could my gelding be proud cut?!

Question
hi,
i bought my gelding rowdy (fits his name to a T) in 2005 at a livestock sale.  i was told he was a 10 year old gelding, but they didn't want me to ride him.... i did anyway!! hahaha! i thought this was a little odd though....  he seemed very laid back and all at the sale, but later on i figured out they had drugged him for the sale and he also coliced later on that night... i also found out at the next vet visit that he was about 2-3 years old at the time... so now that we know the seller is a complete liar...  he has turned out to be a very lively horse!! he is a blast to ride! but he tends to be a little unpredictable...  since about the day after i got him I've noticed NUMEROUS ways that he acts "studish" but yet he doesn't have any balls.  as my population of horses has grown and changed over the years I've acquired many different horses.  i have a 3 year old stud that I've had since he 5 months. rowdy and this stud bonded instantly and you NEVER see them apart.  he gets along fine with the other geldings (he's just the most dominant).  I've had one mare and he didn't pay her any attention until she came into season.  i had put him in another pasture with my stud (since they're buddies) and he literally pushed my stud away from the fence and tried to breed my mare!!  last week when i was grooming him i decided to feel around to see if maybe there was still anything there and to my surprise there was still a whole testicle, with the cord intact, and in the correct spot (just no sac)!!!  i was wondering if there was any way that i could tell if he was proud cut or if he has cryptorchidism?! And if he is proud cut could he still reproduce?! also.. do you think that there could be any other possible condition(s) besides the two I've already mentioned?!

Answer
Very simply, if he has a testicle he is not proud cut. Lots of owners often think this when the testicle is undescended, but in reality, i dont think Ive ever even seen a horse who was "proud cut". Its really not done any more. Being that this is in all likelihood a 2 year old and that you can palpate a high, undescended testicle that is not in the scrotum, your horse is a cryptorchid. My guess is that due to his age, he was never castrated, as you probably would still be able to feel the incision sites. Im guessing that the other testicle is probably present in the other side but not palpable. It may still be in the abdomen. YOur horse is FULLY capable of breeding until this "extra brain tissue" is removed. It will probably calm him down quite a bit. Be forewarned that the surgery can be involved and can involve going into the abdomen. I recommend a board-certified surgeon do this. Ive seen alot of cryptorchid surgeries go awry when general equine vets attempt to do this on their own. I dont recommend it. Also, your horse will still be able to breed successfully for a month or 2 after the testicles are removed. The cryporchid surgery will require general anesthesia and some surgical skill. I strongly recommend you carefully select who does it and where it is done. good luck. feel free to contact me again if you have any other questions.