What sex do you prefer to drive?

[MiLo Minis]

I have driven all the sexes in many different sizes and personally prefer a stallion to drive. As a sweeping generalization I find mares somewhat unpredictable and moody at times, geldings just don't have the presence and zip that I like - neither of them have, in my opinion, the boldness and willingness to be a full partner and take the lead when necessary as a stallion will. Of course there have been rare exceptions with both mares and geldings but on a whole the best horses I have driven have been stallions. Opinions?

 

[jleonard]

I've never had anything but a mare to drive, just because the mini's I liked and bought happened to be mares. I am definitely a mare person though, out of my eight horses, six are mares, and, maybe I'm just lucky, but not one is moody or hormonal. My TB that I event is a mare, and though she can be difficult (chestnut, TB, mare w/ a redhead for a rider, what a combo!) she will try her heart out for me. I like that you can't "tell" a mare what to do, it has to be more of a partnership. I love my girls

 

[Shari]

Have only Maggie to drive. So mare's here.

 

[whitney]

For the moment my little Tweet, my palomino/pinto mare.

 

[RhineStone]

Geldings!!!! Mares and I don't always seem to get along. They don't "follow directions" as well, and "argue" with me, whereas the geldings just say, "Ok". I have heard there is an art to working with mares, though. You have to make it more their idea. That would require me to give up more control.

Either you have to give up and let them be alpha mare (not going to happen here!), or you have to convince them that you are alpha.

My gelding is a bit "studdy", chases other geldings, herds mares, etc., so maybe that is what makes him more "brilliant" than other geldings. No, he's not a crypt. I think he might have been cut late.

 

[My2Minis]

I've driven both mares and geldings, but never a stallion. I prefer geldings because they're less complicated. My driving horse is a gelding and I love him! I might change my mind if I had a nice driving mare. I have a couple of mares and one is very moody when in heat...a total grump.

 

[My2Minis]

Geldings!!!! Mares and I don't always seem to get along. They don't "follow directions" as well, and "argue" with me, whereas the geldings just say, "Ok". I have heard there is an art to working with mares, though. You have to make it more their idea. That would require me to give up more control.

Either you have to give up and let them be alpha mare (not going to happen here!), or you have to convince them that you are alpha.

That's what my daughter's mare does...argue about everything and there is an art to it..one I am marginal at. There are days when I say that I will never ever get another mare. Then she's so sweet, smart and great that I say, "I love this horse." Then the next day I am saying "grr...when you are outgrown I will sell you." The gelding is all business...If I say go, he goes and he's the same every day.

 

[kaycee]

definately stallions-they have more "presence". and vicks works wonders for keeping their attention!

 

[susanne]

My gelding is a bit "studdy", chases other geldings, herds mares, etc., so maybe that is what makes him more "brilliant" than other geldings. No, he's not a crypt. I think he might have been cut late.

This sounds EXACTLY like Mingus -- he's so full of himself that his favorite praise is "you're beautiful." He's a big, strong boy and enjoys lording it over everyone.

He's very spirited and energetic, but he takes driving very seriously and is very focused on his job.

He's the only one of ours driving for now, so I can't speak for our mare, and our stallion will be gelded before we drive, but not because of any problems. He's the calmest horse we have, but I have no need to keep him intact.

I just know that I love driving the one I'm with.

 

[REO]

We've only had driving geldings so far.

Our boy Sparky is a good boy!

But Danny....is AWESOME! He's been shown in Single pleasure & Country & harness racing. And he's given MANY people their first drives! He's a do it all horse!

(he's in my avatar)

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Hmm, good question! I think in general I'm a gelding person but honestly that's because I came from big horses where you simply don't OWN a stallion unless you plan to stand him. I've gotten along well with the few mares I've driven and have no problem playing the "make it their idea" game, but those were also very business-like, sweet, steady mares. I have no patience with diva personalities and drama games.

The things I love so much about my particular geldings are actually the same things that you mention about stallions- Kody is a natural leader, a full partner who dives in with his whole heart and is as excited to face a challenge as I am. His personality didn't change one bit after being gelded at 4 and more than one animal communicator has thought he was still intact, so maybe that's why I love him so much. Spyder was gelded at 12 years after standing at stud so he too has that mature masculinity and strong sense of himself although unlike Kody he's a perfect gentleman.

I'm afraid my yearling will become more laidback than I like when he's gelded but I'm working hard to instill that same sense of partnership, fun and empowerment in him NOW so that he'll still have that when he's not so, um, "motivated."

I will leave him a stallion at least until he's two, possibly three. There are no girls here so that's not a problem for him unless I take him out. We'll see how bad he is at the shows this year!

So I guess I'd have to say I'm a boy person and leave it at that. I don't want all the cr@p that comes with them still having parts, but I do love the personality!

Leia

 

[Minimor]

I always enjoy driving stallions, but I've also driven some pretty fancy mares and geldings and any of them can be just plain fun. It all depends on the horse--if I were to go out shopping for one single driving horse (would be my only driving horse, no others to choose on different days) I'd have to say that it would just depend on each horse that I looked at. Some mares & geldings are more fancy than some stallions & I wouldn't choose a stallion just for the sake of driving a stallion.

Personality wise it doesn't matter to me--I get along with any of them--I can't say that mares are more moody or whatever, because they do all work for me.

 

[Kendra]

I've driven mostly geldings, with the odd stallion thrown in. I find stallions to me a little more "make me" when they're learning, and generally lazier in harness.

