<![CDATA[ Latest from Horse & Hound in Castration ]]> https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/tag/castration Mon, 28 Sep 2026 09:30:00 +0000 en <![CDATA[ What owners need to know about castration in horses, including the risks and side effects ]]> Castration of horses and donkeys is the most common surgical procedure in equine veterinary practice performed worldwide. However, there is widespread variation in how the surgery is performed, and in which medications are given pre- and post-operatively.

Elise Rodden MRCVS, a surgical resident at Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic and B&W Equine Hospital, explains: “There is a vast variation used by vets in the methods to geld or castrate a horse, presumably because no one protocol is perfect.

“Certainly, different options are available depending on the clinician’s choice and the exact circumstances. For instance, castration can be performed standing or under general anaesthesia (GA), in a hospital setting or on yards, placing sutures or not, using local anaesthetic or not, or leaving the skin incisions open or closing them.”

Equine castration essentials

In Britain, the law dictates that an appropriate anaesthetic must be used to geld a horse of any age and that castration is a surgical procedure that must be performed by a vet. Gelding without veterinary involvement and without use of painkillers or anaesthetics is barbaric and illegal.

● Painkillers must be given before, during and after the procedure

● Check tetanus vaccinations prior because any wound is a potential entry site for the infection responsible

● A sterile surgical technique and a clean environment should be prioritised over the use of antibiotics as a preventative measure

● Castration can be carried out at any age although between six months and two years old is usually the norm

● The best times to operate are spring and autumn as the presence of flies in warmer weather increases the risk of infection

● Keep a close eye on the patient for 12 hours, then turnout is generally recommended to encourage drainage and reduce the likelihood of swelling

What can go wrong during castration?

Although a routine procedure, castration is not risk-free and although most complications are mild, some are serious and can even be fatal. A review undertaken by Elise in 2025 found 17 different reported complications following castration procedures.

“Among the less concerning complications are those that cause no distress to the horse but are a concern for the owner, such as swelling or continued undesirable behaviour, and mild complications that resolve with minimal intervention (oedema or localised infection),” says Elise.

“More seriously, severe and life-threatening complications such as bleeding, prolapsed gut or abdominal infection/inflammation can occur.”

Despite castration being a routine surgical procedure, reported mortality rates are up to 1%.

“Perhaps unsurprisingly, scrotal swelling is the most common problem reported, followed by infection of the surgical site,” adds Elise. “The size at which the scrotal swelling changed from being a normal post-operative finding, which is expected after surgery, to being considered to be a complication varies tremendously.

“Although less common, some of the other observed complications can be more serious if they are severe. These included bleeding and evisceration (when intestine or some abdominal tissue comes out through the open skin incisions), which can be a non-survivable complication.”

The risk of evisceration is thought to be higher for certain breeds, such as draught breeds and standardbreds. A prior history of a scrotal or inguinal hernias would also increase this risk.

“The risk can be minimised by suturing the tunic (which surrounds the testicle and is continuous with the lining of the abdominal cavity) closed once the testicle is removed,” explains Elise. “This prevents any intestines from the abdominal cavity from escaping into the abdomen via the incision at the castration site.

“To place such sutures safely and in a sterile fashion, a GA is recommended, which obviously increases the cost of a routine castration. A more complex procedure in a hospital under GA is more appropriate in these cases.”

Talking in more general terms, Elise says risks can be reduced by “gelding young, and ensuring that the colt is well-handled and castrated in a clean environment.

“Ultimately, the surgical choice should be based on a risk analysis for the individual horse, alongside your vet’s preferred approach and the facilities available, as well as economic factors.”

HAH583.vet_geldings_hormones.new_castration_pic_fc

Castration is a common procedure, but not risk-free (Image credit: Bell Equine)

Why do we castrate colts?

When colts are gelded they can no longer produce large quantities of testosterone, making them easier to handle.

“Testosterone is a driver for sexual behaviour and reproduction,” explains Dr James Crabtree, junior vice president of the British Equine Veterinary Association and an independent vet consultant in equine reproduction and stud medicine.

“Horses are very big animals; colts that are a bit lairy don’t have their minds on the job and can be unpredictable. If you remove that testosterone, you remove that hormonal driving force behind the unwanted behaviour and the potential barrier to onward training.”

After castration, testosterone levels drop very quickly.

“It can be within a few days,” says James. “The reason we talk about not putting a newly castrated colt in with mares isn’t because they are still producing sperm, it’s because they could still have sperm left in the reproductive tract and the behaviour may not change immediately.

“Behaviour isn’t just the hormones; it’s also learned. It will vary according to individuals and environment. If the environment is very stimulating, with a lot going on, the horse may take longer to calm down.”

A further complication is that testosterone isn’t produced only by the testes. Mares also have testosterone, produced by their ovaries and adrenal gland, and a gelding will continue to have very low levels of it.

