Re: Gelding

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 98-07-02 21:48:00 EDT, fxhollow@madnet.net writes:

<< I have bred a number of Arabian horses (Crabbet).  My first 5 foals were
 colts and I kept them uncut until their 2 year old year hoping someone
 would like them as potential stallions.  I was told it made them more
 marketable. >>

As a breeder, I don't even THINK about marketability as a reason to keep a
colt intact.  Either I think he is stallion quality, or I don't.  Unless I
would personally consider keeping him a stallion for myself, off come the
testicles!  If someone is interested in one that I deem to be stallion
quality, then so be it.  But I make that choice as a breeder, and don't leave
it up to others.  As I gather from the tone of your post, you have discovered
that there is not much "market" for young stallions anyway--the market is far
better for geldings, and that is as it should be.  When there is no market for
geldings, one should begin to wonder why one is breeding horses.  Even as a
preservationist breeder, I have to keep in mind that I have to preserve
FUNCTION, not just names in pedigrees, and continually select for those
individuals within the gene pool I am trying to preserve that most typify the
type of functional Arabian athlete that deems these lines worthy of
preservation.  I have found that as long as I stay true to that goal, the
geldings always find useful homes.

And, as you have discovered, the colts are much easier to deal with if gelded
before they become raging adolescents.  I might add that if they are easier to
handle, they are also easier to market.

Heidi Smith, DVM--Sagehill Arabians (Oregon)