[rjpaints]

We have a 13 yr old stallion. We will never sell him gelded or not. But here is my question just out of curosity.

What are the pros and Cons of deciding to geld him without the true need to.

I read on another post about a stud owner gelding their older stallion and him being allowed out with the other horses. Now experience tells me once a stallion always a stallion with or without cahunas just no foals as a result.

He is 13 allowed next to but never with the other horses. Has gotten out a few time over the years and acted as though he belonged there. No mares were in heat. - He figured out how to go under the panels and lift them up enough to slide under. Then he figured how to pull the pins. Needless to say we now have hopefully taken all is options away - Except now we have the easy (for lack of better names)mare at home that needs manners. Good tempered easy to get along with. But I would love to have him be able to have a life with the other horses.

We dont plan on breeding him anymore. But my knowledge has led me to believe its just easier on him to keep him intact at his age.

Stories and experience is appreciated. And yes the easy mare has brought up this thought even more.
Thanks

[Haas Horse Farm]

I am not sure about your comment about once a stallion always a stallion. My stallions are well behaved and can be out with mares and ridden with them etc. Many geldings I have owned could not be since if they were turned in the with the mares in a large pasture they would run the mares. Acting studly and stupid without ever having bred a mare in their life. I actually think that is the problem as they have never had the **** kicked out of them by a mare because she did not want to be messed with.

If you want to geld your stallion so he can be a pasture mate to others with no concern for mares getting pregnant then do so. It will not hurt the stallion. I know many stallions that were breeding stallions and are now just fine as geldings running with mares, etc.

Here is one that a friend on here, cminor, now owns...


Doublebarr also has a stallion, now gelding that I used to own and was gelded late in life. They are both fine and happy in a herd.

[Appysrule]

I think it really depends on the stallion. I have a gelding that was gelded late, at 8 years, he's 11 now. Hormone wise he is a gelding( had him tested, because he was still exhibiting stallion type behaviors). He's doing better, but still herds the girls if in a mixed herd-which he isn't, and he still likes to challenge other horses. He has gotten as good as he gives, fight wise but has settled into a herd of other geldings. He is great with people.
If your stallions breeding days are over, I think I'd geld him.

[Lindsayanne]

This is done a lot in my breed, as with such a small gene pool there really isn't need for a stud to stay a stud beyond 8 or 10 productive years. 'We' geld them and, after an adjustment period, treat them like geldings with no problem.

[imjustjoking22]

I agree, it is definitely not a "once a stallion, always a stallion" deal for most horses. You could get a great gelding out of doing it, and have a good chance of him being just like every other gelding who was snipped much younger.

[Haas Horse Farm]

I think the attitude is what does not really change... if they are a jerk as a stallion they will probably still be a jerk as a gelding.

Just curious how your stallion treated other horses before being gelded... Appysrule? I am not picking on you by the comment before... I am just trying to understand if he was aggressive toward others before being gelded. I know we had one gelding that was especially bad... ironically that is the only horse my stallion really ever went after when being led. It was great seeing the big eyed look on that gelding. Wish I had had a camera.

[livaliljequist]

Well as I say "a great stallion will make an excellent gelding"

[Appylvr]

I don't see any problem with gelding a stallion later on in life. The incision from the surgery will be bigger and a bit harder to heal, but that's about it.

I know of two geldings that were gelded later on. One was a Peruvian Paso. He was gelded at 5 years and had excellent manners as a gelding. Got along great with the other horses.

The other was a 20 year old Welsh pony. A friend rescued him from a woman that wanted to put him down because she didn't want him anymore (she was getting out of breeding and had already sold her mares). My friend said she'd take him, but she didn't want a stud so she gelded him. He was excellent too... no one could believe he had been a stud not too long before.

I think it depends more on the horse's manners. If he's got bad manners as a stud, it's not going to change just because he's gelded.

[rjpaints]

Once a stallion always a stallion was in reference to the studdy behaviors. And I dont want him mounting the mares due to him either getting hurt or them getting infections thats all.

He is not aggressive at all - except for to grays boy he really hates them. He has awesome manners and has never had an issue.

Half the time you wouldnt know he is one except for the way he whinnies. And when his black halter gets put on. He would think a mailbox is hot.

Just wondering mostly on behaviors if the stallion idea goes away and on how hard the surgery is on them. I have heard it can be real hard on them.

[Aussiesnapps]

I gelded Pudgy at 4 and he is a great little guy and can go out with anyone he is not aggressive at all. he gets beat up more than most.

I gelded Buddy at 5 (this feb) he is getting better. I had him with a fence between him and Itchy (our mare) this weekend and he was more interested in grazing. He never called out to her once. We had him out with Pudgy about 6 weeks or so ago and the first day was fine then he went after him the next day out of the blue. We'll try them together again this fall.

Here is a pix of the after care swelling and incision area if it's too much to view I can delete it