Re: RC: RC: hot mares

[Lif Strand <fasterhorses@gilanet.com>]

Hi Kathy - We've been riding mares and stallions for years.  As (former)
breeders, we don't keep or ride geldings (well, except for our very
first horse, retired from endurance and living his golden years out with
us).  Our stallion has been mistaken for a mare or gelding on the trail
- he knows what good behavior is.  We expect our mares to know what good
behavior is as well, and no one would notice they are in heat when under
saddle.

Women with PMS don't snap at the Pope, they aren't "controlled" by
hormones, merely influenced by them.  Same with mares.  I came up with
this little scene years ago to show why mares don't have to act "like
mares" when under saddle:
Here's the mountain lion on the rock above, about to jump.  Below, the
mare in heat.  She can't be bothered to run away, no, she's going to
squeal and jig and act cranky while the rest of the herd leaves the
scene.  So...  does anyone think that mare is going to pass on her
genes?

Every mare can act like a gelding unless - maybe - she's got something
really, really wrong with her.  We knew of a stallion who had to be put
down because of aggressiveness, but his autopsy (I know, with critters
we're supposed to say necropsy) showed extremely elevated levels of
testosterone.  He truly couldn't help it.  However, I bet most - and I
mean well over 90% - mares who are cranky under saddle DON'T have
extremely (pathologically) elevated hormone levels.  And, just like
stallions who are gelded for bad behavior and are called "proud cut"
when they aren't because they're still badly behaved, I 'm sure if those
cranky mares were spayed, they'd still be cranky.
--
                                    ____________
Lif & Paul Strand   STRAND ENTERPRISES   http://www.fasterhorses.com
          Arabian Horses (looking for new homes!)
         Nutrition for People & Critters * WebArt
                     Quemado, NM  USA



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