Does Gelding Affect the Hair?

The word "gelding" refers both the act of castrating a male horse and the designation of the horse after the act. Horse owners turn to gelding their colts and stallions to help control the animals' behavior and avoid accidental breeding with the mares on the property. The minor surgery that produces a gelding leaves some lasting effects, one of which involves the animal's hair.

  1. The Procedure

    • The gelding procedure, which usually occurs on the owner's property, involves anesthetizing the colt so that it lays still on a flat, grassy patch suitable for surgery. The veterinarian makes two incisions in the scrotum and pulls out the testicles along with about 2 inches of spermatic cord. The vet applies an emasculating device to the cord for one minute to sever it, then trims tissue and stitches up the surgical site.

    Surgical Effect on Hair

    • On her Horsekeeping website, trainer Cherry Hill notes that the thin hair of the horse's inner legs may slough away as a result of surgical drainage, causing skin irritation. She recommends a protective coating of petroleum jelly to the inside hind legs to absorb drainage.

    Hair Differences

    • The physical differences between a stallion and a gelding often center on the stallion's more muscular and toned appearance, due to the presence of its testosterone. That same hormone will promote a sleek, shiny coat in a stallion that may not otherwise grow so lushly on a gelding. As well, the stallion will retain its summer coat longer in the fall, when most horses begin growing their winter coats.

    Other Factors Affecting Hair

    • Age, seasonal changes, nutrition and general health issues all affect a horse's hair growth and loss. A horse lacking in essential copper and vitamin A is at risk for loss of coat, mane and tail. Parasites, allergic reactions and fungal infections -- the most common of which is known as "rain rot" -- can result in patchy hair loss. Horses in advancing years may be prone to a condition called Cushing's Disease, characterized by a thick, wavy coat slow to shed out, even as summer approaches.