How to Care for a Newly Gelded Horse
Gelding a male horse is one of the best things you will ever do for him. Stallions lead a difficult life, and geldings have much more freedom. Gelding can be a simple process, especially if the horse is young. Still, there are some important tips to know in order to make your horse's recovery smooth and swift.
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Instructions
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Keep your new gelding alone. He does not need any other horse to bully or pester him as the drugs from the operation wear off. He will be quite miserable for the first couple of days and needs to be alone or with a very docile companion.
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Put your gelding out and in an exercise paddock or arena. Stalling a newly gelded horse is the worst thing for him. He must be able to move around to keep his wounds open and draining. There are no stitches to remove, so it is very important to keep the incisions open so they heal from the inside out.
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Check the incisions twice a day. The first several days you should use a spray antiseptic, such as blue lotion, and spray the entire genital area and belly near the genitals with the antiseptic. Only use this once a day.
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Do not use a hose on the wounds or otherwise mess around with them. The best thing you can do is make the horse move out several times a day, and even ask him to trot. The more the movement drains the wounds, the better and faster his wounds will heal.
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Give the horse some pain medicine prescribed by your vet if necessary. This is usually only necessary for the first couple of days. The younger the horse is, the sooner he will recover from his gelding. A mature stallion used for breeding may have to spend several days in the equine hospital if he is gelded, so the sooner you can make the decision to geld, the easier it will be on the animal.
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Tips & Warnings
Never geld a mature breeding stallion without consulting with a veterinarian.
- Photo Credit Courtesy of Boardman Arabians, LLC
