Do You Know What Types of Horses Fits You Best?Believe it or not, you should also consider the types of horses to buy, depending on your experience level. There are basically 3 different types of horses. Mares sometimes get a bad rap. Although, some can be harder to deal with when their “in season”. Being a woman myself, I Understand Completely! On the other hand, some horse owners swear by them. It has been said that mares are more intelligent than the other two types of horses. They also seem a bit more picky about who they trust. However once you gain a mares respect, she will give you 100%. A good mare is worth her weight in gold. In observing my two mares, I haven’t really noticed that big of a change. I have one that is cranky all the time and the other just has “bad mare days”. The estrous cycle (“in season” or “in heat”) in a mare, occurs approximately every 19 to 22 days. This usually happens from early spring into fall. Fillies are sexually mature normally by age 2, but in my opinion, should not be bred until they stop growing. A horse continues to grow until age 4 or 5. Mares require no special care or attention, unless she is to be used for breeding purposes or if she is pregnant. A pregnant mare will require some special care in regards to feed requirements and possible vet exams.
Gelding - is a castrated male horse or other equine such as a donkey or mule. Geldings have no hormone driven behavior, which makes them preferable, to some, over mares or stallions. Gelding a horse allows him to be calmer, quieter, gentler and better behaved. They become more placid and easier to handle than stallions. A horse can be gelded at any age. In my opinion, it is best to do before sexual maturity. This will prevent any of those stallion like tendencies from occurring. It will also reduce the potential conflicts within the herd. There is one small bit of required maintenance for geldings. It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it. It’s the dreaded sheath cleaning. A horses sheath is the pocket of skin surrounding the penis. Like I said, “it’s a dirty job”. The sheath needs to be cleaned once or twice a year. Fatty secretions, dead skin cells and dirt accumulate in the folds of skin. This black, waxy, foul smelling substance is called smegma. I will try to explain how to clean the sheath as well as I can. If it sounds like more than you want to do, your vet can do this for you. Some horses, until they are familiar with this, may require some sedation. Believe me, if their unfamiliar with this, they will kick! Here are some of the things that you will need to get the job done.
First, put on your rubber gloves. The smell is horrible and you don’t want it on your hands. Cover your gloved hand with the tube sock. Do not lower your head to see what you’re doing or you could get kicked. Soak the sock in warm water and wet the sheath area. Add a very small amount of mild soap. There are even products specifically for the purpose of sheath cleaning. Begin washing the sheath inside and out. This all happens much easier if your horse is relaxed and the penis is extended out. Rinse off all soap residue inside and out. Sometimes a ball of smegma, called a bean, will form near the opening of the penis. The bean could build up to a size that will affect urination. To remove it, move the skin at the end of the penis near the opening until you find a little pouch. Usually you can roll the bean out easily.
Stallion - Is a male horse who has not been castrated. A stallions temperament varies according to breeding and training. The other two types of horses are recommended for inexperienced horse owners. Stallions are more prone to aggressive behavior because of the presence of testosterone. They can exhibit aggression towards other herd animal, especially other stallions and geldings. Never take anything for granted when handling these types of horses. They should only be handled by knowledgeable handlers. Some stallions are gentler than others. I have seen some that are big pussy cats. I have also seen some that acted like the devils horse. Even the most gentle ones have natural instincts that can overpower training. Stallions do require special living arrangements. A really good fence is a must. You certainly don’t want your stallion getting to the horse down the road. Or even worse, getting injured trying to get to the horse down the road. If you have other horses, you would probably need a special paddock for your stallion. Especially if you own geldings and mares. Read more about stallions I hope I have given you some insight on the different types of horses. Maybe this will help in your decision before buying a horse.  Custom Search
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