So if you had a choice, would it be a pasture of

[barnbum]

I only have one gelding--a real sweetheart. The girls are bossy to him--well some of them, the others are great.

Boys play rougher?

I've never had mares act differently toward me due to being in heat.

Mixed has issues: What I hate is how the girls will urinate when they are bugged by Jazz. Rosie has always been a clean girl--but now her back legs are stained and her tail stinks.

I've washed her off once, and will do it again tomorrow. They've been together a week, will that issue fade??

I'm curious though... Jill mentioned in a reply once if she could wave a magic wand, she'd have all geldings. I think, with little experience with geldings though, I'd go with mares.

And you?

 

[chandab]

That's a tough one. With the saddle horses I've had more geldings than mares (3 mares vs 5 geldings), and loved the geldings for their even nature, the mares were a bit more moody. Now, with the minis, for the most part all my mares (8) have been just so sweet and loving; [i have two stallions (so no gelding "attitude")] and just got my first mini gelding last week (he is also so sweet).

I've boarded my saddle horses in mixed groups and segregated groups, and it really seems to depend on the gelding (and the mares) as to whether they'll react to each other. My senior gelding, he is low man and nobody reacts to him, and my mares have always more or less bosses him around. My husband's alpha gelding sends my mares over the edge. [sold one mare, as she just couldn't get along with him (both have dominant personalities and neither wanted to give up position), she bucked, he doesn't , so we sold the mare. Her daughter does ok with that gelding, but he can really push her buttons; but she'll get along with her younger half-brother, she doesn't react to him. ] I've rambled, but in short it really depends on the horse, some get along in mixed groups, some don't.

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

Definitely mares, I am not a gelding person...I have no problem gelding a horse but I wouldnt want more than one.

 

[Matt73]

Geldings, without a doubt. But I do love a good mare, too...especially my very sweet sweet girl, Lex

 

[Songcatcher]

For me, definately mares. Even if I weren't breeding.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Geldings- one personality all the time, and no stinky yellowed tails!

Leia

 

[krissy3]

Tough question...I agree boys play nicely together, and a group of them together would be a lot of fu. But mares are so sweet and affectionate....For me I couldnt live without a mare to hug , and kiss.I would have to say "Mares"

YES definatly the "mares"

 

[susanne]

I look at my little herd of two geldings, one mare, and one stallion (gelding-to-be), and I have to say I would choose by the individual, not the gender.

Mingus is a gelding who acts more like a stallion, with tons of attitude (but no hormones, no screaming, etc.), and the deepest mutual love I can imagine with any animal. He also has a work ethic like no other. When he was a stallion he was out of control, but would give me this look like "this isn't me, really!"

Flash is a stallion who acts more like a gelding. Other than the occasional stallion scream and stomp, you would hardly think he had any hormones. He's our "horse whimperer," who expresses himself with a quivering lip and barely audible moans. He's also our watch horse, alerting us with a loud whinny whenever something out of the ordinary occurs (horses getting loose, etc.).

Scarlet is my best gal pal (along with Billie, our Maltese). She acts like my best friends did in high school -- always there as a friend, but quick to razz me and give a bit of guff. Very affectionate, but in a different way than the boys -- as in "don't think you're too special." BTW, Scarlet doesn't pee for her gelding buddies, but only for Flash AND for food, LOL!

Thelonius is our Cabbage Patch Doll gelding. His favorite role in life is being Mingus' BFF. He is rather timid, yet when a coyote dared to visit our property in broad daylight, Thelonius tried to climb the fence to get TO him rather than running the other way. He personifies loyalty, and is one of the cutest beings on earth.

I love them individually and as a group. Each has his or her own distinct personality independent of their gender.

Give me a herd of lovebugs like I have, and I don't care what they are.

 

[mininik]

Geldings.

 

[barnbum]

and no stinky yellowed tails!

How true! But--it gives us a chance to try new shampoos!!

Actually--I only have one who does that on a regular basis, but when they're "speaking" to the boys, it's a different situation.

 

[Jill]

Hey, Karla --

When I said that, I was so upset with the issues we had about Trooper's birth and was just wanting to be out of breeding there for a little bit.

HOWEVER, if I were to name the horses I am most attached to, and same for Harvey, it is mostly our boys (including the stallions).

