mare. I have never owned a stallion nor choose to, I have a healthy respect for them and know there are some gentle and wonderful ones out there, I just choose not to deal with the male hormones. So I am a mare gal and I am lucky that my daughter is as well, because they live here too, both her horses are mares too.

[desperatehorsewife]

I've always enjoyed mares as well, but don't know that I can really point out a reason for it.

[JoanMRK]

I grew up with three very moody mares most of my childhood life. I then was accepted as a recipient for the 4H Adopt-A-Foal program back in '92 offered by UCDavis and was thrilled that I was to receive a colt. I thought that since he would be a gelding, that he wouldn't be as moody and as negative to other horses on the trail. He grew to be a very handsome and awesome trail horse (standardbred/QH) but being raised by horribly moody mares, he was too. Even squeeled like a girl. LOL But I loved him anyway, and it opened my eyes that not all geldings are easy going and quiet. He sure wasn't! When I started raising Kigers and gaining mares, I really developed a great love for my mares and their funny dispositions depending upon the time of year. Of course, I never liked them being in heat (though some are better than others) but I did find that they have a lot of heart and once you worm your way into their hearts, they'll give you their all. I think I would say that as a generalization I now love mares a little more than geldings, but love my personal mares and gelding equally.

[angelsdream]

I agree Joan. Mares will give you more heart and work hard for you once you gain there respect. I've been around a few geldings that were lazy minded and only wanted to give what they could get by with - my quarter horse was prime example. I had a mare who was better around woman and very jumpy around men, from past experience Im sure.

Ive also seen some mares that were real mean, plain and simple, all the time and yes, there offspring were the same way and why people breed mares like that is beyond me, I think it has mostly to due with lack of knowledge, it's mostly your backyard breeders that don't know and don't take the time to research genetics - they just look at the money and dont care about nothing else, but that's another subject, don't get me started on that.

[heidirenee]

Someones got to stick up for the Geldings! ;D From experiance I love geldings. I have found mares to be a bit moody...and it could just be the horse. But I love boys....what can I say....hahahaha

[desperatehorsewife]

I've been around a few geldings that were lazy minded and only wanted to give what they could get by with

Ha! That describes nearly every mustang I've worked with to date...mare or gelding! Great energy conservationists... ;D

[fantasykiger]

LOL...I have to agree with ya' there desperatehorsewife

[angelsdream]

I haven't had many mustangs - so can't say if they are all like that, but I do see where some geldings are more lazy, of course mare's tend to be a bit more energetic when they are in season.

I saw an ad the other day on a quarter horse that was extremely well bred and they were selling her but as a spayed mare so she couldnt be bred - I didn't know you could spay your horse? How hard is it on the horse and does it make a difference with them?

[fantasykiger]

I don't know, but I tell you if it was easy on them and cheaper on my pocket book I most certianly would spay my mares I have no intention of breeding. I sure would not mind selling fillies cheaper either if they were spayed. I am all for the spaying and gelding for great stock, working and pet horses. I would love my mares even more with out the monthly drive to breed.

[dara]

I have taken a few breeding classes and i was told that when you spay a horses she will ALWAYS act like she is in heat! Some breeders use them as a tease mare for the stallion at the pantom mount when collecting semen.
My friend had a mini that was pastured next to a stallion and always acted like she was in heat(squirting, winking, peeing,ect) I suspected she had been spayed.
Also it would be a huge abdomnal sx to take out the repo. organs

[angelsdream]

I agree fantasy - if it helps the mare not go thru heat cycles and become a better horse, Im all for it. Im still doing research on it, so will let you guys know what I find. So far, like everything else, you have some people saying they never had any complications with the procedure and it helped the mare. The mare still produces Estrus, but is much less horomones and then the other who say they didn't like it.