With a second mare newly in my care, I am thinking again about the choice between mare and gelding. Trainers steer adult amateurs toward geldings for good reason. Even professionals—especially young professionals in a hurry to make their mark—lean toward geldings who are generally easygoing, less complicated, less exacting, less demanding all around.
Mares, the general wisdom goes, are not for everyone, but for those who can handle them a deep bond is the end reward.
My own hot mare Esca often presents more challenge than I want. I’ve owned Esca for almost five years now, and though we have come far—we can now supple at the walk for the first