If I were not going to breed anymore, and had that magic wand, I would have just geldings. Both my riding horses were/are geldings so that started me out I guess with some appreciation and while my mares are all sweet and also haven't had the trouble with mood swings, I've found the geldings and the stallions seem to get more attached to me than the mares and seem to give more of their heart to what I'm trying to do with them. It seems that the geldings and the stallions try harder to please. I guess that attachment I think they have to me feeds my ego some in a weird way, but it is part of what makes me love the boys at least a little more.

Anyway, I love all our horses. That's why they're still our horses, but if we were to make a short list of who we'd keep if we were out of breeding, it would be filled up mostly with the boys.

Jill

 

[barnbum]

When I said that, I was so upset with the issues we had about Trooper's birth and was just wanting to be out of breeding there for a little bit.

That's understandable.

But- it's easy to see you've always loved your boys.

I love them individually and as a group. Each has his or her own distinct personality independent of their gender.

This is so true. Now though, when deciding who will be the permanent herd, how they get along is coming into play.

This morning, after the mares/foals were in their pasture, I let Jazz out. He waited for Whisper to get out. I wanted to watch to see how they got along for a minute...which is terrific--very low key--mutual respect. But Jazz gave a whinny and both of them turned to look at me and Rosie's stall--clearly letting me know they weren't complete without Rosie.

Of course when Rosie got out--she had to do some boss moves to Jazz

.. then they all scampered back to their pasture.

 

[Jill]

Karla --

One kind of neat thing I've found is that if you have a group of mares, a lot of times, they're pretty inactive. Just hanging out and chit chatting like! But if you put a gelding in with them, a lot of times, I've seen the gelding instigate play and gets the mares running around and moving more than they otherwise would

Jill

 

[Genie]

Mares and fillies with a boyfriend in the barn

 

[Annabellarose]

For me? Mares please! ...and, for me, it has NOTHING to do with being able to breed. I do occasionally breed, but I am NOT a "breeder". I only had a foal this Spring and am expecting another foal this Fall because I bought two pregnant mares. I bought the mares because I wanted the mares, not because I wanted foals. I love mares. I have a Paint Horse gelding that I bred and raised, he is like my child, I love him deeply, completely. However, I (usually) only look to add/buy mares. I did buy a Miniature Horse colt last Fall, but only because my mother wanted a colt (God only knows why). I had him gelded last week and I have constantly kicked myself for buying him, he's a monster.

I hate having to geld the boys and I am a BIG BELIEVER in gelding. I hate the surgery and the recovery and worrying if they are going to be okay. I am going through that right now and I hate it! I hate, hate, hate having to clean their penis. If I never see another "bean" it will still be too soon. I hate it! It isn't just the gelding and the cleaning, for some reason, I just really love mares. I haven't had mares with "mood swings". I would much rather ride a mare that I had a good relationship with. I have had geldings dump me and run home without me, but I have never, ever had a mare, even one that was angry with me, leave me.

 

[shane]

geldings all the way!!!!!

they are so good for the kids too....

 

[shorthorsemom]

Since I have no interest at this time for breeding I have to say Geldings. I have two, love them to pieces.

 

[~Lisa~]

geldings without a doubt. I love my mares but why deal with them coming in season when you do not need to.

My geldings are always active and playing and need very little fitting for the show ring. My mares who are turned out with the geldings may go for a good self induced romp one a week but they are not as active.

Almost any time you look out in the pasture you see the geldings running around, rearing, chasing eachother and just having fun.

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

if they would all get along, I would choose stallions because their personalities are so funny, they play and are so active!

Robin

 

[Bess Kelly]

For me, each horse has it's own personality and that impacts their herd impact. I have more mares than geldings/stallions. But I adore stallions!! Love that "fire" -- and they are all well mannered here, just the hormone thing

)

So, the pros and cons of each group for me -- hate those nasty tails/legs on a mare in season but this rarely is a problem if there are NO boys around, stallion or gelding. Plus, the boys are very tidy in the pastures

-- you can go to a few places to clean up. Makes for a nice area. You can almost know "where" those places will be before you put them in there, stally corners

as I refer to them. For the most part, those darned mares just lift their tails and expel.

Yes, they have a favorite area but it always expands! Stallions, well you could almost place a container in his area and he'd fill it!!

Both sexes seem to have good or bad days.