Doing my homework Driving Mare, Gelding or Stallion

[susanne]

I would ask your trainer to assist with your search for a driving horse and make the most of his/her experience and expertise. Make certain the horse you choose is one you'll both enjoy working with.

It would be different if you already owned the horse, but since you're starting with a clean slate, you might as well be on the same page as your trainer.

With regards to gender, in addition to which will be easiest to drive, consider what sort of driving you will do, where you will drive, who you will drive with, and what sort of transportation you will use. You could have a perfectly behaved stallion, but if you are wanting to drive with friends who have a mare, you could have a less than ideal situation, especially if you hope to haul together.

 

[New mini]

I have my traier involved. she is in the large horse world and has some contacts there. she has asked for help from people she knows. We are not in a mini horse area. I know there are a lot of mini horse farms in Oh but they are 4 and 5 hours south of me. I am looking all over the place and have put out emails about the one that seem interesting. My sesach will go on until I find that right mini for me.

Thanks for all the replys and helpful information that you all have given. I know I will find one somewhere and sometime. I am not in a rush to buy one now since one is available.

 

[LazyRanch]

I had a friend try to give me her driving mare. She was up front with me, and said the mare was an absolute witch. I walked over to my truck, emptied my penny holder, and dumped them in the mare's water tub and told her to come back and talk to me in a week. She still has her mare, no longer a witch, and loves driving her.

Sometimes the work around is really simple if you like the horse enough to look for it.

That being said, I agree with those who would advise against a stallion as a beginner/first horse. They can be unpredictable, you don't want to put them in a pipe corral next to a mare - and in many cases, some geldings. When you compete, chances are good you won't be able to join the social group at the last hazard; you might have to stand too far apart to talk. Stallions are more likely to strike or bite. If you have a lot of experience, it isn't such an issue, because you are aware and know how to handle it. But when you are learning, there are just too many other things to think about without worrying about a stallion's mentality. If you see a stallion you cannot live without, buy it and geld it.

At one point, I was campaigning 5 chestnut mares. I would pull up and unload them and someone would inevitably show up and warn me about chestnut mares and their tempers. Never saw it. I love my mares for their independence and ability to think fast. I have loved my geldings for their solid steadiness.

I love my Vicks, because I love showing stallions. I have had the privilege of having several to compete. Once you are "theirs" they will follow, carry or drive you anywhere (although, heaven help you if they don't like you). Sometimes they get too possessive though. I had a Quarter Horse who wouldn't let my boyfriend near me, nearly busting down a stall door, and a TB who nearly died when I sold him. He refused to eat or drink. Finally had to go bring him Little Debbie Oatmeal Creams.

You may consider looking more at your first horse's heart and head than how pretty or beautiful it is. A safe, sane attitude is golden.

 

[gatorbait4sure]

Well, I am going to be the odd one out here. I do not disagree with anything that has been said, and you are certainly more likely to get a great deal - and be well pleased - with a driving GELDING. But I would suggest you not limit your choices when you start out looking. Maybe someone has a GREAT driving stallion for a low price that could be gelded. Or a mare that is unbreedable (we GAVE one away last year who was green broke to drive). We plan to train all our broodmares to drive. Our best driving horses now are two 7 year old mares; both are very reliable. Our stallion was the easiest to train to drive but I am not really comfortable driving a stallion with mares, even though he is a very good boy. So I think you should look for the best MINI and not get too hung up on the sex. In the case of stallions, it can be changed. Oh, and our first mini, who is a gelding - we gave up on training him to drive as he is way too spooky and unreliable for us (but we love him anyway).

ETA: guess we posted at the same time and I answered your question!

Mary, Who left?

dru