RE: Mares vs Geldings

["Maryanne @Stroud Gabbani" <maryanne@ratbusters.net>]

Sorry, Angie.
I wrote before I read your post. To be fair, my geldings are great
horses too and far less likely to overdo it than the mares. They are
steady, decent guys...though one of them is a 14 hand monster who thinks
he's stable boss and isn't gelded. But that's ok because everyone
else...except the mares...think he's stable boss too.

Maryanne Stroud Gabbani
Cairo, Egypt
Maryanne@ratbusters.net

-----Original Message-----
From: Rides 2 Far [mailto:rides2far@juno.com] 
Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2001 5:20 AM
To: ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject: RC: Mares vs Geldings

I consider this a prime example of how you have to be careful judging
the
results of polls.  To read these polls you'd think everyone preferred
mares...then go to a ride and you'll see mostly geldings.  I think the
people who prefer mares feel on the defensive and are quick to post why
they like them, but enough is enough. I can't take any more posts
insinuating mares are superior without defending my boys.  

My first 2 mounts were mares.  Thank goodness I got that over with
before
I found out how great geldings are!  I'd have hated to have had geldings
first, then had to live through those mares.

When I was 15 years old and easily embarassed I had a mare who liked to
curl her tail up over her back like a Spitz and walk squatty down the
road squirting a bit of pee every step.  What a huzzy.  Can you imagine
how embarassing when both your riding pals were male?  I got so mad I
tied a knot in her tail and ran a hay string from it up to the girth to
hold it down, so she walked squatty down the road with her tail bowed
out
behind her.  My first pony was a mare.  I used to let her sniff noses
with other ponies just to hear her scream bloody murder and strike out
with a front foot.  Great entertainment for a 12 year old.  I could also
make her lash out with a hind foot by resting my hand on her loin area.

I agree that a day with a mare is much like hanging out with "the
girls".
 Unfortunately, I despise hanging out with girls...except for endurance
females which I liken to a mare who has something wrong with her and
doesn't cycle...in other words, mentally balanced >g<.  I've never had a
really close friend who was female until I started endurance.  I prefer
the company of men. Non-endurance women always seem to be looking for a
reason to be mad or offended.  Mares seem the same to me.  Fortunately,
non-endurance women who I offend don't kick the crap out of me for doing
it.  

As far as testimonials to brains and self preservation, etc...  I was
once riding Kaboot with a kid on my old Arab gelding, Isaiah.  We came
to
a bog formed by a logger cutting down a large tree.  The trunk lay on
the
low side of the logging road and soft mud had built up on the high side
of it.  The trunk was about 1/4 submerged.  Isaiah looked it over, then
suddenly just hopped up on the tree trunk and walked that log right
across the bog.  Kaboot was just 5 and very green, but he hopped right
up
behind him and crossed it too.  Talk about a Kodak moment!  Kaboot
usually drinks withing the first 15 miles.  He will grab grass that
early
too...and on top of all that...no squealing, no kicking, no hormones. I
got my torn ACL when my mare was in heat and heard a stallion call
suddenly out of nowhere decided to rear over backwards.  Guess she
experienced a hormone surge or something.

 I will give mares one area where they can claim superiority though. 
They sure are able to make some intimidating faces!

I am glad some of you want mares, since we need them around to
eventually
produce more geldings.  :-)

Angie
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