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Just a hypothetical question on gelding stallions

2K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  Dreamcatcher Arabians 
#1 ·
Let's assume I have a stallion that I bought and want gelded, however I would also like a foal from him in the future (assuming he's good enough) and I would get this done through AI... not natural breeding. The semen would then be frozen until such a time where I find a good enough mare of my own (and assuming the male horse is actually very good in his field and is correct in conformation etc).

I know technically it IS possible, but would the stallion (assuming he's done this all quite young) retain any stallion-like behaviours BECAUSE he did "his thing", or would it be safe (after some time) to put him out with other horses.

I know that it depends very much on the stallion as an individual, but generally is it possible for them to calm down and be more gelding-like even after one "mating" session? Or would they forever try to get it on with any mare/fight with other geldings.


Please remember this is hypothetical and I do not have a stallion or a gelding for that matter lol. I'm at university so there's no chance of this happening for a while. However, I like finding these sorts of things out, and am interested in stallion management
 
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#2 ·
Don't think you'll have a problem. To collect semen they might use a teaser mare but he won't actually "do it" to a mare, therefore, no memory. I think if he really knew what you are intending to do--collect, then cut--he'd be insulted. =b
 
#3 ·
I've gelded 2 stallions when they were 7 years old. One I bought at 7 and didn't think he needed to be a stallion, but his previous owner had used him as a breeding stallion, and one that I raised since he was a foal and used for 3 years as a breeding stallion. Both boys were very manly but quiet stallions that were not difficult to handle while they were intact. In both horses, the only change I saw was that they no longer were looking to breed the mares after about 60 days or so. They were quiet stallions, they became quiet geldings.
 
#4 ·
It's all quite reassuring to hear :)
Could you easily keep the gelded horses with mares/geldings after their time at the breeding farm, Dreamcatcher? (Before the 60 days) or were they kept apart for a period of time?

And regarding the foal, for the first three years as a breeding stallion, did you keep him near other horses/was he near any females either when in hand or in the field? I'm assuming a stallion can be very civil when mares are around if you're leading them so long as you've taught them very firm, black-and-white rules from the beginning?
 
#5 ·
My stallions are taught from a very early age that they are to be geldings unless they are actively wooing a mare in the breeding shed. Otherwise, they are not allowed to call, below, puff up big or any other studly behaviour in the off season. I think that makes it a much easier transition after they're gelded.

Here, the stallions have their own pasture that they share with either young colts and gelding or pregnant mares, so they are very used to being in a herd situation. In the barn, I have good sturdy stallion stalls and they are kept right next to either a gelding or pregnant mare. I keep open mares at the other end of the barn and if I have more than one stallion at a time (LOL! have run up to 3 and it's a pain for a small operation), then I space them out so that they are not right next to each other in the barn. If I have more than one stallion in the pasture, I put up a temporary fence, just to discourage "manly" displays and fussing at each other.

So, once gelded, after 60 days to be on the safe side, I put them right out to pasture with the open mares and other geldings who've been their barn mates. They tend to remain "He who is in charge" but there's no fighting, just very quick reminders if someone gets too big for their britches.

I didn't collect and freeze semen in either stallion's case because the first one I didn't feel was stallion quality (but he was one of the BEST geldings I've ever had) and the 2nd, I'm no longer breeding Arabians and have no intention of starting again so there was no need. Breeding with frozen can be tricky and I just figure if I should decide to breed another Arab, I'll just go find a really good stallion and buy a breeding.
 
#6 ·
I had an 8 year old that was very aggressive as a stallion and had been used a lot for breeding, he still needed a dominant handler as a gelding but was 100% safe and well behaved turned out with both mares and geldings after castration and never did any of the 'mounting' that you see some geldings that were cut as youngsters do
 
#7 ·
The stable where I used to ride had a stallion who was used for one, maybe two breeding seasons, then was gelded. He ended up being used in lessons and didn't retain any stallion behaviour. He was well-mannered to begin with though, so that was probably a major contributor.
 
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