Posted 2007-05-21 5:34 PM (#61094) Subject: TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD
Member
Posts: 42 Location: corinth, ms
I HAVE AN 18 YEAR OLD STALLION THAT I WANT TO HAVE CUT BUT EVERYONE SAYS ITS TOO RISKY AT HIS AGE.....HE IS WELL BEHAVED AND SHOWS REGULARLY WITH MARES BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TRAIL RIDE MORE AND IT ISN'T ALLOWED ON MOST RIDES....ANY ADVICE???....HE MAY BE 18 BUT HE ACTS AS SPRY AS A 2 YEAR OLD
Posted 2007-05-21 5:49 PM (#61096 - in reply to #61094) Subject: RE: TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD
Veteran
Posts: 150 Location: Le Claire IA
Take "everyones" advice on your stallion and then buy a trail horse. I gelded my horse at 7 and it was a cruel punishment for him. I'll never breed and geld later again. Are you sure you can't trail ride him with a small groups of friends and leave him in tact?
Posted 2007-05-21 5:59 PM (#61098 - in reply to #61094) Subject: RE: TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD
Member
Posts: 42 Location: corinth, ms
MY VET ASSURED ME THAT THERE WILL BE LITTLE PAIN AND NO SWELLING BUT I'M JUST NOT SURE...ALSO WANTED HIM TO GET A CHANCE TO JUST BE A HORSE BEFORE HE DIES....IN THAT I MEAN PUT HIM TO PASTURE.....HE HAS BEEN SHOWN AND STALLED ALL HIS LIFE AND IT BREAKS MY HEART TO THINK THAT HE WILL NEVER RUN FREE.....WE HAVE TURNED HIM OUT IN A ROUND PEN BUT IF HE IS UNATTENDED HE TRIES TO CLIMB THE FENCE.....I HAVE A 19 MONTH OLD COLT OUT OF HIM THAT WILL BE MY NEXT PLEASURE HORSE AND I HAVE OTHERS TO RIDE BUT HE IS BY FAR MY FAVORITE...
Posted 2007-05-21 7:55 PM (#61108 - in reply to #61098) Subject: RE: TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD
Expert
Posts: 1989 Location: South Central OK
If your vet says don't cut then don't. Complications happen more frequently with older horses because they can't bounce back like yearlings.
Have you tried hormone therapy? I worked with a gelding that was cut late, 4 YO with 6 covers, then made into a kids horse. He was the nastiest gelding I've ever seen. You can take the balls off a stallion but you can't take the stallion mentality with them. This horse went on Estrogen and seemed better but like a stud you couldn't trust him 100%. Thankfully we found her a lovely older show mare with points and miles...I'd rather put up with her 28 days of PMS every month than the nasty pseudo gelding.
My favorite show horse was cut at 2YO and never acted studly, but he never covered a mare. I think it's a horse by horse thing but take into consideration the age and amount of covers...then pick your vets brain again.
Posted 2007-05-21 8:53 PM (#61112 - in reply to #61094) Subject: RE: TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 544 Location: Claxton, Ga.
Wifey had a Arabian/TWH cut at 5 because he was a handful. To make a good horse out of him he needed to be gelded. Low and behold the vet couldn't keep him under the whole time during the procedure. He has a ton of spirit and would keep waking up, trying to get up. They gave him shot after shot until they couldn't give him anymore. Had to sit on his neck and wrestle him to finished. Vet didn't realize he needed to be on an IV drip. Vet had never seen this before, ever!!!!! To this day he is terrified of shots and one heck of a handful when it is time for his shots. He had never covered a mare. I keep working with him trying to gain his trust but I don't think I ever will. He is definately a one person horse. No doubt it has just about ruined this horse. We had his teeth floated a couple of years ago and told the vet about his resistents to meds. He didn't believe us at first, but when he was done we walked away with all the stuff and turn around to look at horse to see how he was doing and he had already walked back in his stall pearing from around the corner at us. Vet had poped him with 3 shots. WOW!!!! He is 23 yrs old now and still thinks he is 5 years old. So, make sure the vet does his homework. I personally would not have him cut. To great of a chance to ruin him. Just buy a trail horse or geld one of his young offspring which it sounds like you are going to do.
Posted 2007-05-21 8:56 PM (#61113 - in reply to #61098) Subject: RE: TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD
Elite Veteran
Posts: 792 Location: East Tennessee, USA, Planet Earth
.ALSO WANTED HIM TO GET A CHANCE TO JUST BE A HORSE BEFORE HE DIES....IN THAT I MEAN PUT HIM TO PASTURE.....HE HAS BEEN SHOWN AND STALLED ALL HIS LIFE AND IT BREAKS MY HEART TO THINK THAT HE WILL NEVER RUN FREE.
Hum...please read your own words. Please geld your horse. Wishing you the best of luck in your decision. BTW...I agree with you, your horse does need to live his life, ride trails and enjoy the company of other horses out in the pasture.