Is a horse’s growth affected by castration?

As well as being androgenic (responsible for promoting male sexual characteristics), testosterone is also anabolic – that is, responsible for muscle growth. So castration inevitably has a physical impact as well as a behavioural one.

“You can look at lots of different species and see this. For example, bulls are stocky with lots of muscle and bullocks are leaner,” says James. “Of course, that doesn’t mean to say that, with training, you can’t put the muscle mass on a gelding.”

Testosterone also plays a role in bone development as it indirectly helps close the growth plates (the cartilage at the end of the long bone, which fuses upon maturity). If a colt is gelded relatively early, before the plates have closed, the plates can stay open for longer and the gelding may grow taller than if he had been left entire.

These and other factors are taken into account when deciding at what age to geld.

“In racing, some people don’t want to geld too early, as that testosterone might give the horse a competitive advantage,” explains James. “In contrast, some colts’ testicles aren’t fully descended until they’re three years old, which can present a comfort issue for them in training, and which can be resolved by castrating.”

A group of racehorses coming up to the finishing post at Brighton races for a neck and neck result in 2007

Some racehorses may be gelded late, to retain the benefits of testosterone (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

Why can some “coltish” behaviours remain?

Despite the lack of testosterone, some geldings do continue to demonstrate sexual behaviour long-term after castration and James says the reason behind this isn’t fully understood: “It might be remembered, as some geldings were stallions for a time, or learnt or genetically programmed.”

In other cases, it may be because the horse has undescended testicles; that is, they are not in the scrotum.

“If a gelding is showing dominant behaviour – often colloquially described as being a bit ‘riggy’ – it can be because there is testicular tissue still there, which you can’t see. In those individuals, we have to do some diagnostics.”

Using a combination of physical examination, ultrasound and hormone tests, a vet will assess whether any testicular tissue is present. If so, it’s removed surgically.

Sunrise over horses grazing the Dyfi valley on the southern edge of Snowdonia National Park in Mid Wales, UK

As testosterone is just the last link in a hormonal chain set in motion by longer days in spring, geldings remain affected by seasonal fluctuations in hormone levels even after castration (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

What are the side effects of castration?

Testosterone is part of a “negative feedback loop”. When the testes produce a lot of testosterone, it signals to the brain and pituitary gland to slow down production of the LH and FSH hormones. Without testes, that feedback loop is interrupted and less inhibited.

Research in dogs reveals some interesting differences between entire males and castrated males.

“There’s good evidence that intact males [dogs] have a lower risk of several immune-mediated and autoimmune diseases, making canines one of the veterinary species in which testosterone appears to exert a genuine protective immunological effect, although testosterone also increases the risk of several androgen-dependent conditions, particularly those affecting the prostate and perianal region.

“However, there’s currently no evidence to suggest that testosterone has a protective role in the long-term health of male horses.”

“Clinically, I don’t see a lot of geldings who lack confidence”

James Crabtree FRCVS

There’s also some evidence with dogs that the drop in testosterone following castration can cause increased anxiety and fearfulness, but again James says this isn’t typically seen in horses.

“Clinically, I don’t see a lot of geldings who lack confidence – if anything, you could argue they are not burdened by testosterone or oestrogen.

“It could be because horses have reasonably good socialisation from a young age, with their dams and other horses, so they don’t need testosterone to feel confident. Whereas dogs are often raised in single dog households and lack confidence when taken to a park full of other dogs.”

What about social licence?

James points out that we need to consider the gelding procedure from the point of view of public perception, given that it may be regarded as unkind or unnecessary by the general public. But he explains the safety considerations behind it and the social benefit for the horses themselves.

“As vets, we think about surgical procedures on horses a lot, with social licence in mind,” he says. “Primarily it is performed for human and animal safety reasons; however, it is also an intervention to ensure we can keep male horses in mixed sex environments and in sport. Keeping stallions entire is easier with experience and the right environment.”

An alternative to surgical castration

A vaccination that could be an alternative to surgical castration has been used with some success. However, it’s currently not available for use in horses, meaning that any use is “off licence”.

It acts on the GnRH, which signals to the pituitary gland to release the hormones that stimulate the ovaries and testes, essentially limiting testosterone production (and oestrogen production in mares) from further up the hormonal chain.

“The GnRH vaccine is really interesting,” says James. “Anecdotal evidence suggests that it may suppress more than surgical castration, as it acts on a greater number of hormones. Also, its use is not without some significant risks.

“In some cases, the vaccine could be used for a time and you could still breed from the horse in the future, but there are no guarantees and its effect should practically be considered irreversible.

“Most people, if they want the stallion to have a breeding career later, will collect semen and freeze it first and then castrate, either surgically or chemically.”

