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Subject: To geld or not to geld
Author: liesele@dg1bis.cec.be (Leonard Liesens) at email
Date: 31/10/96 17:02
Hi American friends,
I have currently an interesting society problem; I explain it;
I have an Arab stallion, Karim Kayyal. He is now 6 year. I got it as a colt
when he was 6 months and never thought to geld it. I broke him when he was 3
on a very gentle way using the Nuno Oliveira methods and everything happened
very well. We made our first endurance rides when he was 4. The first year
only what we call here in Belgium CTR (maximum 30 km). He did well but was
very spirited and nervous : could not permit anybody in front of us, was
rushing all the time;but he had excellent recovery; I thought he was going
to become calmer; during his 5th and 6th year we did qualification rides (up
to 60 KM) and he did well too; now we do something similar to your 50milesat
a conservative pace and he recovers OK.
But he is still as nervous as before and even more difficult to handle : I
have to start 5 minutes after the group, stay apart during vet control
otherwise his heart rate will explode every time a horse is approaching.
I must also say that he made 3 times tying up problms and I think it was
mostly caused by excitement (also maybe too much protein because of too rich
grass!!!). He is also easily frighten by anything's changing in his
environment: always looking left and right, afraid of a bird, a rolling stone...
He never covered a mare...
The races in Belgium are mostly organized on a 2 loop system : you cover
twice the same loop with a vet control and a 3 quarter rest between them.
Obviously, he doesn't perform that well on the second loop because he sees
everything for the second time. I don't think he is tired (recovery are even
better after the second loop than after the first one).
A friend of mine geld recently his stallion, pretending that he will perform
better.
Sometimes (especially when Karim behaves that nervously), I think to do the
same and geld it!
Have some of you had the same kind of problem ? DO you think that stallions
are more lazy than geldings ? Would it be a good idea to geld it ? Is he not
too old to expect any changes ?
Thank you for answer.
Leonard, from Belgium
Leonard Liesens
Fond du Hainaut, 10
B-5340 FAULX LES TOMBES
BELGIUM
+32.81.570244
Email : liesele@dg1bis.cec.be