Re: Survey: Riding mares

["Heidi Smith" <heidi@sagehillcmk.com>]

Genie, I rode a mare to the National Top 25 in 1985, and also grew up on a
ranch that only had mares.  With our ranch mares, with no stallions or
geldings around, we were rarely even aware of when they were in heat.  There
is quite a variety among mares about how "hormonal" they get--most are very
steady, and even if you can tell when they are in heat, it won't affect how
they work.  A few do get crabby and cranky to deal with, but in my
experience, they are in the minority.  (And quite frankly, one occasionally
runs into the "studdy" gelding, so one can't always look at them as being
uniform, either.)  Biologically/metabolically, on the whole mares are VERY
tough and do distance type events very well--they are the survivors of the
species, and they tend to be wise about how they use themselves.
Personally, I think far too many people have an unfounded prejudice against
mares, and they pass up some wonderful prospects as a result.

Heidi Smith, DVM
Tendoy, Idaho

----- Original Message -----
From: <guest@endurance.net>
To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Sunday, November 11, 2001 7:59 AM
Subject: RC: Survey: Riding mares


> Genie Stewart-Spears geniess@accessus.net
> Please respond privately.  This is a survey for a possible article.
>
> Are there special management considerations when riding a mare as opposed
> to riding a gelding?  What behavior problems have you experienced and how
> have you managed them?  Do you prefer competing on a mare over a gelding?
> Why or why not?
>
> Genie Stewart-Spears
> geniess@accessus.net
>
>
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