]]> https://www.horseandhound.co.uk//horse-care/vet-library/castration-gelding gpBruH9J9NbdUDF6YJe3y6 Mon, 28 Sep 2026 09:30:00 +0000 Mon, 28 Sep 2026 14:30:55 +0000 false false false

Castration of horses and donkeys is the most common surgical procedure in equine veterinary practice performed worldwide. However, there is widespread variation in how the surgery is performed, and in which medications are given pre- and post-operatively.

Elise Rodden MRCVS, a surgical resident at Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic and B&W Equine Hospital, explains: “There is a vast variation used by vets in the methods to geld or castrate a horse, presumably because no one protocol is perfect.

“Certainly, different options are available depending on the clinician’s choice and the exact circumstances. For instance, castration can be performed standing or under general anaesthesia (GA), in a hospital setting or on yards, placing sutures or not, using local anaesthetic or not, or leaving the skin incisions open or closing them.”

Equine castration essentials

In Britain, the law dictates that an appropriate anaesthetic must be used to geld a horse of any age and that castration is a surgical procedure that must be performed by a vet. Gelding without veterinary involvement and without use of painkillers or anaesthetics is barbaric and illegal.

● Painkillers must be given before, during and after the procedure

● Check tetanus vaccinations prior because any wound is a potential entry site for the infection responsible

● A sterile surgical technique and a clean environment should be prioritised over the use of antibiotics as a preventative measure

● Castration can be carried out at any age although between six months and two years old is usually the norm

● The best times to operate are spring and autumn as the presence of flies in warmer weather increases the risk of infection

● Keep a close eye on the patient for 12 hours, then turnout is generally recommended to encourage drainage and reduce the likelihood of swelling

What can go wrong during castration?

Although a routine procedure, castration is not risk-free and although most complications are mild, some are serious and can even be fatal. A review undertaken by Elise in 2025 found 17 different reported complications following castration procedures.

“Among the less concerning complications are those that cause no distress to the horse but are a concern for the owner, such as swelling or continued undesirable behaviour, and mild complications that resolve with minimal intervention (oedema or localised infection),” says Elise.

“More seriously, severe and life-threatening complications such as bleeding, prolapsed gut or abdominal infection/inflammation can occur.”

Despite castration being a routine surgical procedure, reported mortality rates are up to 1%.

“Perhaps unsurprisingly, scrotal swelling is the most common problem reported, followed by infection of the surgical site,” adds Elise. “The size at which the scrotal swelling changed from being a normal post-operative finding, which is expected after surgery, to being considered to be a complication varies tremendously.

“Although less common, some of the other observed complications can be more serious if they are severe. These included bleeding and evisceration (when intestine or some abdominal tissue comes out through the open skin incisions), which can be a non-survivable complication.”

The risk of evisceration is thought to be higher for certain breeds, such as draught breeds and standardbreds. A prior history of a scrotal or inguinal hernias would also increase this risk.

“The risk can be minimised by suturing the tunic (which surrounds the testicle and is continuous with the lining of the abdominal cavity) closed once the testicle is removed,” explains Elise. “This prevents any intestines from the abdominal cavity from escaping into the abdomen via the incision at the castration site.

“To place such sutures safely and in a sterile fashion, a GA is recommended, which obviously increases the cost of a routine castration. A more complex procedure in a hospital under GA is more appropriate in these cases.”

Talking in more general terms, Elise says risks can be reduced by “gelding young, and ensuring that the colt is well-handled and castrated in a clean environment.

“Ultimately, the surgical choice should be based on a risk analysis for the individual horse, alongside your vet’s preferred approach and the facilities available, as well as economic factors.”

HAH583.vet_geldings_hormones.new_castration_pic_fc

Castration is a common procedure, but not risk-free (Image credit: Bell Equine)

Why do we castrate colts?

When colts are gelded they can no longer produce large quantities of testosterone, making them easier to handle.

“Testosterone is a driver for sexual behaviour and reproduction,” explains Dr James Crabtree, junior vice president of the British Equine Veterinary Association and an independent vet consultant in equine reproduction and stud medicine.

“Horses are very big animals; colts that are a bit lairy don’t have their minds on the job and can be unpredictable. If you remove that testosterone, you remove that hormonal driving force behind the unwanted behaviour and the potential barrier to onward training.”

After castration, testosterone levels drop very quickly.

“It can be within a few days,” says James. “The reason we talk about not putting a newly castrated colt in with mares isn’t because they are still producing sperm, it’s because they could still have sperm left in the reproductive tract and the behaviour may not change immediately.

“Behaviour isn’t just the hormones; it’s also learned. It will vary according to individuals and environment. If the environment is very stimulating, with a lot going on, the horse may take longer to calm down.”

A further complication is that testosterone isn’t produced only by the testes. Mares also have testosterone, produced by their ovaries and adrenal gland, and a gelding will continue to have very low levels of it.

Is a horse’s growth affected by castration?

As well as being androgenic (responsible for promoting male sexual characteristics), testosterone is also anabolic – that is, responsible for muscle growth. So castration inevitably has a physical impact as well as a behavioural one.

