Should You Geld Your Colt?

Several years ago, my sister owned an Arabian stallion that was a joy to handle and ride. I took him out on trail alone several times and loved his floating gaits and docile temperament. He was everything you could want in a trail horse. It would have been very easy to forget that he was a stallion, and let your mind wander. But, riding or handling a stallion takes an awareness beyond what is required for a mare or gelding.

It's tempting to want a stallion. Maybe your beloved mare has produced a wonderful colt, or you've just bought a very sweet young horse, who hasn't yet been gelded. It seems to have a good disposition, following you around like a puppy and charming everyone who meets it. Should you keep this colt as a stallion to breed to mares? There is a lot to consider when keeping a breeding stallion. First and foremost is the safety of the other horses that will need to live with it and the people who will be handling and riding the stallion. Being kept a stallion requires that a horse have more than just a 'pretty face'. In the article Should You Keep Your Colt as a Stallion?, I take a look at the risks and responsibilities involved with owning a stallion and how you can get experience so that you can make a good choice when selecting a colt to use as breeding stock.

Read More:

• Should a Beginner Rider or Owner Buy a Stallion?
• How Horses Reproduce