# Mare for trail riding??



## ringosmomma (Oct 13, 2011)

I am into trail riding and wanting to sart looking towards competitive trail and/or endurance trail. I will also be going on a lot of group rides. I'm looking to getting a new horse specifically for this in the future. My question is about owning a mare as a trail horse only because I know some geldings misbehave around mares in heat so I'm just wondering how that would go if she was in heat on a group trail ride with mixed genders. I find mares easier to bond with for me but a good horse is a good horse an would never be biased against a gender, I would go solely on the horse unless it would be a problem to do group rides with a mare in heat. Does anyone have experience with this? Is it a big enough factor to not consider a mare?
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## Saranda (Apr 14, 2011)

I board in a trail riding facility and we have several mares. They go in trails with geldings just fine and they never act up if the mares are in heat, always listening to their riders. It really depends on the level of respect a horse has for his rider/trainer, so I think you will be okay. I have even ridden stallions in trails with mares participating, and some of them in heat, but the stallions were so well trained that they were ridden in just rope halters and didn't even flinch an ear to any of the mares. Get a mare and enjoy her!


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

other peoples horses acting up around common things is THEIR problem, not yours.

Saying that mares seem to be pretty common in endurance. From what I have seen I would say even better than geldings. Mares seem to be much pushier and agressive when it comes to eating and drinking. Thats a good thing. I think they do a better job of taking care of themselves. While I have never crunched the numbers to see if they really are better. I have never heard or seen anything that would make me think they are worse. If you prefer mares get one.


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## ringosmomma (Oct 13, 2011)

Well I have a gelding right now and he's a great horse but our personalities don't mesh and I'm sure everyone knows what that's like. I don't really have a preference either way. I'd really just like to go look at horses regardless of mate or gelding and see how we work together and decide on that. I'm glad to know though that more often then not it'll be fine to take a mare with a group of geldings, if she's well trained it won't be as bothersome if they even do act up because she will have respect for me and I can control her. My dream is to do endurance and cross country with the occasional competitive trails thrown in. Hopefully I won't need 3 different horses for that 
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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

I ride a mare on trails and she's always an angel. While she doesn't prefer being leader, she will do fine if I ask it of her. The geldings I rode on trails were a bit iffy-er in their training, so I can't say mares are better than geldings based off my experience.
Though, I've had both mares I've ridden give me more effort than the geldings. Dude especially had his own agenda, he'd only run full-out if we were racing in the field with others (he'd always end up last, lol), and while he'd give me more effort in the arena than any of his other riders, it was never his all. He was rather spooky on the trails too, no matter where he was in the group.

Personally though, I think it all depends on the bond the horse/rider has, not really the gender. I've had bigger blow-ups when I started working with the mares, but I appreciated that they were all headstrong and came around with a bit of work as opposed to the geldings who did everything half-heartedly when I started working with them with fewer blow-ups that had a lot less "umph".
My friend has a gelding that will do anything that's asked of him by anyone whole-heartedly though, and that's just his personality along with his training. Any sex will give it's all with training and a desire to please or is doing what it likes. Example being, Dude gave more in the arena working on barrels/poles than he ever did on trails, because he obviously liked it more.
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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Not all geldings go nuts over mares. My silly gelding has been turned out to pasture with broodmares in heat and got confused when they flirted with him. He still does even though he's only out with geldings (current place separates by gender).

Honestly, if a gelding goes mad over a mare that isn't your fault nor your responsibility. The owner of said gelding shouldn't bring their horse into a mixed group if they aren't going to train their horse.
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## dee (Jul 30, 2009)

The first time I rode my mare on a trail ride, she was in full blown heat. She's the dominant mare in our herd, and daughter was just sure there would be trouble. However, Dancer has never made an issue of being in heat - she demonstrates the physical attributes of being in heat, such as winking, but she rarely pees under saddle. Honestly, the only way we know when she is in heat is when our neighbor rides by on his stud, and he's the one that is calling and acting like a fool. Dancer is interested, but since there is a fence between them (and she's too lazy to jump it) but other than looking up with pricked ears, she pretty much ignores him.

Anyway, on the trail ride, Dancer was a gem. Our friends were very pleased at how well she took to the trail (it was her first time being ridden outside of a pasture.) Dancer ignored the antics of the lone stallion in the group, and the geldings and other mares pretty much dismissed Dancer's "issue" after a few minutes - the view on the trail was much more interesting...


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

I have a mare. Heat cycles have never been a problem and we have ridden literally thousands of miles together.

If you prefer mares, then find yourself one to be your trail partner!


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

I wouldn't trade my mare for anything. She's a wonderful trail horse.


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## bbsmfg3 (Aug 12, 2010)

It is true a mare or stallion can be trained to behave and never act up, But why spend the extra time it takes to do all of this training, when it is automatic with most geldings. We gave up riding mares a long time ago, too much extra work. 

I don't see that a mare has any more to over than a gelding. It is the individual make up of the horse that makes them the type of mount they become.


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## dee (Jul 30, 2009)

I don't know about anyone else's mare, but my Dancer has never had any special training - unless you count the ground manners I had to teach her when I first got her - but that could have been said for any horse gender.