“You can look at lots of different species and see this. For example, bulls are stocky with lots of muscle and bullocks are leaner,” says James. “Of course, that doesn’t mean to say that, with training, you can’t put the muscle mass on a gelding.”

Testosterone also plays a role in bone development as it indirectly helps close the growth plates (the cartilage at the end of the long bone, which fuses upon maturity). If a colt is gelded relatively early, before the plates have closed, the plates can stay open for longer and the gelding may grow taller than if he had been left entire.

These and other factors are taken into account when deciding at what age to geld.

“In racing, some people don’t want to geld too early, as that testosterone might give the horse a competitive advantage,” explains James. “In contrast, some colts’ testicles aren’t fully descended until they’re three years old, which can present a comfort issue for them in training, and which can be resolved by castrating.”

A group of racehorses coming up to the finishing post at Brighton races for a neck and neck result in 2007

Some racehorses may be gelded late, to retain the benefits of testosterone (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

Why can some “coltish” behaviours remain?

Despite the lack of testosterone, some geldings do continue to demonstrate sexual behaviour long-term after castration and James says the reason behind this isn’t fully understood: “It might be remembered, as some geldings were stallions for a time, or learnt or genetically programmed.”

In other cases, it may be because the horse has undescended testicles; that is, they are not in the scrotum.

“If a gelding is showing dominant behaviour – often colloquially described as being a bit ‘riggy’ – it can be because there is testicular tissue still there, which you can’t see. In those individuals, we have to do some diagnostics.”

Using a combination of physical examination, ultrasound and hormone tests, a vet will assess whether any testicular tissue is present. If so, it’s removed surgically.

Sunrise over horses grazing the Dyfi valley on the southern edge of Snowdonia National Park in Mid Wales, UK

As testosterone is just the last link in a hormonal chain set in motion by longer days in spring, geldings remain affected by seasonal fluctuations in hormone levels even after castration (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

What are the side effects of castration?

Testosterone is part of a “negative feedback loop”. When the testes produce a lot of testosterone, it signals to the brain and pituitary gland to slow down production of the LH and FSH hormones. Without testes, that feedback loop is interrupted and less inhibited.

Research in dogs reveals some interesting differences between entire males and castrated males.

“There’s good evidence that intact males [dogs] have a lower risk of several immune-mediated and autoimmune diseases, making canines one of the veterinary species in which testosterone appears to exert a genuine protective immunological effect, although testosterone also increases the risk of several androgen-dependent conditions, particularly those affecting the prostate and perianal region.

“However, there’s currently no evidence to suggest that testosterone has a protective role in the long-term health of male horses.”

“Clinically, I don’t see a lot of geldings who lack confidence”

James Crabtree FRCVS

There’s also some evidence with dogs that the drop in testosterone following castration can cause increased anxiety and fearfulness, but again James says this isn’t typically seen in horses.

“Clinically, I don’t see a lot of geldings who lack confidence – if anything, you could argue they are not burdened by testosterone or oestrogen.

“It could be because horses have reasonably good socialisation from a young age, with their dams and other horses, so they don’t need testosterone to feel confident. Whereas dogs are often raised in single dog households and lack confidence when taken to a park full of other dogs.”

What about social licence?

James points out that we need to consider the gelding procedure from the point of view of public perception, given that it may be regarded as unkind or unnecessary by the general public. But he explains the safety considerations behind it and the social benefit for the horses themselves.

“As vets, we think about surgical procedures on horses a lot, with social licence in mind,” he says. “Primarily it is performed for human and animal safety reasons; however, it is also an intervention to ensure we can keep male horses in mixed sex environments and in sport. Keeping stallions entire is easier with experience and the right environment.”

An alternative to surgical castration

A vaccination that could be an alternative to surgical castration has been used with some success. However, it’s currently not available for use in horses, meaning that any use is “off licence”.

It acts on the GnRH, which signals to the pituitary gland to release the hormones that stimulate the ovaries and testes, essentially limiting testosterone production (and oestrogen production in mares) from further up the hormonal chain.

“The GnRH vaccine is really interesting,” says James. “Anecdotal evidence suggests that it may suppress more than surgical castration, as it acts on a greater number of hormones. Also, its use is not without some significant risks.

“In some cases, the vaccine could be used for a time and you could still breed from the horse in the future, but there are no guarantees and its effect should practically be considered irreversible.

“Most people, if they want the stallion to have a breeding career later, will collect semen and freeze it first and then castrate, either surgically or chemically.”

]]> <![CDATA[ Equine vets during lockdown: decision made on pre-purchase exams and other work ]]> Pre-purchase vettings, breeding services and castration may continue during lockdown in order to support horse welfare.

In guidance released last week, the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) stated that these are “not normal times” and it is not “business as usual”, but equine veterinary services cannot reasonably be provided without travel, so vets should continue to travel to their workplace (hospital or keepers’ premises).

