Yet another "gelding the older stallion" question

[heronponie]

I know this question gets asked a lot… but I could use a little hand holding to figure this one out. I have an older stallion (14) that previously ran on pasture with a herd of mares and foals… so he knows how the equipment works. I don’t use him for breeding.

He’s easy to manage as a stallion. A++ temperament. Shares fencelines with the mares, is turnout buddies with the geldings. But the design of my property is such that it would be really convenient to keep all the horses in one herd (mares & geldings mixed). All the other horses mesh well.

My vet thinks we can get him gelded safely, but the only reason I’m interested in doing this would be to have him join the herd. I would hate to put him through the surgery and still have to keep him separated. What are the odds that he’ll still be trying to mount mares after being gelded? Does anyone have experience doing this? Would you try it?

[Laurierace]

Do you know what his temperament was like when he was out with the mares? Could he be ridden and shown and whatever else you would want to do with him now or was hers stallion his only job? Either way it’s a crap shoot to some extent but if he was mannerly I think you have a good shot. Make sure the vet ties the vesssels off, not just crimp him.

[heronponie]

I don’t know what he was like at the breeding farm unfortunately, that was a few owners before me. He’s fine to ride/handle/groom around mares and I’ve never felt the need to reach for a chain shank for him. When he does get “talking” to the mares, I can just say, “hush” and he turns it off. I would hope that translates to his behaviour in a herd, but you’re probably right that it’s a crapshoot…

Ugh, wish I had a crystal ball to see the outcome before taking the risk! Thank you for the input.

[csaper58]

I think the problem is putting the mares and boys together. JMO… but it always ends badly.

Is there any chance to re-home your stallion?

[exvet]

I think the gelding aspect will go fine. I think the ability to turn the stallion out with mares and hope that ‘nothing’ happens is a crap shoot. I had a mannerly stallion that was gelded at 12 remain a sweet mannerly gelding who could stay with the boys but when turned in with girls that were cycling continued to try to breed. What injuries that were sustained were mostly his; but despite trying different mixes with different order of introduciton, I still ended up having two turn out groups - boys and girls.

[heronponie]

Thanks exvet, I was hoping someone out there in Coth-land might have firsthand experience. Your situation is what I suspect & worry about.

I have maintained mixed mare/gelding herds for decades without incident and the current crew are 5+ years mixed with zero issues. So I’m not at all worried about that. Won’t be rehoming the stallion, he is retired here for life with or without the family jewels.

[Nootka]

Just be aware too… he may attack the geldings once turned out with the mares. A Paint stallion (turned recent gelding) I owned did that I had to get one gelding’s hindend stitched up

[Katona]

FWIW, we recently had issues with a 13 year old gelding mounting mares. He was gelded very young, and this behavior only started once he was put into a more serious showing program. (He’s also been spoiled like mad.)

Like many of the above, I think it depends on the horse. He sounds like a pretty stellar stallion behaviour wise, but you have to do what’s best for your home and herd.

[JoannaHCR]

My first horse was a 17 year old Arab, that had been gelded at 15, I don’t know how he was right afterwards, or when first turned out with mares, but we had a whole mixed herd with him in it. He took his responsibility as herd leader very seriously, but never mounted any mares–no matter how hard they tried to convince him he should! He would act a bit differently when they were in heat, which was great b/c we were breeding then, and it really cut down on vet bills–he would let you know exactly when they started cycling!

Only time we had issues was putting a 2 year old colt back in with the herd with his mother–he ran him hard, did the snake thing, the whole works, we took him back out and everything was fine. He was find with them coming in at 3 and 4 though. When he died, it really shed light on how tight of a ship he ran, there was all sorts of herd drama and turmoil for a while as they tried to get a new herd order.

If it were me, I’d try it, but definitely be methodical and careful doing starting with small test groups, and have multiple hands on deck, with lead ropes and lunge whips when you do take the plunge and turn him out, just in case.

[cripplecreekfrm]

I reciently gelded my 16 year old stallion. He was a very good boy and was out with the geldings before and after he was gelded. and he was out with geldings and mares before he was gelded as well. I haven’t turned him out in a mixed herd since his surgery but the brief period he was out with a mare he herded her around and kept her off the fence line. I think he might still try to mount one if they were in season and backed up to him. He was always really gentle so this would not bother me if it was just my mares but I wouldn’t risk it with other people’s mares.

[csaper58]

[QUOTE=cripplecreekfrm;8888022]
I reciently gelded my 16 year old stallion. He was a very good boy and was out with the geldings before and after he was gelded. and he was out with geldings and mares before he was gelded as well. I haven’t turned him out in a mixed herd since his surgery but the brief period he was out with a mare he herded her around and kept her off the fence line. I think he might still try to mount one if they were in season and backed up to him. He was always really gentle so this would not bother me if it was just my mares but I wouldn’t risk it with other people’s mares.[/QUOTE]

I worked with a former stallion, who was mounting mares (but, of course, no longer able to complete the act). He became very frustrated and turned abusive to the mares, and other horses, and eventually people.

OP, …YMMV with your horse.

[DressageChic2]

i dont think i would risk it if you are able to keep them separate.

he knows what to do, he knows what girls in heat mean, i think its a big ask to switch that off at this age and likely you will end up keeping him away from them anyway,so if hes a good stallion and an easy stallion, i wouldnt geld him so late for so little gain, personally.

[heronponie]

Thank you everyone for the input!