Geldings.

A gelding is a male horse whose testicles have been removed, which affects its physical and behavioral characteristics. If you don't plan to use a horse for breeding, this is the best option. The procedure itself is painless for the horse and simplifies life for both the horse and its caregivers.

There are countless reasons to castrate a horse. The main reason horses are castrated is behavioral. Removing the testicles decreases testosterone (the male hormone), reduces aggressive behavior, and decreases the desire to reproduce.

A stallion's natural instinct is to protect and want to be with the mares, and a stallion who follows his instincts can be dangerous to other horses in his environment.

Likewise, the world is a lonely place for stallions. They can't be seen with other horses, so they live alone. This is for their protection and that of others. Castrating a horse will alleviate the stress of stallion ownership.

Another reason to consider castration is equine overpopulation. There are unwanted horses all over the world, and these horses can end up in terrible situations.

Castrating horses not intended for breeding helps reduce unwanted equine overpopulation and reduce the risk of genetic diseases and inbreeding.

In addition to providing a more confident, calm, and well-behaved riding horse, castration is an effective way to prevent unwanted offspring and ensure that only the best horses are retained intact for breeding.

Not all stallions are suitable for breeding. By neutering those that are not, breeders can prevent the transmission of undesirable traits or genetic disorders, which promotes overall health and genetic diversity within the breed.

Castration is a way to eliminate lower-quality animals from the gene pool, allowing only the best animals to reproduce and preserving adequate genetic diversity. Only a small percentage—often around 10%—of all male horses should be kept as breeding stallions.

In wild herds, the 10% ratio is maintained naturally, as a single dominant stallion protects and breeds with a herd that is rarely larger than 10 or 12 mares, although he may allow one or more less dominant young stallions to live on the fringes of the herd.

These loose males often group together in small "bachelor herds", where, in the absence of mares, they tend to behave very similarly to geldings.

Nature shows us that only a select few stallions are given the privilege of mating, while most male horses are denied that honor.

Horses are herd animals. When we domesticated them, we removed them from their natural environments and kept them in very small areas, where competition for mares and territory intensified.

To keep them safe for ourselves and others, the practice of castrating stallions that were not needed for breeding arose, allowing humans to maximize the number of horses we could keep in a limited area and making them easier and safer to manage.

The Scythians (a nomadic, horse-breeding, and riding people of Central Asia from the 9th to the 7th century BC) are thought to have been among the first to castrate their horses, as they valued warhorses that were calm and less defensive, easier to keep in groups and less prone to territoriality, without the temptation of reproductive or mating urges.

Aristotle already mentions, in one of his writings, the castration of horses in the year 350 BC. Since then, horse castration has been performed regularly for hundreds of years.

It's a common and relatively simple procedure performed by a veterinarian. The horse is sedated and given local anesthesia for standing castration, or general anesthesia for lying castration.

The procedure involves removing the testicles, the epididymis (the long, narrow tube that connects the testicles), and part of the spermatic cord (a tubular structure that runs between the abdominal cavity and the testicles) through a small incision.

It is always important to ensure that the horse is vaccinated against tetanus or should be vaccinated at the time of castration.

After testicle removal, there's no need to close the incision, which promotes drainage. This procedure allows the wound to heal slowly over one to two weeks, reducing the risk of excessive and painful swelling.

It's a quick and relatively simple procedure that's usually performed in the same field or facility where the horse lives, ideally during the fall and winter months, when there are fewer flies and thus prevent infections in the incision area.

However, as with any surgery, postoperative complications can occasionally occur. The most common are excessive swelling, bleeding, infection, or evisceration. Any complications should be consulted immediately by a veterinarian, as they are usually quickly resolved.

Swelling of the foreskin and scrotum is normal and not a cause for alarm unless it is excessive. It can often occur if scrotal wounds have closed prematurely. This may require reopening the surgical wound or, in the case of a closed castration, removing some skin stitches.

Excessive bleeding after neutering is the most common immediate complication. Bleeding during the first two hours after neutering may be normal. A slow trickle is acceptable, but if the bleeding is rather continuous, your veterinarian should be called. It may be necessary to pack the scrotum or tie or clamp a leaking blood vessel.

