I am trying to explain to my boyfriend the importance of gelding a horse if you don't plan on breeding him. I know why, but I'm not doing a good job of explaining it. I will have him read this thread as it grows.
We have no intentions of breeding horses. We just want a ridable horse. A stallion usually can't be ridden in a group, or be manageable in a show full of mares. Basically, they are destined to live a lonely life. If they are gelded, they can be with other horses just fine. In my opinion, a stallion (who is not breeding quality) will have a better life if he is gelded.
Sure, down the road, either of us may be able to handle a stallion just fine. But since neither of us plan on breeding, being able to handle a stallion doesn't mean its a good idea to own one, correct? A stallion may be trained to be respectful of his human, but that doesn't mean he will be the safest mount, right?
He doesn't like the idea of gelding a stallion because you can't handle it. If you can't handle it, sell it to someone who can. That makes perfect sense to me, but there is also the issue of the stallion being a monster, hurting its rider or himself during everyday handling. Can someone please help me explain this (also so I can explain this better to people in the future).
**** that's one way to do it. Not an option for me though. I found a guy that is horse smart AND will let me keep a horse for myself. Among other things, this guy is too perfect to give that ultimatum.
IMO a big part of gelding is for the horse's own welfare. Stallions in general live a very lonely life where they are isolated from other horses and many facilities don't have enough turnout for them to be in a large enough area to run and play and eat grass. Often a stallions life consists of being kept in a 12x12' box and an equally tiny turnout, breeding and getting ridden - not a nice life!!
Geldings can be kept in a herd environment meaning often that facilities have enough room for a herd of horses to be in a large area where they can run and play and eat grass.
I am personally all for gelding unless you are a facility/business owner and can ensure the best life for a stallion, and have a good rider for him and market him well.
He's actually very horse-smart. He just doesn't think chopping off a horses nuts is fair when he didn't do anything wrong. It's not the horse's fault that he had bad breeding or faulty trainers. I see what he means, but fair or not, its something that needs to be done.
The risk of accidental breedings. A stallion can easily get out of most pleasure horse pastures. Then you have to cover either mare/foal care of the mare he covers or the cost of aborting the fetus. Many boarding stables don't want stallions, particularly if there are children that ride there.
In the end its the horses testicles that are being removed not his. I am willing to bet that none of my geldings stand around everyday thinking "gee I miss my balls". I am pretty sure they think "Gee I wish I had more food, or why won't this other horse play with me". I have never seen a newly gelded horse look between his back legs like "where did they go?".
I once heard a respected horse person say. A stallion wonders around all day looking for a mare and food and is not content without those two things. A mare walks around and once every few weeks is cranky and wants a stallion. A gelding walks around looking for food and friends.
Jalter-- Being horse smart he should know what the best desicion is. I mean we all do have those moments where we find what we think is an "amazing" stallion, then snap back to reality and realize he'd be a better gelding. Among the liability of having a stallion, all of the things you listed, among many other facts people can throw at you. Gelding would be best unless you have an established and functional breeding farm / program. Good luck, I know how tough it can be to persuade our other halves.
Nobody has really mentioned the training/handling issues between stallions and geldings.
Stallions are more difficult to train and you have to be a more proactive handler. No chances to just sit back and enjoy yourself, you always have to be on guard.
After all, stallions are a lot like men. God only saw fit to give them enough blood to think with one "head" at a time :wink:.
No way, no how would I ever own a stallion unless it was for breeding purposes. My main reason is that they are generally not great around other horses, I want a horse that can be in a herd situation and get along well with others. As far as training and manners, that depends on the horse. My stallion has just as good a mind as most geldings.
Basically everyone has already covered all the issues. A horse is going to have more emotional hinderance being kept alone without a herd environment than having his coin purse emptied. Horses are meant to be in a herd environment. In the wild it's no problem. A stallion either leads a herd or starts a small band with other younger, weaker bachelor studs and roam like that. In captivity, it is our responsibility to ensure our horses are as comfortable as possible. Usually, a gelding will live longer and have less reproductive system complications than a stallion. How is it fair to leave them intact fully aware of the healthier choice, just because you "feel for him" and don't want his balls chopped off? Posted via Mobile Device
I always like the fact that I have geldings... If I end up with a foal, that gelding sure is going to make me some big $$$! Otherwise, I never have to fret a whoopsie. Posted via Mobile Device
Sounds like he has to stop sympathizing with the horse use the logic & brain between his ears not his legs:wink:.Which is ALSO the reason the horse should be gelded & make for a better riding horse for you.
There is also some evidence (Though not everyone agrees!) to suggest that gelding before puberty results in a taller mature height due to the testosterone not closing the growth plates early. I concur with the idea that a testosterone driven life with no opportunity to have an outlet for that (Breeding) would be terrible. The isolation necessary to ensure no unwanted breedings. The difficulty finding venues for riding/training/showing/boarding. All seems completely unnecessary to me. In fact, I wish they had a quicker, easier methods to spay mares too!
