You probably just hit the nail on the head. He was worth more dead than alive. The cost of routine care would have gone up considerably. He would have needed specially trained grooms, especially early in his blindness. He needed to be taught routines that would keep him cared for without getting him upset and defensive. If it was possible to care for him at all. Some stallions would not be able to tolerate the change in routine. You are talking horse intellect, not human. Gelding would be pretty much guaranteed. Most farms are businesses that just can't afford round the clock care on one horse by specially trained grooms.
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