Behavior changing for the worse after gelding?

[Fastjofast]

A friend of mine has a large pony that was recently gelded. He’s about 10 years old and was never used as a breeding stallion. As a stallion he was very well behaved and most people thought he was a gelding. He was stabled next to mares, he could be ridden and tacked up next to mares and would usually fall asleep in the crossties. Under saddle he was always a leg ride and would usually require a spur or a whip. He never had a stallion moment – ever.

In the fall his owners decided to sell him, and since he really wasn’t breeding stallion material, they decided to geld him. Ever since he was gelded he acts the complete opposite of the way he did when he was a stallion….and not for the better.

Now he is spooky, wild and unpredictable. They gelded him so that he could be a kid’s pony, but now it is not even safe to have a kid ride him.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

[columbus]

A stallion being gelded can have tissue left behind that is still producing hormone. I think that they can test homone levels to see it they have not dropped as they should have. I would guess a bad gelding process could have caused some kind of pain to be present. Finally it takes awhile for some gelded stallions to become geldings. I have one who was 3 and never bred a mare take years before he was safe out with a general herd of geldings…he had chased a gelding through a wood fence trying to kill him…and he still wooed mares in nearby paddocks and they wooed him for a few years post gelding. I have also had a gelded stallion who had even pasture bred mares and was gelded at 17 become a gelding nearly immediately and who could go out in a mixed herd as soon as a month after gelding…never mounted a mare or chased even annoying dominant geldings. He ruled but was very subtle. Check hormone levels…perhaps tissue was missed but perhaps he just needs more time. PatO

[CDE_Driver]

[QUOTE=columbus;6882896]
A stallion being gelded can have tissue left behind that is still producing hormone. I think that they can test homone levels to see it they have not dropped as they should have. I would guess a bad gelding process could have caused some kind of pain to be present. Finally it takes awhile for some gelded stallions to become geldings. I have one who was 3 and never bred a mare take years before he was safe out with a general herd of geldings…he had chased a gelding through a wood fence trying to kill him…and he still wooed mares in nearby paddocks and they wooed him for a few years post gelding. I have also had a gelded stallion who had even pasture bred mares and was gelded at 17 become a gelding nearly immediately and who could go out in a mixed herd as soon as a month after gelding…never mounted a mare or chased even annoying dominant geldings. He ruled but was very subtle. Check hormone levels…perhaps tissue was missed but perhaps he just needs more time. PatO[/QUOTE]

But if he wasn’t that way when he WAS a stallion why would he be after gelding?

[NoDQhere]

If enough testicular tissue is left behind, a normally sweet stallion can become a rank monster. I always heard it was because if the tissue was in the abdomen the temperature would cause the over production of testosterone, (or something like that).

We had a clients stallion here for awhile that had a retained testicle. The Vet removed the “outside” testicle and left the internal one. He was sure there wasn’t one in there . Within a short time that horse was RANK. Fortunately the Vet was able to go back in and find the missing testicle, remove it, and within a few days Mr. Nice Guy horse was back.

[Whitfield_Farm_Hanov]

Maybe he’s hurting. Possibly some herniated intestine that is not causing colic but just generalized discomfort? I’d have his ultrasounded as well as the hormone levels checked.

[Catnipped]

Perhaps it was the change of ownership causing the problem rather than the gelding?

[Fastjofast]

[QUOTE=Catnipped;6884569]
Perhaps it was the change of ownership causing the problem rather than the gelding?[/QUOTE]

Nope, still the same owner. The plan was to sell him, but after the gelding he’s been a different horse.

It’s strange because he was soooo good before. Now his reactions to things are so different. A small noise will cause him to spook and flee. Before his gelding, he never would have cared, or even noticed! Did gelding him make him a sissy?

[Fastjofast]

Also wanted to add that his issues now have nothing to do with studdy behavior.

[Simkie]

Was he gelded at the clinic? Perhaps he was stressed enough to develop ulcers?

How does the gelding scar look? Does it look tight or like it’s pulling? Another possible source of pain, maybe?

[alto]

[QUOTE=Fastjofast;6885090]
Nope, still the same owner. The plan was to sell him, but after the gelding he’s been a different horse.

It’s strange because he was soooo good before. Now his reactions to things are so different. A small noise will cause him to spook and flee. Before his gelding, he never would have cared, or even noticed! Did gelding him make him a sissy?[/QUOTE]

Owner might discuss with vet which anaesthetics were used & about the possibility of an adverse reaction - hopefully, owner has already been in contact with vet …

Was owner present at the gelding? did everything go as usual?

[Marla_100]

I would highly suspect there’s a PAIN issue going on. I have one horse who gets very spooky and bolty when in pain.

Get a good vet to help figure this out. Could be many things that happened as a result of the gelding. I’ve seen horses almost kill themselves just coming out of the anesthesia/sedation. Flipping over, etc.