is it ever to old to geld a horse?

I think its risky. I know ones that have been gelded at 9 or 10- both pretty good to handle and generally not stallionish.

Think they were both very lucky tho- could end up with a horse thats hard to handle and you cant even get stud fees from!!
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I think its risky. I know ones that have been gelded at 9 or 10- both pretty good to handle and generally not stallionish.

Think they were both very lucky tho- could end up with a horse thats hard to handle and you cant even get stud fees from!!
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Depends on whether they've been used at stud I'd say. Our old boy was used a few times, gelded at about 6 but was always very stallionesque!
 
Pride was entire till he was 9, he was at stud until then and never had any problems with him!

He is probably the least stallionally than all the gelding at the yard, although he does have quite an impressive rear and strike out when he is playing
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my friend owns Sandros Whisker - Geoff Billingtons old ride.

Anyways, he wasnt gelded until he was 9. hes still quite stalliony tho if you get what i mean!
 
Thomas wasnt gelded till around 7 either and he didnt seem to mind....although we all think he is gay anyway.
 
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Thomas wasnt gelded till around 7 either and he didnt seem to mind....although we all think he is gay anyway.

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ive heard its 1 in every 10 thats gay now a days!
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Thomas wasnt gelded till around 7 either and he didnt seem to mind....although we all think he is gay anyway.

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Haha!!! Snap - same goes for P
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He has two boyfriends. And he refuses to go into the stable without a groom from either of them after work!!!
 
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A neighbour has a pony that was used as a stud for several years, then gelded. He's a sweet-tempered little chap, not stallion-y at all.

There was an article in Native Pony a while back about a lady who had to geld her 14-yr-old Dales stallion after an accident. They had no end of problems just knocking out the pony! Ended up the pony had to go to hospital and have the op and it cost quite a lot of money I think.
 
Depends on the horse and why they are being gelded. I rode a stallion that was gelded when he was about 9, he was gelded beacause he just was not interested in mares or covering and this meant he could happily go to any home as a very nice riding horse once gelded.
 
Hmm well m black one wasnt gelded until he was 5, he has a bigger neck and is chunky etc, partly because of him being gelded late I think, and yes he could mount mares in the field, more habit I think, but at 18 he cant really be bothered now.
He has a wonderful nature though and although he has and always will be field boss, he is not 'stallionish'
 
There are greater risks of complications such as herniation of the intestines etc when older horses are castrated and they should not be done standing due to this.
A lot of stalliony behaviour is learnt, so gelding a horse may not make that much difference to its behaviour and it may continue to show interest in mares.
 
We had a beautiful palomino quarter horse who was gelded at the age of 14 after falling into an unfortunate home. He had frequently worked as a stallion, but after the death of his owner was sold to an inexperienced home. We bought him shortly after he was gelded- didn't fix what ever problems they were having- and for the next fifteen years he lived in a mixed herd, he was the most beautifuly mannered and gentle horse one could hope for. I knew him before he was gelded and his behaviour never varied, I think it was down to a great nature and good handling.
 
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