gelding an older stallion

Question
Hi, thanks ahead for your info. I have a 10 year old stallion. I have had
him since he was 18 months. He has been handled all his life, born in a
stall, "excercised" in the round pen, and put on the walker most of that
pre-18 month years. Ground work continued, trained gently with time.
His riding behavior is great. We have no riding buddies, so I'm out by
myself mostly (I know its not smart to ride alone, but other then my
hiking buddies, I have no one to ride with). I have come upon other
riders, he did fine, although he talked. His on the ground behavior is
good, but again he does talk. Sometimes, its just a hello, sometimes,
especially now in breeding season, he is a little more throaty and
prances. If he overdoes it, I shank him back, and say no, we're not
breeding. With or without the stud chain, he responds well. I have a
couple questions. Lets first say, I have the experience to handle
stallions, and have been around breeding barns, show barns, boarding,
etc. The result of this was that I fell in love with stallions, and always
wanted one. I have also always maintained that only some stallions were
good stallion prospects, some not. This resulted in a list of rules in my
head for proper stallion behavior. Breaking the rules meant immediate
gelding, no exceptions.
My stallion had to spend 2 and a half years without me. I have had him
back for 5 months now. He was in good hands (I thought), training,
showing, possibly breeding (to see if he was worthy-yes he has the
bloodline, and papers). Well my world financially, as did my back,
collapsed, and shortly after that, the trainers hip collapsed. Kash ended
up un-handled, and he became skin and bones. Supposedly he went
neurotic. I rescued my horse, and if horse could purr, he did for 3 days
in route to his new home. Excellent behavior. Fast forward to good
health, 4 times with the farrier, LOTS of trail riding, and arena work.
Basic manner flaws walking by one particularly flirty mare.  Last week we
were standing for the farrier, he had walked to the truck. The flirt walks
up to the fence about 20 feet away, and talks. Kash answers the mare
with a throaty nicker, and a strike. He barely touched me, probably
because he missed, he had that brainless look in his eye. I reprimanded
him. He broke one of my rules. No striking in non breeding situations.
This was not strike one. Strike one was when I brought him up to the
other part of the ranch on first moving here, and not remembering he
had not seen those horses up close. I let it go, blaming it on my
stupidity of not bringing him up to that part of the ranch ahead of time.
Now this is strike two.
My circumstances, and his, have changed. He was suppose to have been
in show ring training, then some breeding. Resulting conditioning was
the intent so that even if I did not breed often, he would still have the
"manners" down pat. I feel he needs heavy show ring training, tied into a
breeding program, to instill the intense conditioning that is required for
"good stallion" behavior. As stated above, I think he's past proving
grounds.
Am I being unreasonable in my rule?
I am not an active horse breeder, and I know some of this is just horse
talk. I can rationalize his behavior with my lack of attention when the
mare walked up. I should have been watching his behavior more closely,
and being able to see the attention change, I would have just backed
him up a step or two reclaiming his attention.
If I do geld him, my research tells me that I might not see a change in
his behavior, and its more risky with the older stallion. Seems to me lack
of testosterone would make a difference. I realize it takes some time to
see a behavior change towards breeding. My question is how will this
affect his stamina, and gung-ho personality?
I come home everyday (almost) saying what an incredibly good horse he
is. I'm not worried about him going after mares on the trail, and he's not
mean to other horses (he has no one corraled with him, but on both
sides, even a mare for a couple days). I do worry about other people's
horses coming after him, and their control.
Our lives have changed, he's not "proven" in progeny, or the show ring.
He was bred once, the mare absorbed the foal, her first, and breeding
was not continued, therefore his breeding manners and conditioning
lapsed. This horse is my endurance prospect, and possibly driving. We
go all over with goals of lots of miles, and lots of crowds. I love his
personality, and go power. Is the moderate behavior change "maybe"
enough to risk the surgery, and the personality change. Will he be lazy?
In researching this, and evaluating my own reasons. I have found that
among people I know, men were the most adamant about gelding. Only
one thought I owed it to the stallion (not gelded early in life) to deal with
the difficulties. In myself, I find it interesting that I have a macho ego
about owning a stallion. Yes, I can get past that, just thought it
interesting.  I must decide quick, fly season is almost upon us. Sorry for
the length, felt the need for explanation. Not finding much on "after the
gelding".
Debbie

Answer
Hi Debbie,
            First, I must commend you on taking your horse back and helping him. Not many people would have done that. Your rules for him are not unreasonable at all. A stallion has to have better then excellent behavior due to the fact that they can operate on just their hormones and that other people take the smallest action they make and exaggerate it. I have gelded stallions as old as 21 years of age and have seen behavior changes. The behavior change takes about one to two months to be seen as that is how long it takes the testosterone to leave the body. It does not make them lazy or fat, instead it allows them to concentrate all their attention of what they are supposed to be doing. They are more inclined to be able to succeed at what they are doing.  The risk of gelding your stud at his age compared to a younger horse is minimal as long as he is healthy. He may have a bit more swelling that you will have to hose but that should be it. This will also allow him to be pastured with other horses and he will be much happier. You will also find it much easier if you ever have to move him from where he is as most boarding stables do not accept stallions. In my opinion both you and he will be happier once he is gelded.

Lisa