Infection can occur if the surgical site becomes contaminated with organic matter, and is a common complication of open castration. Treatment with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs will be prescribed if necessary. In more severe cases, a veterinary examination with removal of infected tissue may be required.

In an eventration, small fragments of omentum (the thin tissue lining the abdomen), fat, and fascia (connective tissue) can prolapse outside the wound and, as they remain hanging, can become a source of infection. In these cases, the veterinarian will thoroughly clean the omentum and scrotum, then remove the protruding omentum from the wound, ligate it, and divide it.

However, complications after castration are very rare; the horse usually recovers quickly, and the stallion's hormones decrease within a few weeks.

A problem that can occur in some horses, known as cryptorchidism, is the possibility of an undescended testicle remaining in the abdominal cavity or inguinal canal. This can result in continued testosterone production and stallion-like behavior, even if the single descended testicle has been removed. These horses may retain many stallion qualities and should be managed accordingly.

The condition may require surgical intervention to correct the descent or remove the retained testicle.

Veterinarians recommend that the best time to castrate a male horse is between three months and two years of age, as soon as the testicles descend into the scrotum. After this time, testosterone levels become too high and affect the horse's behavior, although it may retain the aggressive behavior of stallions.

Once a male horse is castrated, his temperament stabilizes, making him easier to handle, ride, and train. Castration makes them happier, as they can live freely with mares and other geldings without the risk of fights or unwanted pregnancies, while most stallions tend to live in isolation.

By promoting secure and cooperative relationships, geldings prove to be an essential asset in the equine world. They are valued for their calming influence in mixed-breed herds, encouraging peaceful interactions by reducing aggressive behavior. Their presence contributes to maintaining harmony and stability within the group; they act as peacemakers within the herd, fostering peaceful coexistence and reducing conflicts between them. Their presence in the herd contributes to a more manageable and harmonious environment.

Geldings are preferred in the equestrian world for their docile character and reliability. Offering several advantages, they are often the preferred choice for riders, trainers, and owners alike. This choice is reflected not only in improved manageability but also in greater safety for both horse and rider.

They are less likely to be distracted by their surroundings or other horses, making them highly reliable for competitions, recreational riding, and therapeutic riding programs.

They are ideal for riders of all levels. Beginners benefit from their forgiving nature, while advanced riders can focus on perfecting their skills without worrying about the unpredictable behaviors often seen in stallions. This versatility makes geldings an excellent choice for riding schools and equestrian centers.

Their consistent behavior is especially appreciated and allows them to excel in environments that require concentration, teamwork, and reliability, such as dressage and show jumping.

Their reliability, manageability, and consistent behavior, free from hormonal influences, also make geldings preferred in therapeutic riding programs. These qualities ensure a safe and positive experience for participants.

A topic of debate is whether it is morally correct to castrate horses?

It really depends on each individual's decision, but unless we plan to breed the horse, castration is usually the healthiest option for the horse and the humans around it.

Horses were domesticated and introduced into human society and now depend on us for survival. From the moment owning and breeding horses is considered morally permissible, we have an obligation to ensure their well-being, and that is not possible with our finite resources if they reproduce incessantly without some kind of suppressive force to keep their population under control, such as predation in nature.

As stewards of these animals, we have agreed that a castration procedure is the best option, given our limited resources and our commitment to their well-being. In fact, in some regions of the world, it is mandatory. A mature stallion requires considerable knowledge and experience.

Any damage caused by a stallion is the responsibility of the owner, who can be held liable and therefore sued. The same is true for all domestic animals around us. Other farm animals are routinely neutered, and neutering or spaying is also mandatory even for cats and dogs kept as pets.

Horses don't mind castration the same way humans do. Horses don't consciously choose to have offspring; they choose to mate as their instinct tells them. They don't understand that mating leads to offspring.

Some people's resistance to castrating their horse often stems from an anthropomorphization of their horse's needs/desires, and that they don't dream of starting a family like you or I.

In short, if the horse is not intended for breeding, most veterinarians recommend gelding him before he matures and before he exhibits most of the typical stallion behaviors—usually between one and one and a half years of age. This is a simple procedure from which horses recover without problems, simplifying life for both the horse and those who care for him. While it may not seem pleasant to do, for most foals in most situations, gelding leaves them happier and more content than they would be if they were intact stallions.