Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

At 09:03 AM 9/20/2004, Beth Bennett wrote:
> we don't really have the facility to house a stallion and I have no 
> intention of getting rid of my mare (his mother).
>
> I need some good concrete reasons to use to support my argument that if 
> we're going to geld we should do it early.  If my thinking is skewed I 
> welcome all opinions, especially from any vets.

1)  Once their testicles drop they are capable of breeding.  If you don't 
have stallion housing and you don't intend to get rid of the mare, are you 
prepared for another foal from her, by her son?

2)  If you plan to breed him, are you going to pay for the advertising and 
promotion, and the fees that someone else will charge to breed him for you 
if you don't have breeding facilities on your property?

3)  Who will train this young horse if you don't geld him?  If it's not 
you, you had better start asking around now, because not every trainer will 
take a stallion.

4)  If you are planning on keeping him for riding and you don't geld him 
(and somehow you have worked out how to keep him safely  away from his dam 
and have worked out the above issues), are you prepared to ride a stallion 
on the trail?  Do you have the experience for that?

________________________________
   Lif Strand      fasterhorses.com
           Quemado NM USA
High Country Rider:  An endurance rider's journal
   www.fasterhorses.com/highcountryrider/