“BEVA recognises that equine vets play an essential role in supporting the UK horse sector (an £8.5bn industry) and that their role is no less necessary than that of nannies, cleaners or tradespeople,” read the guidance.

“Many equine veterinary services can take place outside, and non-emergency veterinary activities can, with appropriate facilities, be performed in a Covid-safe fashion (following a risk assessment and appropriate mitigations to minimise the risk).”

BEVA considers that to comply with Government guidance, vets are bound to provide veterinary services in support of both equine welfare and the UK horse industry.

“This means that, where a risk assessment has provided a ‘Covid-safe’ way of working, vets should be able to carry out work that is essential to support horse welfare and the horse industry, despite the fact that it may not be considered essential to prevent immediate suffering,” it read.

Examples of these situations include vets attending race meetings, providing services for breeding, carrying out pre-purchase examinations for horse sales, and performing castrations.

“Breeding is a significant industry that has not been required to close by the Government,” read the guidance, adding that preventing veterinary involvement in breeding would either compromise welfare or fail to support the breeding sector.

“Castration is, given the structure of the industry, necessary to protect horses, protect humans and minimise inappropriate and unwanted pregnancies. Stopping castration will compromise animal welfare.”

Article continued below…

Things we do for our horses

(Image credit: Trevor Meeks)

Coronavirus Q&A: horse riders, businesses and employees — all you need to know

H&H has put together a Q&A to help with some of the questions those living and working in the equestrian

Beverley-vacc-site-sign.jpg

(Image credit: Trevor Meeks)

‘A cheer went up as they arrived’: racecourses and showgrounds serving as Covid vaccination centres

British racecourses have joined the list of vaccination centres rolling out the Covid-19 vaccines

generic-subs-images-NEW.jpg

(Image credit: Trevor Meeks)

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

BEVA added that horse sales are an important part of the industry which are allowed to continue under Government guidance.

“Pre-purchase examinations are an essential part of the sales process. Stopping veterinary involvement in horse sales will compromise animal welfare with horses left unsold and sellers unable to look after unsold animals and it will stop horse sales (fail to support the sector),” read the guidance.

“BEVA is of the opinion that any guidance which arbitrarily blocks essential veterinary activities in support of the horse industry would compromise equine welfare and go against Government guidance on supporting sectors.”

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

]]> https://www.horseandhound.co.uk//news/equine-vets-lockdown-pre-purchase-exams-castration-and-breeding-work-approved-734801 9QAWVdUhfMRJdCC9nC35QN Mon, 11 Jan 2021 17:34:17 +0000 false false false

Pre-purchase vettings, breeding services and castration may continue during lockdown in order to support horse welfare.

In guidance released last week, the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) stated that these are “not normal times” and it is not “business as usual”, but equine veterinary services cannot reasonably be provided without travel, so vets should continue to travel to their workplace (hospital or keepers’ premises).

“BEVA recognises that equine vets play an essential role in supporting the UK horse sector (an £8.5bn industry) and that their role is no less necessary than that of nannies, cleaners or tradespeople,” read the guidance.

“Many equine veterinary services can take place outside, and non-emergency veterinary activities can, with appropriate facilities, be performed in a Covid-safe fashion (following a risk assessment and appropriate mitigations to minimise the risk).”

BEVA considers that to comply with Government guidance, vets are bound to provide veterinary services in support of both equine welfare and the UK horse industry.

“This means that, where a risk assessment has provided a ‘Covid-safe’ way of working, vets should be able to carry out work that is essential to support horse welfare and the horse industry, despite the fact that it may not be considered essential to prevent immediate suffering,” it read.

Examples of these situations include vets attending race meetings, providing services for breeding, carrying out pre-purchase examinations for horse sales, and performing castrations.

“Breeding is a significant industry that has not been required to close by the Government,” read the guidance, adding that preventing veterinary involvement in breeding would either compromise welfare or fail to support the breeding sector.

“Castration is, given the structure of the industry, necessary to protect horses, protect humans and minimise inappropriate and unwanted pregnancies. Stopping castration will compromise animal welfare.”

Article continued below…

Things we do for our horses

(Image credit: Trevor Meeks)

Coronavirus Q&A: horse riders, businesses and employees — all you need to know

H&H has put together a Q&A to help with some of the questions those living and working in the equestrian

Beverley-vacc-site-sign.jpg

(Image credit: Trevor Meeks)

‘A cheer went up as they arrived’: racecourses and showgrounds serving as Covid vaccination centres

British racecourses have joined the list of vaccination centres rolling out the Covid-19 vaccines

generic-subs-images-NEW.jpg

(Image credit: Trevor Meeks)

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

BEVA added that horse sales are an important part of the industry which are allowed to continue under Government guidance.

