[mvinotime]

My new gelding IMO is demonstrating behavoirs that are somewhat like a stud horse. I have no details on when he was gelded or if there were any issues but I am trying to distinguish between whether he is acting studdy or just herd bound and disrespectful? I have never had experience around a stud before so I am not familar with their behavoir but I do know he is totally different then any gelding I have had in the past. I do have an appointment with a vet regarding this issue but am looking for advice on what exactly "stud like behavoir" entails? He is 6 yrs old. Any info greatly appreciated.....thanks!

 

[trailhorserider]

I don't know what your gelding is doing, so I can't comment on that, but I did own what I considered a "studly" gelding once.

He was an awesome horse (an Arabian) and very dominant with people and other horses. He wasn't mean to them, but he was always top on the pecking order. He also would bite people every once in a while.

But the main reason I considered him "studly" is that he would show interest in the mares and flirt with them. I once went out to where I kept him (I boarded at the time) and he was turned out in an area where another boarder was hand walking his mare because she was recovering from an injury. My gelding was, umm, very interested in her in a stallion-like way if you know what I mean. I was totally embarassed but the guy walking the mare was like "don't worry, I'm keeping an eye on him."

That was the only gelding I had that really showed an interest in mares.

Oh, he was gelded a bit late too, around the age of 7, but that was before I owned him. He was 14 when I bought him.

 

[tealamutt]

He could be proud cut or he could have been cryptorchid and is now a ridgeling. A very simple two part blood test is used to diagnose this and is much easier than guessing at what might be going on with him. It is important to know about the crypt, because it can lead to problems down the road including colic and cancer.

 

[maura]

I consider stud like behavior flirting with and courting mares, dropping for the mare, and attempting to mount a mare. Anything less than that I would consider a different behavior problem.

Several of my cut late OTTBs would do all of above; my current QH gelding was not cut late, and is the world's sweetest gelding and very well behaved, however, when I attempted to turn a mare out with him briefly, he had an unseemly interest in her, chased the other gelding away from her, and dropped and attempted to mount her. I moved the mare to the other paddock and he forgot about her.

So, since you describe the behavior as "herd bound and disrespectful", I doubt the issue is cut late, proud cut or cryptorchidism (undescended testicle).

Can you give us some more details about the behavior?

 

[mvinotime]

Thank for your replies. He was separated for the first few days from our two mares when I first got him, by a fence and seemed ok although very agitated when they would move away. After gradually introducing them, we turned them out to pasture together and that was when he began to constantly drop and try and mount them. One of the mares is 30 and he was mounting and biting the neck etc. We had to separate them and he is now in a separate pasture by himself where he really cant see them except thru the stall doors of the barn when they come in to eat. He is fine in a trailer with them, fine on the trail however at home, when I try and work him and they are not right there by him he is a handful! He will not pay attention and is high headed and whinnying and trying to see where they are and calling to them. If I have him in the barn tied and they are in the stalls he is fine but if they leave out to pasture he goes beserk. And I don't know if this is true or not but I have heard that another sign is keeping a really clean stall? He will NOT mess his stall and has a set pile area in his pasture. However when riding with mares he pay them no real mind? He just goes on about his busioness. It is just an issue at home. Please ask for any more specific descriptions. Does this sound more herd bound like behavoir or stud like behavoir? He is seeing a vet concerning this next week and I am sure he will recommend the bloodowrk you suggested. If he is cryptorchid can the procedure be redone to correct? I truly have no experience in this matter Thanks.

 

[maura]

I truthfully don't think you have a problem with proud cut or cryptochridism. Nothing you've said rises to the level of studlike behavior.

I think you have a problem with turn out. Some people turn our mares and geldings together with no problem; some people/horses, it just can't be done.

Your gelding is acting the way he does because being turned out with the mares has activated some protective/stud like instincts in him. I have a gelding who acted somewhat the same way when turned out with a mare, now that I'm back to three geldings, everything is back to normal.

Try turning him out by himself for a couple of weeks before ordering bloodwork.

 

[mvinotime]

He has been turned out by himself now for 4 mos. I also thought he would eventually just settle and get over it but it is a constant issue still anytime I handle him and they are not right there within his sight. I figured since the separation has not improved the matter after this long I should probably check for a medical reason just to be sure.