As the title says, I am deciding between gelding vs keeping a colt in tact. I have a little under two months to decide (because, he’s being imported and I’d prefer not to pay the extra quarantine costs just to geld him in another month!). He’s intended to be my competition horse and a breeding career would certainly come later rather than sooner. I believe he is a nice horse and he has particularity nice personally (but if he grows up to be too hormonal, he’ll be gelded regardless). What factors do you guys use when deciding about gelding, both personal factors and ones related to the stallion specifically? Those that are interested in knowing the bloodlines and seeing a video are welcome to send a PM, but I’d rather not post publicly at this point. He’s dressage bred. Thank you for your thoughts!
This isn’t rude but it is kind of one of those things that “If you have to ask…”
If you think he might be better then the many, many stallions out there competing for mares in a seriously diminishing market, then why not collect and freeze him then geld?
To get a stallion approved they have to either go through testing in NA or do the sport route which takes a while. It would be awhile before you would even be able to market him. I bet freezing would be easier in the end then keeping him a stallion.
If your wondering how he stacks up, ask the people you got him from (assuming it is the breeders) or the association he is registered with if he is right quality. Or take him to inspections here. Some horses mature late but they should give you an idea. If you got him as licenced, then you can look at his scores and comments.
With today’s access to European top stallions via frozen semen, standing a stallion in the US makes no financial sense whatsoever for the average horse owner. Ask me how I know?
People breed to stallions primarily because of their show records, successful sport horses they have produced, desirable bloodlines, and name recognition. In order to get there you will spend a considerable amount of money and time, and then it will be up to you to find the balance between breeding and showing. By the time you get there your stallion’s bloodlines may not be “in” anymore, he may not be quite the success you had hoped for, and you will definitely be tired of answering inquiries that aren’t always intelligent and/or polite. Again, ask me how I know?
So, the answer to your question is a resounding NO unless you have more money than you know what to do with, or are a glutton for punishment. 
Stoicfish, I really appreciate your post and your helpful thoughts. The breed association and breeder do like him and feel he could be a successful stallion in Europe. He hasn’t had the opportunity to go to the 70 day test or other permanent approval, so his foals would only be eligible for registration for the next two years if gelded. Could be fun for a personal foal in the future, but the lack of registration is an issue. I do appreciate the out of the box thinking, so thank you.
Siegi, I always appreciate your post and thank you for your thoughts!! You make very good points and I know you have as much first had experience than just about anyone out there Thank you for your contributions and hard work for breeding horse in the US.
If he was licenced in Europe (with a reputable registry) and made the cut then he is already gone through one of the hoops. Congrats!
I know the testing in Europe is much cheaper than here if you want to go that route and it might even add to his overall value if he was approved, even if you gelded and froze. But everything Siegi said. I would never want to stand a stallion to the public beyond frozen but if my horse made it that far, the curiosity would kill me to see what he could throw. But with limited frozen, you could hand pick the mares. Good luck.
Not a stallion owner but based on the many things I’ve read from them, if I were to import a stallion, it would be an older stallion who was highly regarded in their registry whose semen I could not get via importers. Some ultra nice young stallions have been brought over and bred here, but for me personally I’d have to ensure there was a chance to make stud fees worth the extra effort stallions need. What you do is dependent on your situation really. Some want that extra ‘something’ a stallion has in competition and have no intention to ever breed. Some want a breeding stallion. Some want the approved stallion because it will make a super great gelding. So really, you need to figure out what your goal is and then go from there.
The only thing for sure is that once he’s gelded there’s no going back. I don’t believe you can take a gelding through a licensing just because you stored 100 years of frozen semen. So IF you decide not to geld, be prepared to do the $$$$ licensing, etc…
The only thing for sure is that once he’s gelded there’s no going back. I don’t believe you can take a gelding through a licensing just because you stored 100 years of frozen semen. So IF you decide not to geld, be prepared to do the $$$$ licensing, etc…
Could be wrong but I think the OP implied that he is licenced. And I am not so sure they can’t be gelded and approved.
Can you leave him in Europe for testing? Not sure what registry, or what country, he is with/in, but the Hanoverians have an alternate licensing route now if they qualify for the Bundeschapionat. If I was really seriously thinking of keeping him intact I would try to swing lifetime licensing in Europe then import. If after licensing I wanted to castrate (for what ever reason) I would freeze his semen in Europe at an EU facility (so I could export the semen to the US). Then import him.
If I wasn’t able or willing to go through that lengthy process then I would just castrate him there and import a gelding:)
So for me it would either be full lifetime licensing in Europe or import a gelding.
First consider if you plan to make money at it. If you are planning to make money at breeding, then think again. A few of the dedicated breeding farms do, the majority of stallion owners do not and it is a labor of love and not a good source of income.
[QUOTE=camohn;7995357]
First consider if you plan to make money at it. If you are planning to make money at breeding, then think again. A few of the dedicated breeding farms do, the majority of stallion owners do not and it is a labor of love and not a good source of income.[/QUOTE]
Not a money maker. Maybe help with the horses own expenses at best while making his lines available fresh to US breeders.
Blume and back in the saddle, very sound advice and good points. Thanks for taking the time to post.
