How to Geld a Horse

There are far more reasons to geld a horse than to keep him a stallion. The horse market is saturated with stallions used for breeding. If you have a male horse, he should most likely be gelded. Gelding is a simple procedure that is quick and easy to heal if directions are followed. Follow these steps to learn how to geld a horse.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Decide at what age you want to geld your horse. Horses are gelded as young as 2 weeks old and any time after this. Stallions tend to have more aggressive behavior than geldings and most lose the aggressiveness when they are gelded.
2. Have your horse prepared for surgery. Have him de-wormed and updated on all of his shots. A healthy horse recovers much faster and more efficiently than a horse that is sick. Also, make sure the horse is used to being handled so no one is injured at the time of the gelding procedure.
3. Bring your horse to the veterinarian's office or prepare an area at your barn for the procedure. A flat, open area out of direct sunlight is best. The horse is lying down during surgery, so cement is not recommended. After the surgery, have an enclosed area, such as a large stall or round pen, for the horse to recover from the anesthesia.
4. Know the weight of your horse so the proper amount of tranquilizer and anesthetic is given. The tranquilizer is given first to calm the horse. The anesthetic is given right before the surgery is performed. If a general anesthetic is used, the horse will lay down. Use a blanket to protect his head and eyes when he lies down.
5. Wash the scrotal area thoroughly before making two incisions. Pull the testicles out of the scrotum with about 3 to 4 inches of the spermatic cord showing. Use an emasculator to crush the cords for about 60 seconds in order for them to be severed. Enlarge the scrotal incisions and trim away excess scrotal tissue.
6. Hose excess drainage from the area with water daily. Gently dry the area with a towel and apply petroleum jelly between the hind legs to prevent chafing. Hosing directly into the incision area is not needed and may cause irritation.
7. Exercise the horse daily by walking him for 15 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day for 3 to 4 weeks. After this time, a normal exercise routine can be performed.

Tips & Warnings

• Gelding your horse in the spring or fall is best. At these times of year, flies and heat are not normally problems. Flies can irritate the site, and heat can cause extra swelling.
• Swelling of the incision area will occur but is normal. If excessive swelling occurs, alert the veterinarian.
• Do not attempt to geld a horse on your own if you have no experience dealing with veterinarian procedures. Complications are rare but can happen.