# I just don't understand! Opinions?



## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

Happens all day long, every day. I have a old neighbor who bought an aged horse for his great grandkids, who ride very seldom if at all. Poor old guy is ribby, never gains weight, is all alone. The neighbor is an experienced horseman who used to breed roping horses there. I asked him if he could put the horse in the pasture adjoining my dry lot so he could at least see two horses over the fence. "He doesn't need company." I asked him whether the horse's teeth had been floated. "Nothing wrong with his teeth." 

People don't see how horses suffer. They just don't. I don't know why either.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

are you just asking if other people feel like you do, or if there is some reason for this sort of care, . . something you are not aware of.?


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## MerriBelle1 (Apr 19, 2017)

This actually happens more than what many people know. There are probably circumstances that you may not be aware of. If these people are brand new in the breeding business, perhaps there were things they didn't know that could of been done. Vets don't tell everything. People hear what they want to hear. Do what they want to do. Could this stallion be on a special diet due to a disease that you don't know about? That may explain the dry lot. Perhaps these people mismanaged money and are now trying to figure out what to do. And something I've seen more often than not, when one does not know how to read pedigrees, problems can result. A piece of paper does not promise anything. Were the mare's checked for any infection? Was the stallion checked for infection? Was a testosterone level checked prior to breeding? Was this an unproven stallion? Have any of these mares had foals before? Is the pasture fencing where the mare are, stallion safe? Perhaps some people are scared of the stallion and don't want to be around him, even tho he may appear very nice. In a breeding shed, a stallion has a one track mind---most of the time. Many times people don't see what others see. They don't have an open mind. Or they choose not to have an open mind, regardless of what others say.


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

I am not really sure how this would be any different than a horse being in a stall all day - and that seems to be acceptable to many. He may be infertile but still acts studly or they are having him regularly tested to see if it corrects itself.

If he is well fed and healthy he has better care than a lot of horses out there.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

I don't know why people do what they do. B/O got a gelding at the end of last year who was an orphan baby, stayed a stud for six years mostly locked up in a stall with almost no turnout. He was gelded at the beginning of last year. He came to the farm being the most obnoxious animal I have ever met. 

The first thing that happened for him was 90 days at a trainer who spent half of that time just getting him to act right. Finally a little training was done on him and he's behaving pretty decently. Still can't trust him 100% not to try to take a nip at you, but he is doing much better. This horse is beautiful and it's a shame that he wasn't raised differently. I guess the plus side is no one rode him at all until after the age of six and his movements are gorgeous. No physical issues what so ever. 

He has now been integrated into the herd and finally learning how to be a horse.


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## WhattaTroublemaker (Aug 13, 2013)

These people have been in the horse business for a long time. They run a boarding stable on the side, and are doing very well. They have the best care, the best vets, chiros, breeding specialists, trainers, the whole works. 

I just don't understand why he's not being gelded. His lot used to be grass, now it is dirt. He's not being used for breeding at all, hasn't been for at least seven years. I'm just wondering if anyone has any reasoning to put behind this or what they think on it.


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## WhattaTroublemaker (Aug 13, 2013)

tinyliny said:


> are you just asking if other people feel like you do, or if there is some reason for this sort of care, . . something you are not aware of.?


Basacally all of the above. I just don't see the point in leaving a stallion who's infertile, not breeding and not being used a stallion. Plus- these people are very pro geld. They have strict policies on allowing stallions on property or ungelded colts to be boarded (with good reason obviously)


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

You could ask them.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

What vet would AI mares, with semen that is not viable?
Have the mares or the stallion been cultured?
Has he been pasture bred to those mares at all.Often, someone doing the AI, might be a lay person, with neither the means nr the knowledge to know when a mare is going to ovulate, or could be collecting the stallion in amnner where that semen is not viable
I can relate my own horror story, when I sent my mare out to be bred to an outside stallion, and where they used AI, but would not ship semen.
This mare produced many foals with out stallion, was always easy to get in foal
Well, they managed to give her a uterine infection, and two years later, about $5,000 in vet bills finally got her in foal Purely human error
I don;t think any stallion should be re producing, without some performance record, but then, that is me.
To earn a performance record, he needs to be ridden or driven


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

Whatta ::Why don't you ask them instead of speculate ? I personally think about 95% of the stallions out there would make fantastic geldings. 

Avna:; if the horse is that bad of shape, why don't you call animal control?


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## 6gun Kid (Feb 26, 2013)

I am a firm believer in a good stallion makes a great gelding.But you are right, it is none of your business.


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

It happens more often than you think. It's their horse, unless you ask them (which wouldn't be a good idea, as you are right, it's not your business) then you don't really know the reasoning behind not getting him gelded.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

I'm curious how you know that he's never ridden, used, or bred in any way. If you're close enough to those who run the facility to keep this constant-a tabs on him, why not ask their reasoning?


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## WhattaTroublemaker (Aug 13, 2013)

Zexious said:


> I'm curious how you know that he's never ridden, used, or bred in any way. If you're close enough to those who run the facility to keep this constant-a tabs on him, why not ask their reasoning?


I've spoken in depth with the owners and he is 100% infirtile. This was six years ago, I also know people who board there as well as their chiro, and he's not being handled except hoof trimmings, leading, etc. 

I don't speak with the owners anymore, as were on bad terms about how I didn't ride/work my 11 year old mare who's so arthritic she's nearly crippled/has extremely crooked non weight bearing legs. Just irony I guess.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Sounds like you both (you and neighbor) need to concentrate on what's in your own backyards and quit worrying about the other's back yard. I know if someone questioned me on why I kept Skippy or Cloney intact, whether I used them or not, I'd probably give them the rough side of my tongue and tell them where to go. It's nobody's business but the animal owner's and they're under no compulsion to justify anything to anyone. Not saying I disagree with gelding the horse, especially if he's infertile, but he's not my horse so not my call. Also nobody's business when, why, or if I ride one or any of my horses. My response to all of this kind of thing is, "Move along folks. Nothing to see here.". As long as he's fed, sheltered (as/when/if needed) and generally cared for, it's their business and no one else's.


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

I guess the saying fits, 'not my circus, not my monkeys'. Yeah, at the end of the day it is their horse. Who knows what their reasoning behind it is. We probably won't ever know, especially if you are not on good terms with them it's best to just not even worry about it. As long as he's cared for otherwise, I think he's probably doing just fine.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Maybe it's just their mares, because, before any reproduction vet will start AI, first they test the semen and culture the mares. They could still ship his semen, just not breed their mares. Canadian horses are worth very good money here at this end of Canada and there is a waiting list for foals.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

The owner's shared the semen analysis and the mare culture results with you?NoT that it should be your concern, but is the horse perhaps a crypt , and they do not wish to spend the money for that more involved gelding process
I can think of no other reason someone would leave an infertile stud intact, unless using him as a teaser


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