Posted 2007-05-21 9:30 PM (#61116 - in reply to #61094) Subject: RE: TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 474 Location: White Mills, Ky.
I gelded one at 14 and he never lost the stallion mentality and urges. A year later, he impaled himself on a fence post while trying to get to a mare in the neighbor's field.
I, personally, will never again geld one late in life. My guys are cut before they turn a year old.
Posted 2007-05-22 12:30 AM (#61124 - in reply to #61094) Subject: RE: TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD
Regular
Posts: 70 Location: Northern, CA
DON'T. I have one that was gelded at 16, because he was "too much horse" for the woman who owned him. He had been bred a lot but had never been trained. He had no ground manners and had never seen a saddle. We bought him for his breeding (Hancock) and conformation, knowing he was going to be a handful and would require a lot of work. He is now 24 and is still very stud like. He can't be turned out with the rest, and requires his own paddock, etc. It took us three years, but he became the best cow horse and rope horse on the ranch. That was due to spending the time to train him, not to the fact he was gelded.
Posted 2007-05-22 6:46 AM (#61128 - in reply to #61094) Subject: RE: TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD
Expert
Posts: 1723 Location: michigan
Older stallions can be gelded and do well. It will take time for the homones to settle down but mainly its his behavior and how he has been trained. bad stallions will make bad geldings. Its not a magical cure but if you want him to have a normal life, geld him. Its been done successfully more times than not. the odds are in your favor of having a happier horse for it.
Posted 2007-05-22 7:08 AM (#61131 - in reply to #61094) Subject: RE: TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD
Elite Veteran
Posts: 648 Location: Coconut Creek, FL
I agree with everyone that has talked about the behavior issues. I know several horses gelded later in life that haven't adjusted to being with other horses due to the solidadarity they experienced as stallions. The owners hoped they'd be able to take them trail riding & camping, but since they never did it as stallions, they don't know how to act in a group of horses and it was dangerous for them to try and ride with us.
I know quite a few stallions that have been handled and trained to be docile with other horses and they make great trail horses. If he's not great with other horses as a stallion, I doubt he'll be any better as a gelding.
Posted 2007-05-22 10:07 AM (#61138 - in reply to #61094) Subject: RE: TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD
Member
Posts: 42 Location: corinth, ms
WOW PUTTNG THIS OUT THERE WAS A GREAT IDEA.........THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR ALL THE ADVICE AND KEEP IT COMMING......JUST SO YOU UNDERSTAND I DO NOT EXPECT HIS TEMPERMENT TO CHANGE AT HIS AGE.....IN FACT I WOULD RATHER IT DIDN'T ........AS I SAID BEFORE HE HAS BEEN NEXT TO MARES IN THE SHOW RING.......AND I DO TRAIL RIDE HIM SOME NOW MOSTLY WITH GELDINGS....HE IS EASY TO CONTROL MOST OF THE TIME WHEN AROUND MARES BUT I TAKE PRECAUTIONS AND DON'T TEMPT FATE........WE HAVE ONLY SATLLIONS AND GELDINGS ON OUR PLACE ......AND HE IS STALLED WITHIN REACH OF OTHERS AND OTHER THEN THE OCCASIONAL NIP THEY ARE FINE......MY MAIN CONCERN IS THE PHYSICAL RISKS......I JUST HOPED SOMEONE ELSE OUT THERE HAD CUT ONE LATE IN LIFE WITH GOOD RESULTS...I GUESS MOST PEOPLE STILL ASSUME IT WILL FIX TEMPERMENT AT ANY AGE....WICH IS NOT MY GOAL.....I AM STILL PRETTY TORN......WHILE WE ARE ON THIS SUBJECT ...WHAT AGE DO YOU RECOMEND CUTTING A COLT
Posted 2007-05-22 10:12 AM (#61139 - in reply to #61137) Subject: RE: TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD
Member
Posts: 42 Location: corinth, ms
SELL HIM !!!! DO YOU HAVE ANY HORSES !!!! THIS IS MY BEST FRIEND....THATS WHY I AM TRYING TO DO WHATS BEST FOR HIM..........I HAVE A PASTURE WITH GELDINGS AND MARES AWAY FROM MY SHOW HORSES.....BUT IF I PASTURE HIM AS A STALLION WITH MARES DO YOU REALLY THINK HE WILL KEEP HIS SHOW MANNERS...
Posted 2007-05-22 5:12 PM (#61162 - in reply to #61094) Subject: RE: TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD
Veteran
Posts: 187 Location: KS
I wouldn't do it. I had mine cut when he was nine years old, and he had a lot of bleeding problems afterward and had to be packed a couple of times, and it took him at least a month to get back to normal. I felt really bad at what I put him thru. My vet told me the older they are the harder it is on them, so I sure wouldn't want to do an 18 year old.