Dancer is just your typical, plunk around, not particularly well trained backyard horse.


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## ringosmomma (Oct 13, 2011)

bbsmfg3 said:


> It is true a mare or stallion can be trained to behave and never act up, But why spend the extra time it takes to do all of this training, when it is automatic with most geldings. We gave up riding mares a long time ago, too much extra work.
> 
> I don't see that a mare has any more to over than a gelding. It is the individual make up of the horse that makes them the type of mount they become.



Some people swear by mares and some by geldings. I think it's important what the individual horse is like rather then the gender. There are some geldings that can never measure up to mares and visa versa. Either way I want a good horse I bond with.
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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

ringosmomma said:


> Some people swear by mares and some by geldings. I think it's important what the individual horse is like rather then the gender. There are some geldings that can never measure up to mares and visa versa. Either way I want a good horse I bond with.
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I prefer a gelding or stallion, but I will admit most mares I have known seem to have more basic common sense! I just don't care for the mood swings or the tendency to kick in some boss type mares. 

Bottom line, pick what you like and let the others worry about their own horses.


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## SRriding (Oct 28, 2012)

I would never ride anything but my mare! She has heat cycles, but just as any horse, its the training and groundwork that prepares your horse for any event, trailriding included. Don't be afraid of the "mare in heat" just get to know her and work with her. When I first got my mare I rode everyday for 60 days, along with groundwork. Personally, I think that is the neatest part of getting a new horse, getting to know the personality and bonding with them. Have fun!!!!


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## goneriding (Jun 6, 2011)

A good horse is just that. There are good mares and not so good mares just as there are good geldings and not so good geldings. Don't pass a good horse up just because of its gender.


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## Prairie Rose (Oct 17, 2012)

I have two mares and one gelding.
All have been ridden on group trail rides.

It's training, not gender, in my opinion.


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## Thunderspark (Oct 17, 2012)

I have a 10yr. old mare I've had since she was 3yr. old. I have never had a problem with her out trail riding with any horses whether they were mares or geldings. When she was younger she would give the evil eye to another mare if it was getting too close to her but I would tap her on the neck and tell her to mind her business LOL now she hardly bothers if another horse is too close. She has had lots up her butt riding but has never kicked either. This past summer I was on a trail ride with about 20 riders and the lady behind me had this huge gelding, my mare Spice is just around the 15hh, not a big girl in height but very sturdy.......this gelding tripped and I heard the commotion behind me, looked and this lady's face was 2 feet from mine and I couldn't see her horse LOL his head/neck went between Spice's back legs and totally under her! I am so lucky she is such a good girl, she didn't panic.....she gave a little jump ahead to get his head out from under her which of course put her too close behind the mare ahead of us who hoofed poor Spice in the head! She spun, she didn't know what to do.....I slid off in slow motion and she just stopped and looked down at me LOL All I can say is I hadn't spent the time when she was younger desensitizing her/getting her to trust me.....she would have panicked! I couldn't ask for a better trail horse and we put on many miles through the year.....


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

Spice sounds like a terrific trail horse partner.

I rode a mare when I was a teenager. Never knew when she was in heat. She never acted differently. I rode with a bunch of teenagers riding mostly mares but one rode a little paint gelding that was a handful. 

Now I have geldings and they are just fine on the trial. Several friends have mares and only one is a problem. My friends old Arabian mare, Dulcie, is madly in love with my cousin's horse Elan. She squirts winks squeals - flings her tail in a circle while squirting thereby flinging urine everywhere. 

Other than that, I don't see any difference when we are riding with a large group of people. I rode Sunday with hubby and I on our geldings, with a guy on a 3 year old stud colt and a man on a gorgeous little mare. None of the horses misbehaved other than the mare would spook and spin occasionally which had nothing to do with her sex, and the stud colt made a rumbling noise a few times at Biscuit which his owner corrected instantly. We rode for 8 miles on a sometimes very tight trail. 

Get what you want...it will not make a huge difference as far as the sex goes. What makes a difference is personality and training.


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## shandasue (Nov 22, 2011)

Gender has nuthing to do with it. I do think mares are ****y more often than geldings or stallions.. but so are most women. iv had wonderfull mares and geldings but iv also had both to be a handfull, and my boss/trainer has two stallions you can breed, then take them on a ride with the mare and they'll act like a prince, now I wouldnt do that but he has just to see how they would do. Its all about the training
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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

I currently have two mares and a gelding. I generally "bond" more with mares, and if I had to choose a gender it would be a mare. That said, every horse deserves to be evaluated individually.

I have trail ridden studs, mares and geldings, with no problems.

the worst kicker I was ever on was a gelding.

my "heart horse" is a mare, I wouldnt trade her for any amount.


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## TrailheadSupply (Sep 6, 2012)

I pull a pack sting half are mares, my saddle horse is a mare and they all work hard !!! every now and again when one comes into season one gets a little grumpy ( i'm sure half of the folks readying this understands) but they also know they have a job to do and it needs to get done. And sure someone sniffs where they shouldn't be sniffing and that mare sets them straight but we just keep going down the trail, mile after mile. Buy the mare if you want a mare.....


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