The "Jekyll and Hyde" Effect
Some mares give females as a whole a bad name. In my experience, these types of mares are great horses in the beginning, playing the "sweet" card to ensure that you fall in love with them. They want you to think that they're different, that everything is peachy keen. They like to let you believe that they are just as dependable and even-tempered as your beloved gelding. But soon, something lights their fuse... And that's it. They have officially gone to the dark side. Say so long to cuddling in the stall and predictability under saddle, and say hello to a moody mare, a beloved bitter babe, a feisty and furious female. Once this alter ego has been employed, the grace period is forever gone, and she becomes the worst version of herself. I call it the “Jekyll and Hyde Effect” (patent pending). Another thing to keep in mind when dealing with these exceptionally ghastly girls is that the length of time they are "Jekyll" seems to be directly proportional to the gravity of misbehavior once turned "Hyde". In other words, the shorter your mare is sugary sweet, the more fire she is packin' to dish out on you.
I am two for two in acquiring this sought-after type of mare, and I must say, it's not ideal for the show ring. Depending on the severity of “Hyde” they turn out to be, showing may be virtually impossible. In my research, there is only one surefire way to avoid falling victim to this type of mare: buy a gelding. Avoid mares altogether and stick to the wonderfully levelheaded boy.
But I understand that sometimes you simply cannot say no. And although I may not agree with your choice, maybe you’ll get lucky and buy “one of the good ones” with a "great" attitude. And I sincerely hope this is the case for you, however, the "Jekyll and Hyde" mare has turned me against the female horse altogether.