Posted 2007-05-22 6:22 PM (#61164 - in reply to #61094) Subject: RE: TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD
Expert
Posts: 1723 Location: michigan
Of course there are risks with ANY surgical procedure. I had a 14 yr old gelding that was cut when he was 12. No problems with him at all.He was a wonderful horse before he was gelded and stayed that way. I had another friend with a arabian breeding stallion that also gelded him late in life ( 20 something) His breeding days were done and, as in your position, wanted the horse to enjoy the rest of his days and he did. There can be complications but if he is otherwise healthy, then he would be a good candidate for gelding.
Posted 2007-05-23 8:32 PM (#61195 - in reply to #61094) Subject: RE: TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 391 Location: Columbia, KY
A couple yrs. ago a friend rescued a half starved morgan stallion. the horse was 17 yrs at the time, had been used for breeding and apparently somewhere down the line had been very well trained, both under saddle and on the ground. She had him gelded (no problems w/ the surgery) and it took about a year for the hormones to settle down. she now rides him on the trail and he's fine. acts as if he's been gelded all his life. it was the best thing she could have done for him.
Posted 2007-05-24 8:32 AM (#61221 - in reply to #61094) Subject: RE: TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD
Veteran
Posts: 230 Location: Louisiana
We are just finishing up the saga of gelding our mature (9 years old) stallion. No one was prepared for the complications but I did take precautions and took him into the vet school instead of planning something on the farm like we did with the young ones. Now granted he is a percheron so everything is much bigger anyway. All of his vessels were very large and well established so after doing the initial surgery the vets had to go back in and clean up some more. He ended up in the hospital for 3 weeks and then came home. After coming home and finishing his antibiotics he developed an infection which required another vet visit and consultations with the surgeons at the school. He did another round of antibiotics and twice daily cold hosing which made a huge difference in controlling the swelling of the area.
Now this stallion was a sweet heart before his gelding. He was turned out in a mixed group. The only difference now is that he actually ignores the mares much to their disgust. They try and he just turns and walks away.
I don't regret gelding him because we were in the same situation of no longer wanting to breed and just wanting him to be a regular horse and go everywhere that we wanted to take him. I just wish that it wasn't so expensive and obviously stressful on him.
All I can recommend is to take him to a hospital if at all possible. And plan on having plenty of free time for post op care at home. Oh and have the finances in order just in case it turns into a $2000 job instead of $200.
Posted 2007-05-26 5:12 PM (#61283 - in reply to #61139) Subject: RE: TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD
Veteran
Posts: 150 Location: Le Claire IA
As for Sell him...yepper, I do have horses and a few for some time...I gelded one horse at 7 and he was in so much pain for a week with his veins bulging from his neck. He didn't want to move and he was soaked with sweat for the time. He almost managed to kick the vet in the head and moaned the whole time he was down. I have a very good vet so it wasn't a fly by night ordeal. But it left a lasting impression for me. I've gelded 3 or 4 and all have been young. I'll never breed then geld again. Only one didn't require a second vet visit to be opened back up to drain and they were all turned out to move around and I had 2 different vets. Same result.
I think you have to decide what you want to do with the horse. Do you want to show him? Trail ride him? or Breed him. It seems he's been a stallion this long their must be a reason and a demand for him. If he's going to be a show horse and still in the stall what is the point? It's hard to get the full just of what you mean or how you feel on email or post.
I do have to say my gelded stud does still try to breed mares and occassionly thru the gate. He's in a mixed herd and normally fine with the gelding but met up with another proud cut gelding the other day that was brought to the farm and there was a short fight. Only short because we were able to separate them fast otherwise I think it would have been pretty bad. They meant business and we didn't know at the time about the new gelding.
I'm not going to go back and re-read but wasn't it your vet who though it would be tough on him? Their must be a reason and if something did happen after you cut him you would be in more agony than you are trying to make this decision. That's how I look at it. If he was young I'd say geld him no doubt. Good luck on your TOUGH decision.
Posted 2007-05-30 9:11 PM (#61522 - in reply to #61094) Subject: RE: TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD
Veteran
Posts: 247 Location: NW
Several yrs ago I bought an App stud that was 7 or 8 (can't remember now). He had been used for breeding. The day I brought him home, the vet was there & cut him. He healed up beautifully, never had any complications & was the best trail horse. (he wasn't broke when I bought him either). He was smart & responsive & came along quickly in his training. You could turn him out w/mares or geldings & he was fine. I sold him to the nicest lady who trail rode him for many yrs.
Posted 2007-06-08 11:27 AM (#62018 - in reply to #61094) Subject: RE: TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD
Member
Posts: 42 Location: corinth, ms
well this has been really helpful.....i am still showing and trail riding ....and at his age was not trying to change his temperment.....we are not planning to breed him anymore but i have decided against cutting him......we have decided that there is just not enough reasons to do it.......i will still be limited on trail rides and the kids won't be able to show him but he is happy and pain free.....i guess when it comes down to it , its just not worth putting him through it......we have decided to take the money and spend it building him a special pen that he can't climb but where he has enough room to run......we have also got together with friends and found a few that have pastures with mares that will allow him to run with the pack so to speak.....thanks for all the advice and stories its great to know so many out there have the same passion for these wonderful animals
TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD
