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[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by the_fat_man

I've worked on the backstretch, and while STUDS can be a handful, there's nothing more depressing than being around a sad, old gelding. Like a junkie, it awaits its next refreshing shot of testosterone.

This paragraph is riddled with understatement, ridiculous athropomorphism, and gross exaggeration. Intact horses can not only be a handful, they can also be downright dangerous (ie the veterinarian who recently was killed by a Morgan stallion). As far as their mental state, even if one could ascertain the emotions geldings harbor, who's to say its brought on by the absence of their testicles (as opposed to the lifestyle its subjected to as a racehorse in general)? Furthermore, not all geldings receive injections of anabolic steroids, much less on a regular basis.

I realize there are 'traditional' ways of doing things on the racetrack. Some of these just need to change.

Any industry that deals with the utilization of animals for the benefit of man whether it be for entertainment, food, or fiber presupposes the notion that mankind has an inherent right to 'dominion over animals', which essentially entails stripping it of its natural tendencies and modifying its existence to facilitate its exploitation. If that is at the core of your dilemma, I don't see how singling out ball-lopping will somehow give you peace of mind. Perhaps you should re-evaluate your stance on the idea of racing horses at all.

[the_fat_man]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

This paragraph is riddled with understatement, ridiculous athropomorphism, and gross exaggeration. Intact horses can not only be a handful, they can also be downright dangerous (ie the veterinarian who recently was killed by a Morgan stallion). As far as their mental state, even if one could ascertain the emotions geldings harbor, who's to say its brought on by the absence of their testicles (as opposed to the lifestyle its subjected to as a racehorse in general)? Furthermore, not all geldings receive injections of anabolic steroids, much less on a regular basis.



Any industry that deals with the utilization of animals for the benefit of man whether it be for entertainment, food, or fiber presupposes the notion that mankind has an inherent right to 'dominion over animals', which essentially entails stripping it of its natural tendencies and modifying its existence to facilitate its exploitation. If that is at the core of your dilemma, I don't see how singling out ball-lopping will somehow give you peace of mind. Perhaps you should re-evaluate your stance on the idea of racing horses at all.

So, the rational solution, then, is to just castrate without regard to the individual case?

I mean there aren't any trainers out there abusing this, are there?

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by the_fat_man

So, the rational solution, then, is to just castrate without regard to the individual case?

I mean there aren't any trainers out there abusing this, are there?

Again, unless you have personally worked for the 3 trainers you named, you make assumptions. How do you know that they are not considered on an individual basis? None of the 3 you mentioned typically deal with well-bred stock and 2 handle a lot of claiming types.

A more head-on approach to this discussion would be to put you in the hot seat. What are indications are acceptable to you when considering castrating a horse?

[hockey2315]

Hough has had a few well bred ones for Robsham. . . DC and Sargent Seattle off the top of my head. . . Didn't geld either one of them but DC only raced once with him and Sargent Seattle ran really big in his debut and then sucked in his only other start.