“Pre-purchase examinations are an essential part of the sales process. Stopping veterinary involvement in horse sales will compromise animal welfare with horses left unsold and sellers unable to look after unsold animals and it will stop horse sales (fail to support the sector),” read the guidance.

“BEVA is of the opinion that any guidance which arbitrarily blocks essential veterinary activities in support of the horse industry would compromise equine welfare and go against Government guidance on supporting sectors.”

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

]]> <![CDATA[ Castration clinics launched for autumn ]]> Two new healthcare and castration clinics will be held this autumn, following the success of pilot projects run earlier this year by the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) Trust.

More than 40 vets volunteered their services for the limited places available.

Due to the success of the clinics in May — a castration project in Southampton and a SPANA (Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad) regional CPD Meeting in Morocco — two new healthcare and castration clinics have been confirmed for the autumn. They will be in late September/October in the south west and south east.

Suitable colts and stallions will be identified and recruited at each location by charity welfare officers, and volunteer vets will castrate up to 30 horses at each event. In addition as many horses as possible will be wormed and vaccinated against tetanus, courtesy of animal health company Zoetis, and will also be microchipped and “passported”.

Bell Equine Vet Julian Samuelson, chair of the trust review committee, said: “These events not only reduce the opportunity for unintentional breeding but, more importantly, have also proven to be a great way of getting new groups of horse owners engaged with veterinary care. By coordinating the necessary veterinary expertise we hope BEVA Trust will make a significant contribution to their success.”

The BEVA Trust is the British Equine Veterinary Association’s philanthropic arm and was established almost 50 years ago.

The clinics have been organised by the BEVA Trust, together with the British Horse Society Blue Cross, Horseworld, Redwings Horse Sanctuary, the RSPCA and World Horse Welfare, and many veterinary volunteers have already offered their services.

Further clinics will be arranged over the next 12 months. For further information visit www.beva.org.uk.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

]]> https://www.horseandhound.co.uk//news/beva-equine-healthcare-castration-clinics-510930 bNcwCvugdiuXRx2w4VkHF8 Tue, 22 Sep 2015 12:25:25 +0000 false false false

Two new healthcare and castration clinics will be held this autumn, following the success of pilot projects run earlier this year by the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) Trust.

More than 40 vets volunteered their services for the limited places available.

Due to the success of the clinics in May — a castration project in Southampton and a SPANA (Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad) regional CPD Meeting in Morocco — two new healthcare and castration clinics have been confirmed for the autumn. They will be in late September/October in the south west and south east.

Suitable colts and stallions will be identified and recruited at each location by charity welfare officers, and volunteer vets will castrate up to 30 horses at each event. In addition as many horses as possible will be wormed and vaccinated against tetanus, courtesy of animal health company Zoetis, and will also be microchipped and “passported”.

Bell Equine Vet Julian Samuelson, chair of the trust review committee, said: “These events not only reduce the opportunity for unintentional breeding but, more importantly, have also proven to be a great way of getting new groups of horse owners engaged with veterinary care. By coordinating the necessary veterinary expertise we hope BEVA Trust will make a significant contribution to their success.”

The BEVA Trust is the British Equine Veterinary Association’s philanthropic arm and was established almost 50 years ago.

The clinics have been organised by the BEVA Trust, together with the British Horse Society Blue Cross, Horseworld, Redwings Horse Sanctuary, the RSPCA and World Horse Welfare, and many veterinary volunteers have already offered their services.

Further clinics will be arranged over the next 12 months. For further information visit www.beva.org.uk.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

]]> <![CDATA[ ‘Snip n’ Chip’ cut-price gelding and microchipping service introduced ]]> A new “Snip n’ Chip” programme — offering reduced-cost gelding and micro-chipping — has been introduced in Dublin to help tackle the growing horse crisis.

Thousands of horses are being neglected, dumped and in some cases left to starve due to overbreeding.

Dublin SPCA (DSPCA) is running the scheme. Horses will be collected and taken to University College Dublin for the procedure costing €100 (£79), which would usually cost around €250 (£156).

The plan has been in action only for a couple of weeks but a DSPCA spokesman told H&H they had already had some uptake on it.

“We are hoping it will go some way towards alleviating the overpopulation of unwanted horses in Dublin, but it will be a while before we will see the results,” she said.

“Each uncastrated and stray stallion can be responsible for fathering many foals over their lifetimes and this has to stop.”

In Britain, in an attempt to overcome the problem, the British Horse Society (BHS) runs a castration scheme, which has held a number of clinics this year.

“Providing subsidised castrations, micro-chipping and health checks has made such a difference to our work in tackling the UK horse crisis and we look forward to expanding the scheme further in 2015,” said the BHS’ Lee Hackett.

In July the RSPCA joined forces with the police, council and vets to hold an action day in Derbyshire to promote responsible ownership.

For a donation of £20, owners brought horses to have a health check by an specialist equine vet, micro-chipping, a passport application, worming and assistance with future castration.

