Beginners need Geldings!

Question: “I have a daughter that is obsessed with horses. What do I need to be looking for?”

Answer: “A gelding.”

Geldings are castrated males and are my preferred choice for beginners.

There will always be outliers, or exceptions, but as a whole, geldings & beginners mesh really well.

Geldings are preferred because:

• they are more predictable.

• they’re less moody than mares.

• they typically get along better with other horses.

Mares are female horses. In horse world, we don’t “fix” or “spay” the females. (Breeding is controlled by castrating the males.)

Mares:

• can be unpredictable, especially if they are cycling/coming into heat.

• can be dominant, which beginners don’t need.

• tend to be moody.

When choosing a horse, keep all of this in mind. You want to purchase right the 1st time.

Purchasing wrong can lead to a child getting hurt, losing money (if a horse was advertised as beginner safe, they usually have a higher price tag), & lots of frustration.

Always, always, always take someone with you that truly knows a horse before you purchase one.

Happy horse hunting!