Re: Mares vs Geldings

["Maggie Mieske" <mmieske@netonecom.net>]

Well, I have been reading some of the posts about mares vs. geldings, etc.
and really hadn't wanted to respond because my experiences with mares have
been limited and negative.  Except for my first pony who was a mare and
taught me well...she also had an evil little colt who swiftly became a
gelding (didn't help-he was still evil and there's no room in THIS forum for
THOSE stories).  Anyway, over the past 20 years or so, I have trained a few
Morgan mares for an old friend.  Just basic saddle training, nothing
extensive.  Most were very cooperative and willing.  The ones who weren't
WEREN'T!  But I didn't have them only a couple of months.  In the past few
years in addition to having geldings, we also have acquired a few mares.
Except for one who is sane, smart and full of compassion and personality,
the rest are exactly the opposite!  Horrible, evil beings I would rather be
without in my herd!!!  Not fair...there are 2 I would rather be without.  I
forget that all the fillies are going to be mares.  We have 4 fillies we
have bred and 3 of them are in your pocket, quiet and pleasant and willing
and intelligent....all that good mare stuff I'm hearing.  The other one is
the daughter of one of the evil mares.  She is JUST like her!  Hopefully,
the other fillies will retain all those good qualities and become wonderful
athletes.  Anyway, here's my vote... STALLIONS!  LOVE 'EM.  Malik was our
first and after I figured him out, mostly that he's just vain and likes to
posture a lot, and we got down to the business of endurance, he's guess
what?  A lot like those wonderful mares I am reading about only with
different plumbing.  :) He's still young and we're working out the kinks
(like NO, we DON'T wait for the horses BEHIND us unless we want to be LAST!
and YES, Mom knows what she is doing when she says we have to conserve
energy for the LAST 25 miles and not use it all up in the first 25 miles!
and well, you get the drift.).  He actually takes pretty good care of
himself, has awesome recoveries, damn good vet scores and will do anything I
ask of him.  Though he may double check with me first... Are you FOR SURE
ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN there are no Arab eating gremlins in that stream/pond/
puddle/woods/trail?  OK, but BE READY to run if there are!  :)   I am also
now training his younger 1/2 brother and feel he may even have the potential
to be better than Malik... please DON'T tell HIM that!  I mean better only
in that we have had him since he was a weanling and have had total control
over his upbringing and he has been a cinch to train.  Calm, quiet and
logical, willing to please, smart (all that good mare stuff!).  :)  Watch
out for those stallions!!  If I can teach mine to quit waiting for you, we
might some day win!!!  :)
Maggie