A spokesman told H&H more days are planned.

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (6 November 2014).

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

]]> https://www.horseandhound.co.uk//news/snip-n-chip-cut-price-gelding-microchipping-service-introduced-462817 g947jnLdNeSYN9rCM3QryL Mon, 10 Nov 2014 08:55:21 +0000 false false false

A new “Snip n’ Chip” programme — offering reduced-cost gelding and micro-chipping — has been introduced in Dublin to help tackle the growing horse crisis.

Thousands of horses are being neglected, dumped and in some cases left to starve due to overbreeding.

Dublin SPCA (DSPCA) is running the scheme. Horses will be collected and taken to University College Dublin for the procedure costing €100 (£79), which would usually cost around €250 (£156).

The plan has been in action only for a couple of weeks but a DSPCA spokesman told H&H they had already had some uptake on it.

“We are hoping it will go some way towards alleviating the overpopulation of unwanted horses in Dublin, but it will be a while before we will see the results,” she said.

“Each uncastrated and stray stallion can be responsible for fathering many foals over their lifetimes and this has to stop.”

In Britain, in an attempt to overcome the problem, the British Horse Society (BHS) runs a castration scheme, which has held a number of clinics this year.

“Providing subsidised castrations, micro-chipping and health checks has made such a difference to our work in tackling the UK horse crisis and we look forward to expanding the scheme further in 2015,” said the BHS’ Lee Hackett.

In July the RSPCA joined forces with the police, council and vets to hold an action day in Derbyshire to promote responsible ownership.

For a donation of £20, owners brought horses to have a health check by an specialist equine vet, micro-chipping, a passport application, worming and assistance with future castration.

A spokesman told H&H more days are planned.

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (6 November 2014).

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

]]> <![CDATA[ America calls for subsidised castration for unwanted horses ]]> Equine groups across the US are campaigning for state-subsidised castration of the country’s stallions to reduce the number of unwanted horses.

The programme — Stallion to Gelding Support — was created by the Horse Protection Society (HPS) of North Carolina and has been taken up across the nation.

Both the Kentucky Horse Council and the Minnesota Horse Council are promoting the campaign which allows horse owners to claim a $100 voucher towards castration costs of stallions by a registered vet. The scheme is tax deductible for the equine groups.

Director of HPS, Susan Lurz, said: “This programme is the future. We cannot continue to let our rescues be inundated with horses that have been neglected or are in poor health as a result of poor breeding practices.

“People are putting stallions and mares together in the same pasture, letting them be, and they’re just producing foals like crazy.”

For more information, visit www.stalliontogeldingsupport.org

The Minnesota Horse Council will make owners attend eight horse husbandry seminars, designed to give the average owner a basic understanding of horse care, before the vouchers are handed over.

Essie Rogers, director of education for the Kentucky Horse Council said: “It is much more expensive to feed two extra horses every year than it is to castrate the one creating the extra horse.”

Tawnee Preisner, founder of NorCal Equine Rescue, agreed with the programme: “Everyone loves the cute little baby horses but there are thousands of babies produced every year who are unwanted.”

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

]]> https://www.horseandhound.co.uk//news/america-calls-for-subsidised-castration-for-unwanted-horses-284638 mxrnjG7rYYVQmmWZ3rrCup Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:31:10 +0000 false false false

Equine groups across the US are campaigning for state-subsidised castration of the country’s stallions to reduce the number of unwanted horses.

The programme — Stallion to Gelding Support — was created by the Horse Protection Society (HPS) of North Carolina and has been taken up across the nation.

Both the Kentucky Horse Council and the Minnesota Horse Council are promoting the campaign which allows horse owners to claim a $100 voucher towards castration costs of stallions by a registered vet. The scheme is tax deductible for the equine groups.

Director of HPS, Susan Lurz, said: “This programme is the future. We cannot continue to let our rescues be inundated with horses that have been neglected or are in poor health as a result of poor breeding practices.

“People are putting stallions and mares together in the same pasture, letting them be, and they’re just producing foals like crazy.”

For more information, visit www.stalliontogeldingsupport.org

The Minnesota Horse Council will make owners attend eight horse husbandry seminars, designed to give the average owner a basic understanding of horse care, before the vouchers are handed over.

Essie Rogers, director of education for the Kentucky Horse Council said: “It is much more expensive to feed two extra horses every year than it is to castrate the one creating the extra horse.”

Tawnee Preisner, founder of NorCal Equine Rescue, agreed with the programme: “Everyone loves the cute little baby horses but there are thousands of babies produced every year who are unwanted.”

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

]]> <![CDATA[ When is a gelding actually a rig? ]]> More articles on equine castration

Find an equine vet

A true rig is a male horse that is carrying either one or two testicles concealed in its abdomen, making it visually appear to be a gelding, while behaving like a stallion. These horses are medically described as a cryptorchid, literally meaning “hidden testicle”.

