TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD ????
A once cute little colt, usually becomes a rank unpredictable four-legged menace.
Before you decide to keep an intact male or to breed a stallion, you need to understand
That even the most well mannered and trained Stallion can and will paw, bite, kick and
have to kept separate at times because they tend to dominate and fight mares and
geldings. Riding and showing a stallion can be dangerous if you ever let your guard
down for a second. So unless you have proper training in handling a stud and have a
superior animal, you should do the best thing for you and the animal , which is castration.
I like to castrate between 15 to 18 months of age. But the procedure can be done
Earlier if you like. The incision is left open for drainage so flies can be a problem . To
Remedy fly irritation it is best to castrate in the spring before fly season or fall after the
Fly season. The horse is given an anesthesia and laid down to reduce mental and physical
Trauma.
If both testicles are not down in the scrotum then a horse is considered cryptorchid.
Surgical exploration is necessary to remove the “up” testicle. This should be performed
on all cryptorchid horses since testicles in the abdomen can turn into tumors.
Complications can arise during any surgical procedure and owners should watch for
swelling and drainage. Antibiotics and cold water hosing may be necessary, Tetanus
shots should always be given.
After castration don’t expect an instant behavior change. It may take one to three
Months for the testosterone levels to drop enough to change your horse’s temperament.
The wait is definitely worth it and you will have a better animal for it.