My Stallion: Plan B

I had forgotten to mention the new situation with my Stallion Capote. I had bought into the idea that in order to keep his monetary value he had to remain a stallion. I didn't feel safe handling and riding a stallion therefore he had to be sold. I started to realize why can't he become a gelding??? Sure he looses his value with respect to breeding fees and resale....but there is more to my relationship with my animals than money. I really like this horse. He is the most intelligent horse I have ever owned. Plus he is very easy to ride and train. What makes a stallion dangerous and unpredictable is their preoccupation with breeding and their natural desire to dominate humans and other horses. Once they are castrated, they loose all of their negative behavior. This can take up to 6 months with an adult stallion.

So Capote is now a gelding. It has been 2 weeks today since his operation. He has been one miserable guy for the last 2 weeks but we have been giving him pain meds to make him more comfortable. My vet castrated him under a general anesthesia right at the barn. The actual operation took about 1/2 hour but the sedation, general anesthesia and getting him back on his feet took 1 hour. I have already started to see a difference in his behavior. Here are some pictures of Capote right before his general and Capote waking up.