A false rig is an aggressive gelding that displays male dominance-type behaviour, despite having both testicles removed. The stallion-like behaviour displayed by false rigs is not driven by testosterone, and can only be controlled by the correct management techniques.

Normally, the testicles migrate from the abdominal cavity into the scrotum just before or just after birth, but occasionally they may fail to descend or may get lost en route. This is called cryptorchidism. Approximately 15% of two- to three-year-old colts are rigs, so it is fairly common.

The male hormone testosterone is produced by the testicles, whether they are in their normal position in the scrotum or lurking somewhere inside the horse’s body. This means that rigs often display similar masculine behavioural characteristics (such as trying to cover in-season mares) to a stallion.

Rigs may be affected on one side (unilateral) or both sides (bilaterally). The unilateral rig will have one descended testicle in the scrotum and one undescended testicle, which is not visible from the outside. The bilateral rig, on the other hand, will have no testicles visible externally, with both retained somewhere inside the body.

Vets base their diagnosis of cryptorchidism on the horse’s history, palpation of the scrotum and blood tests, which identifies the male hormones secreted from the concealed testicle.

Unless a vet explores the area surgically, it is extremely difficult to feel accurately the position of the misplaced testicle. Most colts do not take too kindly to being groped and diagnostic aids such as ultrasound can yield confusing results.

The surgery (called a cryptorchidectomy) required to remove a retained testicle will depend on where that testicle is located. Various techniques are used depending on the location of the testicle and the surgeon’s particular preference and expertise. It is desirable to avoid a full abdominal exploration, as the risk of complications is higher and the recovery period longer.

Laparoscopic surgery, which involves a keyhole approach, may now be a better possibility for rigs that have the missing testicle located in the abdomen. In some cases, it can be performed on the standing, sedated animal, with the advantage of much smaller wounds and a faster recovery, but it requires appropriate equipment and a capable surgeon.

If the missing testicle can be seen with a laparoscope it can save a lot of the time that is sometimes spent searching the abdomen — meaning less stress for both horse and vet.

This veterinary article was published in full in Horse & Hound (5 August)

Looking for more articles on equine castration?

Find an equine vet near you

]]> https://www.horseandhound.co.uk//horse-care/horse-breeding/when-is-a-gelding-actually-a-rig-57411 vt2iJnHivTK4Wy8VE1hweM Wed, 18 Aug 2004 13:23:53 +0000 false false false

More articles on equine castration

Find an equine vet

A true rig is a male horse that is carrying either one or two testicles concealed in its abdomen, making it visually appear to be a gelding, while behaving like a stallion. These horses are medically described as a cryptorchid, literally meaning “hidden testicle”.

A false rig is an aggressive gelding that displays male dominance-type behaviour, despite having both testicles removed. The stallion-like behaviour displayed by false rigs is not driven by testosterone, and can only be controlled by the correct management techniques.

Normally, the testicles migrate from the abdominal cavity into the scrotum just before or just after birth, but occasionally they may fail to descend or may get lost en route. This is called cryptorchidism. Approximately 15% of two- to three-year-old colts are rigs, so it is fairly common.

The male hormone testosterone is produced by the testicles, whether they are in their normal position in the scrotum or lurking somewhere inside the horse’s body. This means that rigs often display similar masculine behavioural characteristics (such as trying to cover in-season mares) to a stallion.

Rigs may be affected on one side (unilateral) or both sides (bilaterally). The unilateral rig will have one descended testicle in the scrotum and one undescended testicle, which is not visible from the outside. The bilateral rig, on the other hand, will have no testicles visible externally, with both retained somewhere inside the body.

Vets base their diagnosis of cryptorchidism on the horse’s history, palpation of the scrotum and blood tests, which identifies the male hormones secreted from the concealed testicle.

Unless a vet explores the area surgically, it is extremely difficult to feel accurately the position of the misplaced testicle. Most colts do not take too kindly to being groped and diagnostic aids such as ultrasound can yield confusing results.

The surgery (called a cryptorchidectomy) required to remove a retained testicle will depend on where that testicle is located. Various techniques are used depending on the location of the testicle and the surgeon’s particular preference and expertise. It is desirable to avoid a full abdominal exploration, as the risk of complications is higher and the recovery period longer.

Laparoscopic surgery, which involves a keyhole approach, may now be a better possibility for rigs that have the missing testicle located in the abdomen. In some cases, it can be performed on the standing, sedated animal, with the advantage of much smaller wounds and a faster recovery, but it requires appropriate equipment and a capable surgeon.

If the missing testicle can be seen with a laparoscope it can save a lot of the time that is sometimes spent searching the abdomen — meaning less stress for both horse and vet.

This veterinary article was published in full in Horse & Hound (5 August)

Looking for more articles on equine castration?

Find an equine vet near you

]]>