Also, testicular cancer is a non issue with a gelding....just sayin. :wink:
Another thing i've heard about stallions (correct me if i'm wrong) is that the longer they are left as "stallions" means that they learn stallion behaviour and re-training them out of it can be difficult - if they are gelded at a younger age, they don't learn the whole "mares are the centre of my universe" thinking.
I think it depends on the stallion. I rode a Peruvian paso who had been used as a breeding stallion his whole life and was gelded at 13. He was a perfect gentleman around all horses, mares in heat or not. Posted via Mobile Device
If you can't handle a horse if he is intact, then more than likely the problem lies with your handling. Gelding will help take some factors out of the equation, but gelding is not a magic cure-all for male behavioral issues.
If there is no intent to breed, and no incentive to breed from the horse(Ie. being breeding quality. Bloodlines, conformation, temperament, training, all that fun stuff), then yes, it is a good idea to geld. What if you had to sell him? A lot of people have strong reservations about buying a stallion due to mishandling. That will only cause the horse to decrease in value.
Studs are liabilities. What if your neighbor gets a mare and he decides to jump the fence for a visit? What if he causes property damage or hurts your neighbor's horse or other livestock? What if he is hit by a car on the road?
Nah, unless you have intent to breed, there is far too much potential stress involved. Geld him to stave off worries. If he is well behaved and well handled now, and you are not in a position financially for the procedure, then great. Keep handling him well until you do.
If you can't handle a horse if he is intact, then more than likely the problem lies with your handling. Gelding will help take some factors out of the equation, but gelding is not a magic cure-all for male behavioral issues.
I've personally never had a stallion - so I couldn't comment on my handling of one - my sons ex had one and he was the sweetest horse around - until he was sent away to "learn some manners for a stallion grading" and then he changed, was fearful and guarded of everyone - i think he'd been trained how "stallions" are trained, even though he was the easiest horse to handle - it was just a theory i'd heard - but if my baby's a colt, he'll be nutless before he even knows what they are :lol:
You can have they bestest stallion in the world.... He could have perfect conformation, temperment and training....
90% of the time they will be angels!
10% they will be absolute sh*t heads...
You always have to watch them because if they see a mare and you don't get their attention back to you quickly, they will run you over to get to that mare. You can NEVER turn your back to a stallion. They are hardwired to fight and breed. They don't even know they are going to do it but then some instinct clicks in their mind and they just do it...
Mare and gelding that are mentally sound, will always think before they do something because they will figure out if thy are going to get punished for the action they will perform...
Such as biting... They will get smacked
But they know if they walk up to you and nuzzle you they wont
I just had my 8 month old gelded yesterday, and these are the reasons I decided to go that route.
I will be doing trail riding, possibly showing, and endurance racing with him. I wouldn't be able to do ANY of those things if he was a stallion, because most shows won't allow stallions to be present, trail riding would be unsafe because of the possibility of meeting a mare in heat on the trail, and endurance riding for the same reasons. Plus, what reason do I have to keep him intact? He is of very good breeding, has a great temperament, and is registered, but many many horses have those things. I don't have the set up for a stallion, I plan on getting a mare some day (which would not work if I had a stallion!), and I have no plans of breeding.
Also, gelding is not a huge deal when they that young. The vet puts them to sleep, does the deed, then the colt gets up with no idea of what just happened. He is sore and stiff for a while, but he gets over it quickly and never looks back.
Talk to your boyfriend and tell him that if he wants your horse to be as happy as possible, have him gelded. A stallion that is not allowed to breed and is in solitary confinement is not a happy horse! Gelding is MUCH better for your horse's happiness in the long run.
My stallion is a true gentleman and i never have to worry or be on gaurd when handling him. More than I can say about a couple of mares that I own.
Star is handled with a rope halter and can be led through a group of mares even if any are in heat. He talks he prances but he does not pull on the lead or run you over.
Stallions take more planning and do not respond well to rough handling. If you are not going to breed your horse then there is no incentive to keep him in tact. The extra care, planning, and handling you will need to provide are not worth the effort. Good luck Shalom
It's not true, at least not at the shows I attend, that you can't show a stallion, I did, all up & down the province, Pacific Rim competitions. Trail rode all time, past mares running the fenceline along side the roads we were on, no problems, true test of a well trained horse. As for endurance, I don't know, never did that. However, first & foremost, a stallion is a breeding animal, if you are not going to breed him, be kind and geld him. Makes no sense to have a stallion if you are not going to breed, and it's a headache keeping a stallion, as far as fencing, having other horses with him.
He figures if you can't handle the stallion, sell It to someone who can. I see his point, I'm just trying to get him to understand the horse would be happier as a gelding anyways. Everyone else has got this just fine before your rude comment was posted. Posted via Mobile Device
The logic that if the stallion is too hard to handle, sell him to someone who can handle him is also a little flawed on your boyfriend's part (not meaning that offensively.) By the time you've discovered this stallion is too much to handle, chances are he'll have already learned bad behaviours or be expressing the aggression that is natural to him and you're not going to find him to be very marketable to anyone, no matter what their experience is. IMO, if you have an unmanageable, aggressive stallion (or any horse for that matter), you are increasing his vulnerability to end up in a bad home or meet abuse.
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