Gelding still thinks he is a stallion

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mgranch

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I am getting back a 6 year old gelding this coming weekend that I sold because I did not like his personality. His breeder bought him back but then ended up not being able to pay for him so is sending him back to me. He was gelded as a four year old because he was unmanageable as a stud. He still breeds mares and fights other horses and is a general pain in the behind!! I am worried about the safety of my other horses and wondered if anyone has any ideas on how to mellow him out?? He is beautiful and I would love to figure out a way to make him a nice boy!! He drives and shows in hand and would make a lovely gelding if he would just not be so difficult!! Thanks!!! Gina
 
Yes, talk to your Vet, the chemical they use for chemical short term castration should work on him, and I would also, for the first few days , sedate him so that you can work with him in a positive manner.

I know how hard it is when your personalities clash, first off, do not "blame" yourself, this sort of thing happens all the time. Second, get yourself into a positive mind frame (I changed the name of a mare this happened to with me from "Bimbo" ....which she really was...to "Honey" which was friendly and kind) and thirdly, get help!!!!!

It sounds to me as if he needs harness training and to be given a job that keeps him occupied and gives all that energy a real use, too.

Did the foals from him have the same attitude??

BTW Kudos to you for taking him back, especially since you neither want nor need him, a lot of people would duck this one!!
 
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There is no drug used for short term chemical castration... at least, one was never mentioned once in all my referal clinic work with stallions. The only one I know of is Regumate, and that acts by causing negative feedback to shut down testicular testosterone production, and since this horse has no testicles, it will not work. No chemical which acts on the testicles will act on this horse. His issue is behavioral, possible exacerbated by high adrenal testosterone levels.
 
Have his testosterone level check. Did you have him castrated? If so, then the chances of a retained testicle are slim, but some residual tissue may still be present causing the stallion like behavior. Or, call Bonnie Fogg. Apparently, some horses are just black hearted (one of mine is!).
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My daughter works at an Arab farm and they use Depo-Provera.

It's the same stuff they use on sex offenders.

They don't even think about mares after a shot of that.
 
Is this the same drug they use for birth control for women? Have any long term studies be done to demonstrate the safety of this drug in stallions/geldings? What effect other than subduing the sex drive is seen in the horses? (I'm sure I could think of at least a dozen other questions but this will do for a start ;) )
 
Oestrogen based...yes, I believe it is, we had a lot of success with it with a very nice driving gelding that was just so studdy it was not true!!! There is also something they use for suppressing heat in bitches that I have heard bandied around but do not know of from personal experience.

As I said, speak to your Vet about it, they should know.

There are plenty of drugs around nowadays and if they don't work try prozac- if it does nothing for the horse you could try taking it yourself!!

Seriously though I do know of cases of canine aggression that have been treated with prozac, but have no experience of it in horses.
 
Depo has no physiological responce in horses, they lack the receptor for it. Regumate and progesterone derivitives are what works in horses. But, they act on TESTICLES, and if there aren't any, it won't help.
 
Strange that I got such a good reaction, then, from not one, but two horses.........

Of course, it would help greatly, I think, if I could remember exactly what it was that the Vet used.

Which is why, basically, you need to ask a Vet
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[SIZE=12pt]Here's my idea.
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Put him a round round pen or out on a lunge line & work him.

Make him listen to your voice command & mind his manners.

If he doesn't mind his manners/& or listen make him get out there & work around you.

He'll soon get the idea.
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I'd try to work him everyday, & really give him a nice work out.

I wouldn't be surprised if you see a turn around in his behavior.
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& from there you can continue to progress his training.

You may even find that you guys get along.
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& Kudos to you for taking him back.
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You also have to be careful as to what vets say.... they don't often say what they mean. I've run into vets (several) who tell me to give a mare a depo shot, then hand me progesterone... they are NOT the same! Depo is a synthetic drug used on humans; as I mentioned, it has no receptors in the equine body so its entirely useless. Progesterone is the natural version which Depo tries to mimic... Progesterone is the same in all species. This you CAN give to mares (and stallions) with good effect. However, its effects are irreversable in stallions (they will always have smaller testicles/sperm production after using progesterone for any length of time) and as I mentioned, will have no effect in gelded horses. It may help calm the mind a little bit, but it will not thwart testosterone production nor will it cause the testicles to slow their production (since they don't have any!). But Depo provera is useless in horses, don't let a vet waste your money by perscribing it. And if they swear it works, ask them what DRUG it is... if its progesterone its fine, it'll work. If its a synthetic progestin, don't use it. The only synthetic progestin that works with horses is Altrinogest (sp), which is Regumate.
 
Thanks everyone for all the support and advise!! I did not have him gelded the original owner did. I did call my vet and have not heard back yet from him. I trust all of you more and I think you guys know far more about minis then my vet does!! I had Joe for 6 months last year and finally gave up but will have a good attitude this time around and try again!! Thank You for supporting me in this decision I can tell you it was very hard to take him back!! Gina
 
Depo was used for my QH mare when she was younger. She would run any gelding in the ground. She was in season 24/7. Once Depo was used she was a quiet, happy mare again.

I eventually found a product .... Mare Ease( I believe that was what it was) bought from Smartpak. Another great inexpensive product. That was fantastic and not as expensive. Maybe there is something like that for stallions.

My next door neighbors have this problem with a large horse. Doesn't seem to bother them though. He breeds the three mares he's out with all the time. That would drive me crazy.

Here's an article that might help?

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/horse-hea...ot-to-geld.aspx

Kim
 
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We used Depo on a big show mare for a season, and it did wonders. Made the difference in whether she could be shown without constantly being in season, pinning her ears, etc. That's what I was told I was getting, and my vet specializes in breeding & reproductive issues. Will clarify next time I see her.

Jan
 
Thanks so much everyone!! Joe will be here Saturday and I feel much more hopeful about making this work this time!! It is not his fault and I so want to see him become a useful working gelding!! Gina
 

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