Luck...and advice...

Ok - so I have my 3yo for sale and a lady who has really nice barrel horses is coming to look at him tomorrow - problem is she wants to trade....not buy...

Here are the +s
1) Duck would get a good home
2) She wants to trade a MARE

The -s
1) No $$$$
2) Same # of horses

So - this is all contingent on her liking Duck when she comes to see him, she is driving about 1.5 hours and bringing the broodmare...
Mare is started on barrels (no use to me) and is an ex-race horse...mare earned 10k+ and is AA, family is solid and I am confident in her being able to produce a race horse...she is also bred pretty well for "market"...

So - the point of this is:
1) Wish me luck (I at least want her to like my boy! )
2) Advice? Swap, no swap?

You have to decide it you can market the mare or do something with her. Really look at what works best for you. I would be finding out why she would rather trade this mare for a gelding. One thing about mares is they always have a plan B.. Geldings do not.

She is a pro-level barrel racer and wants a futurity horse - my 3yo is the right age for that as barrels run "futurities" until horses are 5 sometimes...

The mare is 7 and just doesn't fit her program - she doesn't breed and likes geldings better

A lot of rodeo people prefer geldings, they tend to be more dependable. Some of them won't even own a mare, period.

I would say that right now it's probably going to be easier marketing the mare or her foal than the gelding, and you wouldn't have to worry about people trying your horse out either. If she's going good under saddle, you could always use her as a pony horse too, multi purpose here

Let us know how it goes

I just traded a mare I paid 1250.00 for a gelding that an lady paid 15,000.00 for. She wanted hunt seat I wanted Western. I had what she wanted, and she had what I wanted. For once I came out on top. IF she has what you want and the gelding isnt working out for you, Its a win Win!

Quote :

A lot of rodeo people prefer geldings, they tend to be more dependable. Some of them won't even own a mare, period.

Oh, don't say that! I can prove it, its the horse period. Ive seen moody geldings worse then mares. Ive had mares you are lucky to catch them in. It just depends on the horse..

I know alot of them that wont own a mare too. And if your working on a ranch most of them wont let you bring a mare. I like geldings better myself but for some odd reason everything I own right now is a mare other than my little colt that will be a gelding soon.

Really depends on what you want to do with the horse. Geldings have one purpose and only one. Mares are WAY more aggressive then geldings and even most stallions. The girl thing you know..

You will have to decide where you want to go and what you want to do with the mare.. And, of course if you like her better then the gelding..

I am a breeder so geldings are worthless to me. I love my mares and can do anything I want to with them. And, if I don't want to do anything with them they need to be good enough to breed.

It's always nice when you can trade off some thing that does not fit in to your program and get some thing that does...

Well - its done...

I now own a black mare by Dashing Val out of a nice TB mare.
Her reg name is "Olivias Lady"

Duck has a great home, he is aimed for a June 2009 futurity - so hopefully he will work out for her!

The mare is nice - she is 15.2-15.3 and stout...I'll try to get pics

The whole mare / gelding thing is not my personal opinion, but it IS the opinion of a lot of people. Growing up around all these ranches, going on cattle drives and round up every year, I have met very few hands that will actually say they prefer a mare. Almost all of them ride geldings, these are also the guys that rope and the women who compete in barrels. Geldings are just prefered. I personally don't care what's between their legs as long as they are making $$$ and serving their purpose...

CONGRATS ON THE TRADE!!!! Can't wait to see some pics of her!

Well, All I can say is, Ive put more points on Mares then Geldings, and in the end,, My mare was worth more money then the gelding would be..
Sure cant debate that! If, your gelding gets hurt and cant be rode after, you put points, time and effort on him what do you have, Me, Ill have my mare, that now is a proven mare, and makes her foal worth more. Just went to an Pointed Barrel Show. What is NBHA.. I can honestly say, I saw just as many mares being rode and gelding and maybe 2 studs.. Maybe. I do understand what you say about Ranches. BUT its more due the fact that mares are raising babies, Gelding, well thats all they are good for. In fact to 2 horses in 3 D barrels, the two top placers were both mares. 3000.00 added ,money and the rest was jack potted, these mares are sugar bar bred, on is in the Ky breeders IF fung, She has put AQHA points on her as well .. and is very excited about that. Didnt ask how much there checks were but there was over 50 in the class, she was wishing it was an AQHA SHow.
COngrats on you new mare, Ill go with a mare any day over a gelding.

Can't wait to see the shots of the new horse..

I am sure glad we can all have what we want when it comes to the color, sex and breed of our horses. I love my girls and stallion. I loved the gelding I had very much before he died. I would not say one is better then the other.. Just depends on what you want them for. I do like to have plan B with the mares though.

sure is personal opinion I like the mares for the double purpose riding and breeding wouldn't have one that didn't have a great personality hate to hear about people saying if she fails she can be a broodmare to me if she isn't good enough to show or ride why would you breed her? had one mare would basically pms so bad you couldn't do anything with her if she wasn't preggers or on regumate she was proven with points but so moody and her filly was just like her yuck! sold her- had a couple ranchers out looking for some replacement ranch horses a couple days ago and they would only look at my stud colts w/o white feet (hard to find on my place) said they wouldn't have a mare for day work they just don't mix well with the other horses too bad I had a great young mare no white that had been used for day work for sale in their price range their loss.

That is so true about mares. Non of mine are like that. I wouldn't have one either. I have seen geldings and stallions with cranky personalities as well. I had a black foundation mare that was that way. I sold her at auction. The gal who finally ended up with her just loves her. I think some times our personalities just do not mesh and it is not the horses fault. Either way, I do not keep them.

At this point it just made sense to let my gelding go and go with a mare...

She does have a few issues Nothing terrible though...She LOVES to eat and gets a little agressive when fed...

She also has a quarter crack too but it is small potatoes...nothin to worry me, she is sound etc...just needs a little TLC on that hoof...but it has been handled fabulously thus far!

Now I'm just tryin to figure out who to breed her to!! (and yes...pics are coming soon!)

Lynn, you're right on on ranches hunting for straight geldings. Now, on the white feet, I thought those guys have figured out it doesn't matter anymore... man, some people do live in the dark ages!!!!

Every single roper I know have geldings - they danged near won't own a mare, unless they breed.

But I also note that ropers and ranches sometimes don't give a flip about how long the geldings will be useful - they just get another one.

If you can find a good Flit Bar horse you can really market the barrel people