Horse Training Questions

Today’s horse training question comes from Susan.  She writes: “why own a mare instead of a gelding?”

Susan, this is a great question!  And, you will probably get a different answer from each person you ask.  Here’s my opinion: I have been a gelding person my entire life, and just bought my first mare in October.  Geldings tend to be more even tempered, laid back, and relaxed.  However, many people believe that a gelding will never give you as much as a mare or stallion will.  Mares tend to have a more passionate personality, which is both rewarding and frustrating!  Geldings are more likely to get along with other horses, where mares tend to be a little picky about who they will be friends with.  Mares are usually more valuable if they have good bloodlines, because you have the potential to breed them.  If a mare gets hurt so she can no longer be ridden but can still live comfortably in the pasture, you can breed her.  If a gelding gets hurt so he can not be ridden, all you can do is feed him for the rest of his life!  My gelding is even tempered, and you will have pretty much the same ride on him every time you get on.  He doesn’t have “bad days”.  He doesn’t get crabby.  When I was running him on barrels, he would go out and do his job because I asked, but he was just as happy to go on a trail ride or stay in the pasture.  My mare has days she’s mad at the world.  She has days she will do anything for you.  When I started her barrel racing, within a week I had to hold her back through the pattern.  She knew what we were doing, and she wantd to OWN those barrels.  She is passionate and competitive.  But you have to do things a certian way with her.  When I started riding her, if I let my weight shift even slightly off center, she would start zig zagging side to side, as if to say, get it together and ride me correctly or get off, lady!  I love both my horses, and they are polar opposites of each other.  And based on all the other horses I have ridden, I would say Foster and Spice are both pretty far on the extreme ends of the typical gelding and mare personality types.
I am sure others have an opinion on this topic… please reply to this post and share your thoughts on owning a mare vs. owning a gelding!