Mary Allen
There are also gender-specific prejudices against horses. These preconceived notions affect the human-steed relationship. But how do mares, stallions, and geldings really tick? And which horse goes with which rider?
Blanket judgments about gender characteristics persist even in our modern society. And this phenomenon does not stop at the stables. If a four-legged friend squeaks at his fellows, the supposedly bitchy mare is quickly identified, as is the stallion when he struts across the square with the arched neck. The geldings, on the other hand, are said to be balanced and willing, but they lack expressiveness.
An online survey by Australian and British scientists, in which 1233 people took part, confirms that the assignment of certain characteristics is cemented in the minds of equestrian athletes. Part of the questioning consisted of describing the nature of mares, geldings, and stallions. The geldings fared best: they were described as calm, easily trainable, and reliable.
In mares, the results were less clear. Although three-quarters of those surveyed described the female horses as bossy and dominant, the majority also considered them to be secure, willing, and positive. The statements about the stallions were the most contradictory. Over 80 percent described them as dominant and difficult, but 95 percent thought they were easily trainable.
Showmanship of the Stallions
The researchers concluded from the survey results that the human-horse relationship is burdened with preconceived notions about gender-specific characteristics. This could have “profound consequences for training and well-being. Because if horses are seen as difficult, dangerous and dominating, they are treated differently than horses that are seen as calm, reliable and composed.”
Generalizations are therefore out of place. Every horse is an individual and its character, temperament and behavior depend not only on its gender but on the sum of its experiences. Nevertheless, there are differences between mares, geldings, and stallions – both in behavior and in appearance.
Stallions are more muscular than other horses. They have a broader chest, a distinctive neck, and stronger lower jawbones. Most stallions are also larger than mares of the same breed. The hormone testosterone controls the stallion’s sex drive and supports his dominant, sometimes aggressive behavior – and it even has an impact on hair growth. Most stallions have a very glossy coat and often have a nice, thick, flowing coat.
Many stallions show off and are self-confident, strong, and courageous personalities. People like to use this expressiveness to impress others, for example in dressage, where stallions are common, or at shows. The Spanish Riding School in Vienna has always worked only with stallions, as has the Royal Andalusian Riding School and the Cadre Noir in Saumur.
There is a Diva in Many Mares
The stallions’ physical strength and behavior are built for the role nature intended them to play in the wild: looking after their herd and protecting the foals and mares from attackers and competing stallions. The proud, fiery, wild stallion is the hero of many young adult novels, and many a girl dreams of owning one. But in modern riding stables, keeping riding stallions requires specialist knowledge and a sure instinct. The same goes for handling and riding stallions. You quickly sense when people are inexperienced, anxious, and insecure. It is not disobedience, but his nature that then allows him to take the lead.
If a stallion is not only to be used for breeding but also to become a sports or leisure partner, he must learn to treat people with respect and trust through consistent training as early as the foal age. As the structure of the herd changes, most stallions seek to challenge human rank. Usually not through open declarations of war, but subtle but constant, until he is stopped. Although one hears of docile stallions being ridden by children, the vast majority only belong in the hands of experienced riders.
Mares have a more delicate physique than stallions. The expression of the characteristics is strongly breed-dependent. A sporty warmblood mare can certainly be taller and wider than a graceful Arabian stallion. As a rule, the mare’s head is finer and the facial expression is feminine. Their neck is slimmer, the chest narrower, the croup often more angular.
Mares perform at their best in all equestrian sport disciplines and win against their male opponents. At the last World Championships, the German Simone Blum won the individual showjumping competition on her chestnut mare, Alice. The fact that mares are not always as willing to perform as their male counterparts is due to their nature on the one hand and hormones on the other. Many mares show fluctuations in their behavior due to the menstrual cycle: During heat, i.e. readiness to mate, they are often moody, easily distracted, sensitive, and less responsive. That in many mares there is a little diva with a strong character and a mind of her own can be seen in her daily work, where she lets herself be asked if a task doesn’t make sense to her.
High-ranking mares tend to take the lead and need a determined rider. But whoever wants to force a mare usually draws the short straw – they demand fairness and loving consistency. Only riders who have enough empathy and understanding for occasional mood swings should get involved with a sensitive mare.
Gelding – Something in Between?
The third gender, the gelding, was once a stallion. Castration dries up its testosterone source and the horse changes its behavior, appearance, and development. How much depends on the time of the intervention. If it occurs before the age of two, geldings grow longer and tend to be larger than mares and stallions. Their musculature is then also slimmer than that of stallions. If stallions are castrated late, the animal retains its “stallion” appearance and often the behavior it has learned. The earlier a stallion is castrated, the easier it is to integrate into a mixed herd or group.
In terms of upbringing and training, geldings are usually less complicated than stallions because they do not constantly question the rank of humans, but they are less attentive and sensitive than mares. Because the hormones don’t constantly get in the way, geldings are considered to be more balanced, peaceful, and relaxed. Geldings are also usually nice to each other, they like to play, but argue much less than mares. This durability makes them popular with sports and leisure riders who want a less spectacular but uncomplicated four-legged partner at their side.