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A male horse is often gelded to make him better-behaved and easier to control. Gelding can also remove lower-quality animals from the gene pool. [7] To allow only the finest animals to breed on, while preserving adequate genetic diversity, only a small percentage of all male horses should remain stallions.
If a stallion is not to be used for breeding, castrating (gelding) the male horse will allow it to live full-time in a herd with both males and females, reduce aggressive or disruptive behavior, and allow the horse to be around other animals without being seriously distracted. [21]
When a male horse thought to be a gelding exhibits aggressive or sexual behavior, cryptorchidism is suspected. Sometimes, a horse with an unknown medical history is actually a stallion with both testicles retained. [2] An alternate definition of ridgling is a partially castrated horse. [1]
Free-roaming mustangs (Utah, 2005). Horse behavior is best understood from the view that horses are prey animals with a well-developed fight-or-flight response.Their first reaction to a threat is often to flee, although sometimes they stand their ground and defend themselves or their offspring in cases where flight is untenable, such as when a foal would be threatened.
Masturbation: A male horse, either a stallion or a gelding, will use his abdominal muscles to rhythmically bounce his penis against his belly. Previously believed to be a vice caused by boredom, confinement, or discomfort, [8] masturbation by stallions and geldings is now viewed as a normal behavior. [9] [10]
Secondary characteristics of a stallion include heavier muscling for a given breed than is seen in mares or geldings, often with considerable development along the crest of the neck, as shown in this image. The stallion's reproductive system is responsible for his sexual behavior and secondary sex characteristics (such as a
Horse cribbing is an unwanted behavior among horse owners because it can lead to various physical problems. Horses that crib may cause damage to their teeth due to excessive wear.
Each stallion then gathers a harem of mares and their foals to form a larger group of 20 or so. The foals and mares are rounded up in autumn, when the colts and some of the fillies are removed for sale. The remaining fillies are usually branded to indicate ownership. Some geldings may also be turned out. Ponies still kept in this way include ...