stallion

[southernsibe]

That word conjures such different images for different people. Any of our horse people have experience with them? I can not find a vet that wants to or is willing to geld my boy Renegade. And to tell the truth, at five, I am not sure that it is even worth it now. He is finally healthy enough, and it is a low fly time of the year, but like I stated, I can't find anyone that will do it. I love him, and he is a honey of a horse. Not a "typical" stallion. But, nevertheless, he is one. I'm interested in anything anyone has to say. Usually once I mention the fact that he is intact, people clam up, and start saying things like, "well he is a stallion, you can't do anything with them" which is patently untrue. I've worked with this horse every day, with the exception of one or two when I was sick, since March of 2007, and he has come a long, long way. And yes, I have even worked with him during "that" time. I've had people slam me for doing that, although, they don't offer any alternatives for training during that time. Just interested in what my byc buddies have to offer.
Rachel

 

[snugglepup]

First, I don't think there is any reason to have different standards of behavior for a stallion or a gelding. Good manners is good manners. You do have to manage them a little more carefully. I have worked with nice stallions, and jerky ones. But then I have also worked with nice geldings and jerky ones, and nice mares and jerky mares. I think the state of an animal's testicles is not as important as the way he is handled and his basic temperment.

I'm not real sure what you mean by "that time." I have a guess, and if I'm right, it's not something I've ever heard before, but I think it's complete crap. When I worked with studs, I worked them consistently, daily if possible, regardless. Horses are horses, people are people. I am a biologist by schooling, and I think people develop these superstitions when they don't truly understand behavior. Dolphins like people to wear white, bears don't like women, I have to wear my red boot socks to show equitation. Superstitions are everywhere.

While I do not currently own a stud horse (we only have geldings at the moment), I do have several intact dogs (of both sexes) in my house, and the principles of behavior are the same no matter what. I have exactly the same expectation of my 6 yr old stud dog, my 4 yr old intact grump, and my 9yr old neutered dog.

 

[pips&peeps]

If you want him gelded, find a vet that will do it. It is not impossible to geld him at any age. It may cost a bit more and require a little more attention while healing, but it can be done.

The only time I have heard of that it would not be feasable to geld is when an older horse is "cryptorchid". There is considerable risk once they mature and cost for the invasive surgery is high.

Jean

 

[southernsibe]

Thank you Snugglepup!!! I have read books that talk about women not being "allowed" to work stallions because of that stupid misnomer. I totally agree with you, I have had experiences like you, jerky horses come in all colors sizes and genders, altered or not.

 

[helmstead]

I had a double crypto years back. I showed him and no one was the wiser. He was taught early on to be a mannerly boy just like any gelding, and he was. Period. We did eventually have him surgically gelded - because we needed a little stud like we needed a hole in the head.

Unless your horse has some reason to breed besides being pretty or sweet...you should have him gelded. Ask ANY professional - one day he's going to go studdy on you and someone (horse or human) is going to get hurt.

I've had a horse as old as 12 years gelded. With proper aftercare and a good vet, you have a fairly low risk of complications. Find one and go for it. You and the horse will be happier in the long scheme.

 

[dragon]

too many NEED TO be gelded but are not.... yes somebody will do it. He will still be your love. Lots of studs have gone through the auction to be bought by people who geld and then
*poof* newish horse.

 

[jmhappycowboy]

Rachel,
Hey, I have had horses all my life and have had a few stallions both good ones and a few bad ones. They are no different than mares or geldings in my opinion their attitude and actions will reflect back on their training and disciplinary actions in the past. As far as Renegade being 5 that is not a problem if your wanting to geld him, in my opinion the main thing you need to do if you have this done is to continue to exercise him lightly everyday so that he will drain properly and not get infections, that will also take care of any problems or lengthy healing time, I have had 1 gelded that was 15 years old and he did just as well as a 2 yr old.

Also not to disagree with anyone but the horse that you see in my avatar is a 10 yr old stallion and he is the one of the best horse's i've ever owned. He is the horse that I let beginners ride around here, he just seems to know when you get on his back if your experienced or not if your not you can't even make him get out of a trot, also when the saddle is on his back he will not pay any attention to any mare that comes around him, and this is a breeding stallion, granted I got this horse as a foal and raised him and he's been trained on how he needs to behave from the time I got him but I have never had any moment in which to worry about him with anyone. I also had another stallion that I raised and kept until he was 10 he is now 20 years old and lives in Alabama and he is owned and handled daily by the lady who bought him from me and he behaves just as well for her as he did me.

Also I think you as a lady has as much right to train and deal with your stallion as I have to deal with a mare. There are many ladies out there who have much more patience and a better understanding of horses than some men, and the horses will respond to them much better.

Sorry so long on this but this is just my opinion.

James

 

[Equest94]

I have ridden and worked with many stallions before (even half owned one at one point) and they have been wonderful horses. As long as they are raised correctly and have respect for you (people in general). Then there is no reason why people should fear them. It is true that gelding a stallion can be done at any age, but the more developed their reproduction system is, the more it will cost to have the procedure done. May I ask what the reason for wanting to geld him is? Once an older stallion is gelding, he most likely will not lose the "stallion behaviors," he'll still boss up the herd and try to mount the mares...that's why gelding is normally done at a younger age before the colt is fully sexually matured...


(and for those people who think stallions have a nasty attitude... we have worked with some pretty witchy mares that are much more aggressive than any of the studs.)

 

[Varisha]

It sounds like you may need a large animal vet. Ask your farrier who he/she uses as a vet.

I bought a 7 year old arabian stallion that was a sweet as they come. I had him gelded and he is still just as sweet and now he can be in the pasture with the girls with no oops babies happening

Personality alone did not warrent him keeping his fuzzy plumbs. While he has a good comfirmation it was nothing outstanding so the vet was called. After all I just wanted a dependable calm trail horse not a baby maker

 

[newchickowner]

I'm a woman, I've owned/showed/trained many stallions as well as mares and geldings. In fact I worked several different jobs where we used 6-15 stallions all at once in a high level dressage pattern with them so close to one another that my boots would rub another rider's boots. It's all in the discipline, and how they respect the rider. Yes, you have some that would attempt to bite the stallion next to him, but never had any more aggression that that.

Yes we would have young stallions that in rehearsal just could not get along with the others, and was nasty to handle no matter what we tried. This attitude was adjusted with a snip, snip, and then we had usually a great working gelding! We also had a mare that was so ill-tempered that we had to have her "fixed" because during her cycles she was uncontrollable. After that she was much more easy to work with.

We also had a stallion come onto our farm for training and he was 12 years old and never even seen a human. After much patients and gentle care he came to trust us and we never had any bad behavior from him what-so-ever!

It sounds to me like your stallion is well behaved, so what are the reason's the vets said they wouldn't geld him for you? That part I don't understand unless you aren't going to a large animal vet.