Castration Concerns for the Equine Owner

Why should I castrate? It is important to realize that some of a male’s behavior is learned and may not fully change, but Unless a male is to be used for breeding, he aggression should be markedly reduced. He may should be castrated for both his and your quality of still get excited and respond in the presence of a life. As a male, the potential for a more aggressive /jenny in heat and get an erection, but he will be personality should be expected, even if housed away much less likely to fight with other geldings. from or jennies. Intact, his behavior will be less trustworthy and more dangerous, especially for Prior to anyone uncomfortable or less experienced with handling animals, especially equids presenting with Check with your veterinarian to see if he/she problem behaviors. has any pre-castration requirements. Some veteri- Because of the unpredictability of intact males narians may want food withheld for a number of hours and the trust that children generally expect of prior to the castration, while others may not. animals, children are at greater risk to be injured. In Some of these requirements are based on the addition, equines are very social animals and living in anesthetics to be used, as well as the preferences of solitary confinement denies them the opportunity to the veterinarian. experience the best quality of life. Solitary confine- A very important requirement for castration is a ment is the unfortunate fate for society’s most current tetanus vaccination. If not recently vacci- dangerous individuals, regardless of species. nated or if there is any doubt regarding vaccination Just because a /jack has a history of status, a tetanus toxoid vaccine should be given, breeding, whether young or old, doesn’t mean that he followed by a booster in 3-4 weeks. If equine owners needs to remain intact. /jacks over twenty have any health concerns about their stallion/jack, years of age have been castrated without complica- they should discuss these issues with their veterinar- tions. ian. Anytime a mature animal is castrated, it will At the time of the castration, it is very important take him a considerable time for his behavior to that a complete physical examination is done. This mellow. allows the veterinarian to make sure that the heart The length of time required for post-castration and lungs are normal which is a very important behavior modification is also affected by time of year. requirement prior to . A normal tempera- Males castrated in the fall and winter will likely ture gives some assurance that there are no major behave more like a gelding by the next spring, while infectious problems brewing. those castrated in the spring and summer may take until the next spring to fully modify their behavior. As a part of the physical examination, the anesthesia. The drugs used will allow the stallion to weight of the stallion/jack may be determined in a remain standing but will provide adequate pain relief. number of ways: close estimates by individuals good As with the down castration, access to any at estimating weight, a weight tape, or actual weight feedstuffs should be restricted for at least 30-60 determined on a scale. In most instances, prior minutes in order to avoid the possibility of choke. experience or a weight tape is used. Postoperative care: Castration procedure There are two things that ensure a successful The castration procedure will vary depending castration: long incisions for good drainage provided upon whether a stallion or jack is to be castrated. by the veterinarian, and plenty of exercise to prevent Some veterinarians prefer to castrate stallions while premature closure of incisions, provided by the they are standing up and others prefer the animal to owner