Gender in the Horse Show Arena

Instead of talking about how I'm super bummed that our schooling show this weekend got canceled, let's talk seriously about gender and horse shows. 

Everyone knows that equestrian events are the only international sport in which all human genders compete side-by-side on equal footing.

It's what's under them that I find fascinating. 

HORSES. Stop being pervs. 

Anyways. 

being a good gelding

I've always thought geldings got the short end of the competitive stick, metaphorically speaking. I mean, let's face it: they never ever get to know what all that junk is for, but they still have to pack it around. Oh, and everyone's all:

"You can't beat a good mare"

"There's something missing from geldings"

"Geldings are reproductive dead ends"

And some people even argue in favor of stallions. I know I did in my stall-cleaning days. Those buggers are freakin' TIDY. 

I mean, I maintain that people tell themselves lies about mares to make up for the misery of owning them, but I realize I'll get some hate for that. I have no interest in owning a stallion for any reason, and I think most ammys are there with me. I feel like geldings get run down for not being "brilliant enough", 

Then the other day, I listened to a mare owner (the poor, deluded soul) explain to another how her brilliant creature needed special riding and care because of her giant opinion, all I could think was:

photo via internet

VALEGRO.

Thank you, Blueberry, for striking a blow for gender equality, common sense, and brilliance. 

Teach Me Today: So Studly

what stallions look like

So here's a funny thing: when I first got Courage, he was the most socially awkward horse EVER. He really had no idea how to interact with anyone or what girls were or what boys were or anything. His idea of a good time was eating his buddies' tails.

And only part part of that has changed. Not the tail-eating part either.

what a sexpot

As in, he now knows what girls are. BIG TIME. There are two lovely, curvy mares at our dressage barn--one is a Friesian cross and the other is a fancy warmblood. Courage started noticing them this winter.

As in, they'd walk by with those wide, saucy, swinging hips, and he'd drop and make stallion noises.

Because that's not embarrassing.

He then spent almost our entire first dressage show hanging out annnnnnd as you might have read on Alyssa's blog, also tried to mount the indomitable Bacon at the last event derby.

only a stallion in his mind

I'm a little bit at a loss here. He was gelded at 4, sure, but that was still 6 years ago. SIX YEARS, HORSE. GIVE IT UP.

To this point, he's been perfectly manageable--I mean, he's very forward with the ladies, but he isn't aggressive to people or ignoring me or charging around or anything.

So aside from never tying him on the same side of the trailer as a mare again, anyone have some brilliant insights on how to manage a studly gelding?

Baby Daddy

No, I haven't bred Miss Izzy. I just realized that I wanted to post a picture of the crush I have for her. She's sort of met him (they were at the same show), and of course, she's in love with him. She's a silly little hussy though. She's pretty much in love with every stallion and gelding she's ever met. The only one she takes exception to is the stupid ugly donkey that's out at the barn. I guess I shouldn't call him stupid; he's very intelligent, but he is ugly and he's always getting out. Also, he's a stud. The other day, he got out while I was leading Izzy to the hitching post, and he tried to mount her. She kicked him really hard twice, and he gave up, but still. My poor girl was almost raped by a donkey. How horrid.

Without further ago, here's her potential baby daddy: http://traceybajt.exposuremanager.com/p/2_9_4_jumpers/08bfc-79722

The next two pictures are of him, too. He's a 16.2 Dutch Harness Horse named Vini Vidi Vicchi (not sure on the spelling). Fancy mover, so the baby wouldn't be much of a hunter, but the stallion jumps like a dream. Also, he's apparently gentle and easy to get along with, which would be nice to add to Izzy's temperament.

Sigh. Maybe in a few years. I keep dreaming about them wanting to have a warmblood baby on the ground, so they offer free breeding, but really? I don't think that's likely. I can't be this lucky at everything I do.