What is your experience with mares?

I have a question for anyone that has ever owned, ridden or handled a mare: What has your experience been? It seems that there are many people that believe them to be irritable, moody, unpredictable and more trouble than they are worth.

I have owned/trained many horses of different breeds, ages and gender and haven't had a bad experience with a mare due to her being in season or being badly mannered towards other horses or people. Perhaps I just haven't come across a truly hormonal mare yet.

Although I have certainly had my fair share of mares that exhibit some bad behaviours, I have found it has always been related to poor training or lack of work/proper upkeep. The best horse I have ever owned is a mare, I have owned her for over ten years now and never found her to be a problem when she was in heat, even when riding in the company of stallions or other mares. Perhaps she was an exception.

So tell me your stories about your mares, whether they are good or bad, I am interested to hear!

I have never really had a problem riding a mare. Our personalities just don't seem to click, though. From my experience, mares usually tend to be more opinionated and obstinate than geldings and I am obstinate enough for both of us. I have ridden some spoiled mares and some really nice ones, even a hormonal one or two. With the proper handling, they are just as good as any gelding but they just seem to get along better with certain people. I am not particularly comfortable with mares as kid horses though. Not because they might cause a problem but if they are in season and they are out on a big trail ride or in a parade, there might be somebody on a stud that they can't control. That thought scares me.

I personally own two mares that are very different from each other, that I have trained myself. However their behaviors around me are always the same no matter what time of the month it is. The only time that I see their grumpiness is out in the pasture when they are with other horses in a herd. I think that it is a training issue more than a hormone issue however believe firmly that their hormones do affect their moods. I know it affects mine : ) If my mares are in heat I just find them easily distracted by the boys.............sounds like some teenagers I know lol : )

I have a mare and gelding...my mare is a little mean she always nips me and wont listen when I ride her also when I have her on a halter she bites and sometimes wont move..even when I put her in her stall she bites

I've had more mares than geldings, and while they are, on occasion, rather b!#chy. . . I have had only good experiences.

I love mares ! They can sometimes be difficult to get through to at first, but once you win them over they are such triers ! I have never had problems with mares when they are in season, that is no excuse for bad behavior & they just have to deal.

In general, I do find that mares can be more opinionated than geldings, but they can also have a bit more heart and will at times as well.
If you're worried about moodiness, there are some fantastic daily supplements, or even long-term solutions that can curb that side of things.

I have found them to be a bit tempermental, but generally, I have to say for some of the sports (like reining) that require more concentration and "heart"-they do seem to step up more than geldings. For my personal use, I prefer geldings, for all the same reasons as SMROBS. I just like a more even keel, I guess.

I personally love mares and, when I get my own horse one day, I hope to get a mare. They are stubborn, opinionated, and sometimes just blatantly bitchy, but the hormonal mares I've known have made me a better, more patient rider. Mares will sometimes get bossy and will test you at random times. I've been told that if you beat a gelding once, he's beat, but mares will come at you and come at you every time you ride them. It's a never ending battle that calls for the rider to be patient and consistent.

The mare I show and lease has NO marish qualities AT ALL. She is super sweet and even when she is in heat she "shows off" a little bit around the boys but never moody. :)