Gelding - Needing some moral support here please...

So I called the vet three seperate times today and once yesterday to set up the appointment to geld my beloved Poco.... I've still yet to set the damn thing. I get the courage to make the call. I have the cash in hand to do it. But as soon as it hits the point of actually setting the date and time I get all nervous and ask a few more questions then say I'll call them back.

I have no idea what my fear is. I've spoken with the vet who will be doing the gelding and he has vast experience with gelding older stallions (Poco is 9 now) and has no fear about that. I am completely aware he'll still be my big baby and lover boy afterwards since he doesn't act at all like a stallion now.

I could just use some moral support here you guys. It's tough having a stud for the past 7 years and then making this decision but I know it's in his best interest both physically and mentally. I want my son to be able to start showing him in the next year or two and kids simply can't show stallions.

*sigh*

I agree with you that he'll be happier gelded. If he's not studdy afterward, he'll be able to be in a herd. He is a gorgeous boy. Like the Nike commercial-Just Do It!!!

How exactly are stallions happier being geldings?lol We have a stallion who is around 4 or 5 years old, acts like a gentleman and has never tried to get to any neighboring mares. If stallions can be seperated to prevent breeding and they act well behaved all the time, why not leave them be? I've seen perfectly well behaved stallions get gelded then become hard to handle. My philosophy I guess is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" plus there are more risks with gelding an older stallion.

I'll support you, cause I am having my colt gelded. I just gotta ask at what age is best for him. If I leave him as a stallion he'll get a thicker neck and more of a stallion look. If I geld him while is still young will he grow taller as a gelding. I've also been told to wait til he is a 2 year old. My vet said anytime after he drops both of them. He can't join the herd yet because I have two mares. Because he is so young and hasn't mastered all his basic yet will it break his trust in me. Lots of questions and getting a lot of different answers but I like the feedback.

Once upon a time, I bought a sweet-faced Morab stallion. The folks had raised him from birth and the mom said he was ten.

The day after I got him gelded, she called to apologize, saying she didn't know where the years had gone but Fury was really 17

So he was 17 when he was gelded. It was a little rougher on him but not too bad as I made sure to hose him down and kept him in the small pasture attached to the run-in stall. The flies weren't out at that time.

He became sweeter than he was before but the only thing I did notice was he got colds/runny noses easier. He did lose the thickness and length to that gorgeous Blood Bay mane/forelock he had but that's ok because he ended up being the most fantastically patient trail blazing horse anyone could ask for. I could leave him 100 feet behind me while I was cutting trails, all I had to do was holler for Fury and he would come ambling down the path I 'd just cut.

Please make the appointment - you are doing him and your family a huge favor

I can totally relate poco. I made that call with Woodstock after a tendon injury, it was an agonizing decision. His tendon is healed but I'm glad I had him cut. Being cut late (he's 5), he's still quite the beefy looking guy and I love that. He should make a really nice gelding for my daughter to show a few years down the road. I'm sure your son will appreciate your decision. I remember counting down the days until I was 18 so I could show my grandpa's stallions. I still own the first one I showed, he'll be 30 this year :)

I wouldn't say he'll be happier either way as I have 2 stallions and they have it just as good. They aren't seperated, they each have another horse pastured with them and can share fences (though hot) with everyone and they get along fine.

First, I don't consider a 9 year old, older. Older to me is in their mid 20's or later. At that point I wouldn't bother but a healthy 9 year old should fly through the surgery.

Are you/have you used him to breed mares at all? If not, why not fix it so he can join the herd and be boss man without any side effects? I brought home an 8 year old and put some weight on him and then gelded him. After the first day he never even noticed. He was still very much the 'herd stallion' even as a gelding, just wasn't trying to breed the mares anymore. He was very quiet as a stallion, so quiet folks would check to see if he was still intact, as a gelding he just didn't have the urges.

I expected a lot of back up on this and now am having even worse mixed feelings since apparently there are people who believe that he should remain a stallion? *head desk* Why can't this be easier?

I took a lot of grief from family & friends when I cut Woodstock, but ultimately you have to do what is right for you. Besides, a good stallion always makes a GREAT gelding!

There is no other reason to keep a horse intact other to bred. None, zero! If you are not breeding him, geld him.