This is a decision that many people have to make if they are taking care of horses. Gelding is another term that is used with castration. The two goes hand in hand and whether or not you want to geld your horse is up to you.
So, how much is it to geld your horse? The cost to geld your horse is dependent on where you live. Typically, the cost will be anywhere from $50 and up to a few hundred. You can check where you live to see how much you will have to pay the biggest difference is going to be on how much it cost to get the vet to come out.
A lot of vets do barn rounds a few times a year try to time it out then to keep the cost down.
When making this decision, you also need to take your horse in account. When trying to geld your horse, you need to make sure that the timing is right or else if you do it too late, then it can be pretty risky.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the Best Gifts for any Cowgirl shipped to your door in as little as 2 days! Just Click Here to see the most popular!
The Right Time to Geld a Horse
If you’ve already made the decision to geld your horse, then there is no point in waiting. The right time to do so is about when your horse is six to twelve months. The reason being is because they are still noticeably young. Also, if you see that your horse is not going to be a stallion, then it is easy to train them.
Reason Why You Should Geld Your Horse at Six to Twelve Months
As I’ve mentioned above, a horse at this age is still young. At this age, your horse’s testicular development is off to a great start, which makes it easier for the vet to find your horse’s testicles and castrate them. If you decide to geld your horse younger than this, it will be hard to find their testicles and there will be an increase chance that something can go wrong since the horse will not be developed enough.
Waiting too long can be a problem as well. If you decide too late that you want to geld your horse, then behavioral changes can occur. Waiting until your horse is one year to geld your horse can cause it to develop a stallion-like behavior which will continue to happen even after you geld your horse.
Once your horse reaches its full development stage it is more difficult to geld the horse. There is more blood flowing in that area, so when it is time to geld the horse complications may arise. Also, the younger the horse, the faster it can heal from this procedure.
Gelding Your Horse
The reason why you should geld your male horse is because it can help with aggressive behavior. Due to the testosterone that male produces, in young horses this has a great impact on their behavior. If you do not want your horse to breed with other horses as you are not using your horse for reproductive purposes, then gelding your horse is not a bad idea. This will ensure that managing your horse will be easier.
Changed Behaviors in a Gelded Horse
A horse that is not gelded will have aggressive behaviors that will prevent them from being easy to manage. When you geld your horse, you will be able to see a difference. Your horse will be much calmer and gentler.
Stallion-like Behavior in a Horse
People who handle and take care of horses are always concerned about the behaviors of a horse if they become a stallion. The behaviors of a stallion are one that is like an aggressive human, but in the form of an animal. The people that take care of the horse will have to figure out ways to care for the stallion without endangering themselves.
Stallions are known for their behavior in being aggressive with other horses both male and female (mares). Especially if a mare is in heat the stallion will continuously try to keep getting to that mare. So try to keep them separated as much as possible also creating a scent barrier. Therefore, that is all the stallion thinks about regularly. This is why some people who take care of horses try to keep their stallions away from their mares.
After a Horse Is Gelded
After your horse is gelded, you do not want to keep the horse cooped up in its stall all the time. You also do not want to tire the horse out either. However, exercise is great after the horse is gelded. You can let the horse walk for at least 20 minutes to avoid swelling. This will help the horse heal faster but will also drain any fluids that was left in the horses’ scrotum after the surgery. Exercise is key.
Behavior After a Horse is Gelded
Do not think you will see changed behavior in your horse quickly after your horse has been gelded. It takes time for the level of testosterone in your horse to decrease and your horse may still have some form of aggression. So, do not be alarmed by this. However, horses that were gelded at an older age can still possess aggressive behavior which can still lead to the development of an erection and trying to mount mares. If your horse has already bred a mare, then this is more likely.
What is the Benefit of Gelding Your Horse?
You will be able to take care of your horse and manage it easily. Not to mention you can sleep better knowing that your other animals, you and other people are not in harms way.
Summary
If you own a horse, it is important to know the details of gelding a horse, so it can get done the right way Gelding your horse is not a terrible decision, but you want to make sure that your horse is safe.