Recently I started a mare - which was an entirely new experience. Now I know I can't make a generalization on the entire sex from a sample of one, but she was so reactive to everything. I put on the crouper for the first time and she turned into Grated Coconut. Had her driving good in an open bridle, and started her in blinkers and she wouldn't go past scary stuff (like the rain barrel she spooked at every day), because she knew she couldn't see it anymore then. And unlike a stallion, who I find is always saying "Make me", she was saying "why should I?" However, once she got started, she took it very seriously, and is one of my favorite horses to drive because she's having so much fun with it. I did do some ground driving with my two year old filly last year, before she passed away, and she wasn't like that at all, so quiet and laidback, thinking things out rather than just reacting.

So I guess my favorite horse to drive is one that loves their job, no matter which sex it is!

 

[ckmini]

my vote goes towards geldings

I've owned and driven all three but like others have said generally you kinda have to deal with the games that mares play (although my soon to be 2 year old filly hasn't gotten that mare attitude yet, crossing my fingers) With stallions I've owned and/or driven I've always felt that their heart isn't in it, bottom line it always comes down to mares. The geldings I own (I've had 12 show geldings over the past 8 years) have to have heart and that love to work, which in my opinion is what it takes to be a sucessful show horse, regardless of sex (but seem to be easier to find in geldings).

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

Well I have only ever driven stallions but I plan on having driving mares too. I am just not a gelding person, I have no problems with gelding horses it is just I dont get along with geldings at all! I have always had mares when we had biggies but always wanted a stallion to show. I only had a couple of decent geldings that I could get along with.

 

[sedeh]

My experience also comes from the big horse world. I've always liked geldings because they're less complicated and more down to business. I just gelded my 2 yo colt because I want to keep him and train him to drive. I just don't want more than one stallion on my place and now I have a nice little gelding group that can run and play together....don't have to segregate him anymore!

 

[Carriage]

Having driven a little of all over the years, I'm not picky about the sex.

I'm With Rhinestone and Miss Leia, give me a thinking, forward and adventurous horse and I'm happy. Giddy actually and the both of us will be looking for trouble. Sometimes a little mis- behavin is in order just to blow the stink off... Ah the TRUE meaning of partnership for, partners in crime is partnership too.

In that vein,

I fondly remember driving out with a very pricey stallion a number of times and we both always had a ball because we left a bunch of the rules with Mom back at the barn and we both focused on having a fine adventure. He always seemed rarin to go when I approched, wonder why... She saw this too and allowed us boys to be boys for a while.

While not as adventurous or forward, Dancer, my all time favorite big mare was always a pleasure to drive and so willing to try almost anything. She was smart too as I remember her initial training period was VERY short and she was both steady, compliant, and took right to driving.

I think all things being equal; bond, young upbringing and preparation are the things to focus on rather than the sex or "station" of a horse.

Merry Christmas to All,

Bb

 

[disneyhorse]

I love a good stallion, but it depends on the individual. Geldings are usually WONDERFUL to drive. The right mare is good, too, but I find mares are more difficult and inconsistent compared to the stallions and geldings.

It totally depends on the horse I think, not the gender.

Andrea

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

I love my geldings! I prefer the steady Eddie type horse, my nerve isn't what it used to be. Sunny and Dunny both are that way, but can be a bit spicy if needed.

My mare Pinkie is awesome, too, though. Never a hassle, not moody, even when she was in heat at Nationals. I "had" to drive her in the last parade as Sunny was being used by a greenie and we figured he'd take care of her. Pinkie was terrific! Last year the white lines on the road freaked her out (almost took out a cop car) and going over the wooden bridge back to the trailer was not easy. This year- nothing. Even walked over the railroad tracks that Sunny JUMPED.

Stallions: not my cup of tea. We have three that drive here, all are well behaved, but I don't feel comfortable behind them. Like driving a coiled spring!!

 

[Sandee]

I have all 3 sexes and drive all three so my answer would have to be that it depends entirely on the personality of the horse AND the driver. If the two of you pair up then I don't see much difference in the sexes. Now, there are many differences in my three.

My gelding is 22 now. He was rock solid (been there done that type) but he's also a bit studdy being gelded at 7. He has the most "presence", the closest movement to Pleasure Driving, but his arthritis and now, I think, he is becoming jumpy because his sight maybe deminishing so this makes him a bit unpredictable.

My mare is just 5 and still finding her way in the cart. She loves to "move out" but her movement will probably never go beyond Country. However, this year we will be trying Roadster. Her moodiness shows up when she's confined in her stall (shows, bad weather doesn't matter). She can become downright nasty to deal with. I have trained her from baby (almost) and she is the one that I can harness in the middle of the aisle with no ties on; even to the point of "whoa, oops forgot a piece of equipment" and I run into the tack stall. She has pulled in footing that was marginally too deep and beat a full sized horse in open shows. She does everything from obstacle to jumping to driving and the judges like her; can't say that for her halter or liberty but then that's the judges opinion. In other words she trusts me completely and she'll try her heart out for me.

My stallion is another story. He's the "pretty boy". He does good in halter. He's only 7 but very laid back; to the point of he Hates to move! He does Western pleasure driving and made National Champion one year but I don't think he likes driving much at all. He has just up and quit in a class - I mean just stopped moving. He's a real character.

In big horses I'd have said preference was to gelding - much easier to predict, but with these guys, I prefer driving my mare of the three I have. When and if I get another driving horse then who knows. It will depend on how we "click" together.